"Weavers Words" Vol. 2 Iss. 103 Date Sent: March 23, 1999 Web Page: http://www.iei.net/~davidc/ Subscribers: 983 David Collins 408 North Devon Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46219 317-899-5747 davidc@iei.net %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Do You Like Weavers Words? Click Below To "Recommend-It" To A Friend! http://recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=210339 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% "Web Cards" - Create Full-Color Postcards For Your Web Page. http://www.printing.com/affiliate.asp?site=davidc For every free sample of "Web Cards" that you request from the above link, I will receive a $1 commission. It cost you NOTHING. Once you receive your free sample, you can purchase personalized "Web Cards" for your web page and/or business if you like. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% "Bare Walls" Basket Pictures/Prints If you are looking for basket pictures/prints, check out "Bare Walls" through Weaver's Words site. I will get a 15% commission from Bare Walls for every picture/print ordered. The address to check out the pictures is: http://www.iei.net/~davidc/prints.html %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Hi Everyone, Don't forget to wear your red ribbons at IBA convention. Everyone, who is attending IBA Convention, be sure to stop by the raffle room (ROOM #156) and tell my mom hi. Also buy your raffle tickets. There's over 60 great basketry related donations. To quote Dick Clark & Ed McMahon, "YOU MAY ALREADY BE A WINNER!!!". Also there's been a bunch of basket pictures added since last issue. Be sure to check them out. The address is: http://www.iei.net/~davidc/pictures.html Take Care, David P.S. Paddalyn, Denial is more than just a river in Egypt. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 101 Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 16:08:28 -0800 From: karen awong To: David Collins References: 1 Gretchen, I think that it is wonderful that you are adopting. Congratulations! Question for all you who procrastinate. I am in a slump, how do you get yourself back in to the groove of weaving when you've been away from it for awhile. Didn't seem to have that problem before but everytime I lay off I just seem to hesitate getting back to weaving. Is that just me or do any of you have this problem? On the plus side, I went to Bishop Museum Yesterday. It houses a wonderful collection of Polynesian artifacts. They have a lot of baskets added to the collection. My friend and I always lament about not knowing what types of materials to use here in the islands besides palm fronds. When I saw these baskets at the museum I realized that there were a lot of different ways of weaving with the palm. Also it mentioned other types of plants too. So now I am on a mission to figure out just what the plants were that were used. They were beautiful baskets. Karen Awong %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Wow that was fast! Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 00:57:04 +0000 From: Tony Stubblefield or Dean Meredith To: David Collins/Weavers Words Hello again! Leigh - You must have missed my earlier post about this. My suggestion for making a nicely shaped rim (i.e. one that doesn't look like a peanut) is to use a heavy weight rim stock like flat oval or even better, half round reed. I usually double lash my rims and try to pull the lashing as tightly as possible. After I am done lashing I then shape the overall rim profile manually into either an oval/circle or a soft cornered rectangle. Once the rim dries it will retain this shape. OK, OK, I take the hint you all want me to get busy and work on my filling in diagrams :-) I have a newsletter to do for one of my volunteer groups and then I may actually have a little free time. I was thinking my next basket class was in April, but it is actually in May so I get a month off, yeah! I will work on it, promise! Mindy Lower - To finish my Nantucket's I use Deft semi gloss spray. It is a good quality wood finish that my dad, who is and antique dealer, refinisher, furniture builder, and retired industrial arts teacher, has used for years on his furniture. After 3 to 4 coats you have a nice luster, but I like to go over the basket with very fine steal wool anyway, 000 I think. I then use Johnson's Paste Wax as a final touch to really deepen the finish. I have used other finishes in the past, but find this to be the neatest and easiest and it really brings out the natural beauty of the wood and cane. I think I may have to take a road trip to IN this Saturday to shop the vendors. All this talk of conventions is giving me the itch. Happy safe traveling to all those heading off for conventions! Tony Stubblefield St. Louis http://www.tetranet.net/users/deanandtony/baskets.htm %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Rectangular Baskets Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 21:30:48 -0600 From: "Crystal R. Drenner" To: davidc@iei.net I had a request for a mantle type basket about 2 1/2 years ago. The dimensions were 4 foot long x 5 inches wide x 7 inches high. I used my ironing board to weave it, and lots of help from friends to help hold it. When finished, I strayed it real well. Then I started to shape it, {I continually shaped the corners while weaving also} I used blocks of wood and placed in the ends to hold the shape then tied together with a rope in several spots. After it was dry, I sprayed it with a light craft spray, because she places it outside in the summer. The basket still is beautiful, and looks great with all she has done to it. Blessings, Crystal %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 101 Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 00:04:05 -0500 From: "Patricia A. Moritz" To: David Collins David C: Wanted to let you know that you can no longer order the book "A Guide to Weft Twining and Related Structures With Interacting Wefts" through Amazon.com. They were unable to obtain it from their supplier. You might want to delete it from your book listings. Char C: On the same subject, would you e-mail me as to the publisher of the above book. We talked about it at Midwest Focus and you mentioned that the publisher donated a copy to Winter Weave. I thought I might try to order it direct. Tony S: A very belated THANK YOU for the extensive message you sent in response to my questions to you about the Nantucket rims. I appreciate your taking the time to write all the steps out. I will put them to use. I finally have gotten back to one of my wax linen pieces that I started 2 1/2 years ago (now that I've actually decided how to finish it). I will send in a picture to David when it is finished. Yes, I would love to see your pieces sometime. I'm glad to hear that your classes went well. Wendy called me yesterday and said "people were clamoring for the random weave class" I taught a few weeks back so I'm teaching it again in May. Sue Ann B: I enjoyed meeting you at Midwest Focus in Sandy Whalen's class on Sunday. I too enjoyed taking her class and am anxious to try something with the willow I harvested from around a friend's pond this past fall. Lou Volkman called me yesterday and asked me to again teach a mini class next year at Midwest for those people coming in on Thursday evening (after the guild meeting). Judy and Lou both know how much I enjoy attending the conference! I've been there every year so far and God willing, will continue to be there as long as it is held. It is such a relaxing and learning time! I'm looking forward to taking Marilyn Moore's wire class next year - I'm hoping she will be chosen to teach at pre-conference also. Nora Voss: What a great outlook you have on life and such an inspiration for everyone who questions what they can accomplish in spite of hardships! On the pet scene, I too have birds. In past years I've had finches and a cockatiel. I now have three love birds. Three?? Yes! I have a male and female and their son! They are so cute and the female is definite the smart one of the three and really rules the roost. Pam F: As Tony mentioned in a past issue, I'm sure the beautiful but very expensive baskets you saw were those of Steven Zeh's. His work is truly remarkable! Lesley: I didn't forget to answer your question about metals. I've been out of town and haven't had time to get back on the computer for about a week. It took me three days to catch up on the Weavers Words that had piled up while I was at Midwest Focus. I don't have an answer as to many books out there for the techniques I want to learn/use other than the one Bert sent you. I'm not interested in the metalworking for jewelry and am planning on taking a metals class if one is offered this year in St. Louis. I'll let you know if I find out about any new metals books. Marilyn Moore mentioned a couple to me when we talked at Midwest Focus but of course at the time I didn't have paper and pencil with me to write down the information. I'll e-mail her and get it. Marty Z: Andre Lapins will be a featured teacher at the 2000 Midwest Focus Basketry Seminar in March 2000 (Gosh that looks weird to see the year as 2000!) Watch for more information about the seminar in later months. Leigh: Thanks for giving us all the recipe for the gumball stain. My neighbor will thank me over and over when I tell him to send them my way! Bonnie S: Glad to see you have joined WW! It's been awhile since we've talked. Where in No. MO are you moving? Sorry this is so long, but I knew I'd never get back to it before I leave for the Indy convention on Wednesday. Maybe I can celebrate a new position at work while I enjoy a weekend of weaving! Everyone who is going to NC or Indy, have a safe trip and ENJOY! Pat Moritz in slightly rainy St. Louis %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: (no subject) Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 05:51:04 EST From: JLS1117@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Hi Everyone - It's been awhile since I've posted. Been trying to catch up on all the great info David has been sending us. Between my husband & 3 sons I don't get to use the computer much. So here goes -- Thanks Cathryn & Karen for the info re: Retayne. I've been looking for it here but no luck. Gretchen -- Best wishes on your upcoming adoptions. Having 2 so close in age is really going to change your life - but only for the good I'm sure. I don't know what I'd do without my 3 boys. Denise - Bonnie & Bev -- Welcome aboard! The wealth of knowledge that this group has is astounding! ---- Leigh - Thank you for the recipe for the Sweet Gum Dye. I'm going to have to try that. That is if my husband will let me keep a trash can full of it around. I tried my hand at dying reed this past week & now have 6 milk bottles full to try to store somewhere! He's REAL happy but patient. ----Pamela -- Welcome - I also do primarily coiled baskets ( with yarn - pine needles - seagrass - raffia - jacaranda stems - palm inflorescence - waxed linen - I'm experimenting with wire now ) Love to exchange ideas. Just starting to get into reed baskets. ----My first basket was a pine needle basket with a lid. The lid had a Tenerife in the center. It was a bit uneven because I didn't know how you were supposed to end it - I just did it when I thought it was big enough. That's why I made the lid. When it's on it looks great. I don't have it anymore - I gave it to my Mom. She still has it. I made it in 1978. My first reed basket was a small melon basket from a kit. I still have that one. Actually it's not too bad. --- Family pets -- We have ZOO around here: The ruler of the house is Tigger - our 10yr old orange tabby cat. She's a character - loves to play - sleep & carry off any basket material that's within her reach. She will also let us take her out in the middle of the pool on a boogie board. When she's had enough floating around - she will jump in & swim to the side & climb out. We have a dog named Brittany that's 3yrs old. A cockatiel named Beanka ( she just landed on my husband's car one day & he brought her home) -- A 6ft python with no name that lives in a big aquarium in the garage. -- A black tarantula with no name that eats crickets. A whole bunch of fish. -- Two ground squirrels that have adopted us & the newest is a baby gopher that my son's dog caught. It's about 2 1/2" long - squeaks - likes lettuce & broccoli & unsalted sunflower seeds. As you can tell my guys keep me jumping - I never know what to expect. Looking forward to the next swap. Before June would be a good time . To all of you lucky ones that are going to Indiana & NC - can't wait to hear all about your adventures. I'm hoping to go to Michigan this year if all goes well. I guess I rattled long enough so I'll say so long from sunny Del Mar, Ca - where the turf meets the surf -- Judi %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Lake Crescent Retreat Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 05:43:24 -0800 From: "Kelly Anderson" To: "David Collins" Sharle: I live in Southern California and very much want to go to the basketry weekend at Lake Crescent this year. It's the 10-year anniversary so it's supposed to be a blast. I'm on the Pacific Weave mailing list, but I haven't received registration materials for this year's weekend yet. I do know it's scheduled for 8/20 - 22. I think there's also a weekend in June--maybe that one is in Seattle or La Connor--but I haven't heard details about that one either. Kristin: Thanks for the good information for first-timers. I went to my first convention at Michigan last October. It was a complete social whirlwind and both my nerves and poor little fingertips were just raw after three 7-hour days of weaving. It was also at the AMB that I met Jean Cadmus May. Although I knew she lived in TX, I knew she couldn't be the teacher who "stiffed" someone. I took her Fontana Shopper class on the last day of the AMB convention. Because I was exhausted from jet lag, three solid days of weaving, and too little sleep, I burst into tears as I tried to finish my basket on time. Although Jean was probably also tired, she was so kind and patient. She said exactly the right things to calm me and gave me a big plastic bag so I could easily carry my unfinished basket on the plane. Lesson learned: If I take a class on the same day I'm leaving, I bring along an extra box, bag or suitcase for my unfinished basket. (I usually ship the rest home.) I've got my red ribbon all ready and I'm looking forward to meeting my basket swap buddy at the IBA this week! Kelly In Southern California where it's still dark outside this morning %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 102 Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 09:57:51 -0500 From: "Donna" To: "David Collins" Leigh - Re: rectangles looking like peanuts. It's all in tension. Since you're aware of it, now YOU must control the reed, not the other way around! Make sure as you weave the sides, you pull the stakes outward so you have a "straight" line across the handle side of the basket. Watch your corners, you may want to use a clothespin on every row where the weaver goes in front of a corner stake to keep it from pulling in. As a last resort, if the basket is a standard 8 x 12 or 10 x 14 size, get a rectangular wood hoop and drop it down over the handle and clip your stakes to the handle. You have to unclip and reclip constantly as you weave and slide the hoop up as you weave, but this will force you to keep the shape of a rectangle. (I would only use this as a last resort measure). Are you sure you don't like the "peanut" shape? Some people intentionally shape them this way. Good Luck Donna L. cold but sunny PA http://www.countryseat.com Check out our new online searchable catalog with shopping cart ctryseat@fast.net %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Willow books Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 15:00:12 +0000 (GMT) From: Chris Jordan To: David Collins Naomi, The Sally Goymer book is very good - and it's just been reprinted by Sally (been OOP for quite a while). (The old edition was a hardback - good considering the battering my basket books get - but I believe the new edition has an extra chapter - I've not seen a copy yet). Hope you can get it in the US.... But if not, here are the UK details. The Complete Book of Basketry Techniques. Published by David & Charles. New in Paperback. Jan 1999. by Sue Gabriel and Sally Goymer. £12.99 "For basketmakers at all levels, here is a comprehensive guide to basketry techniques. The emphasis is on willow work with the aid of over 300 exceptionally clear diagrams and 70 photographs." Available from bookshops or direct from Sally at 37 Mendip Road, Cheltenham, Glos. GL52 5EB P&P UK £2.50, Europe £3, US/Canada £6, Australia, New Zealand, Japan £7 Another useful little book, which you might be able to get hold of, is Handmade Baskets from Nature's Colorful materials by Susie Vaughan. Good on the basics of straightforward round baskets. Regards Chris %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Bits and Pieces Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 10:41:43, -0500 From: BDKE97B@prodigy.com (MRS BILLIE A DORRIS) To: davidc@iei.net My last post before I leave tomorrow am. First I just had a call from one of our group and suggested that if the ww folks could get together I could take a picture with my digital camera and send it to David when we return. Sounds like a good idea to me. Winnie-super idea about turning off the ringer-duh! Never thought about it. We are anxiously awaiting the cable connection. It is already in the Hampton roads area but not on our side of the water. Tony-somewhere along the line if you're teaching the same group of folks have them shape the spokes. I know it takes more time but if they are going to make others they need to know how to do it. Maybe on a smaller basket. If you keep doing it for them they will never learn. If they are never going to make another basket it probably doesn't matter. That was really good advice about waiting 'til you get home to place an order. There usually are no discounts at convention. I will sometimes buy the patterns to see if there is anything special needed that isn't easy to find (only through the person selling the pattern) and buy only that. You definitely don't need a ton of money to enjoy yourself and you won't be some like of us who buy things in the excitement of the moment and they when we get home wonder why in the world they bought that. So don't be discouraged and think you can go only if you win the lottery. Just seeing all the wonderful things and meeting all the people you have only heard of makes it all worth while. Now I will blasphemy in the eyes of the purists. I use polyurethane on my Nantucket's. I have tried many things but always come back to that. Yes they only used shellac in the past but then they didn't have poly. they had to use what they had. Also I take in consideration what the basket will be used for. When we took the purse class from the Arawjo's they said they use poly. because it holds up better under the abuse that an everyday purse gets. I have found that to be true. And the color still ages nicely. If you do use shellac be sure to check the date on the can before you buy it. It has a short shelf life and can be a disaster if it is old. Remembered one of the things in my lost message from Sat. There is a web site for the Asia Society of New York that talks about the display that was mentioned in the NY Times. Also in last weeks Washington Post is an article on an exhibit at the Japan Information and Culture Centy on a weaver who works with bamboo. It would be worth checking out if you are in that area. It is at 1155 21st St. NW in the district. Through April 9. The workmen are here to get my air cond. ready for summer. (I hope). Til next week Billie in Sunny Va. Beach %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: misc Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 08:11:31 -0800 From: "Kathey Ervin" To: "David Collins" Hello Everyone - Joanne - Sequim in located at the base of the Olympic Mountains on the Olympic Peninsula. In fact we are in the 'rain shadow' of the mountains and get very little rain in comparison to the surrounding areas. They call it a 'Blue Hole'. I'm very lucky to live in an area with lots things to go a-gathering. Evie - wish I could help you out on the Devils Claw. I saw some at a basket makers retreat auction last year and could not imagine what it was or how it is worked into basket making material. I have a little native basket coiled with yucca and the rim is wrapped with yucca (white), yucca root (a beautiful red), a dyed? yucca (yellow) and the devils claw which is a wonderful black accent. I hope you get some response from your question because I'm curious also. Denise Beck - I may have met you at the Baskemakers Weekend at Lake Crescent last year? Welcome to WW! Your shoulder bag sounds wonderful.. Be sure to send some pictures in to David...please, please please!! Bonnie S. - I don't know if you were looking at my cedar baskets but yes, I do gather all my own materials. I love gathering!!! I often think to myself when I'm in the wood being gifted with the 'gold of the forest' from these trees that tower up above me to the sky, that I can't see through the canopy above, that I don't care if I ever make a basket. Being in the woods and working, and it is work, I've at times been so tired I wondered if I had energy to hike back to the car with my bounty! Myself and gathering buddies are definitely getting the bug again -time to put the gloves, clippers bags, etc back in the car because you never know!! Andres L - do you ever come to the Northwest to teach your willow classes? Sounds like you are an excellent teacher and since I pun in about a hundred willow starts last year and it looks like almost all of them 'took' I should increase my skills with willow work. I still want to make a fishing creel someday. Naomi - on those willow cuttings...I got some cuttings from a friend, bought a couple of mature plants from local nursery and cut them back and poke the prunings in the ground. I have recently cut back (shaped) my forsythia and 'poked' (a highly technical term) the cuttings in my willow bed. I figure anything with some length and flexibility is worth a try. Whew!! Just got through Three WW's and made all my comments - love chatting with everyone. Thank you David for this great connection! And I'm glad you and your Mom liked the basket! Kathey Ervin in 'The Blue Hole' - Sequim, WA %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 101 Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 08:58:23 -0800 From: "Deb Curtis, Tisket Tasket Basket" To: David Collins WOW! 101 issues so fast! And here comes another one! Thanks David. To the person who had seen the seagrass baskets. I make that same kind with feathers and other naturals tied or sewn on (a friend uses glue but somehow that doesn't seem right to me). Working with seagrass spokes is a little more difficult but you just hold the shape with your left hand for the first few rows and you are always paying attention to the shape. I do some pretty freeform shapes and have had them sell like hot cakes. The fringing at the top helps keep the ends from undoing. My simple ones only take about 45 minutes to an hour to make but some of my freeform ones have taken up to 7 or 8 hours. They're much larger though and end up with a ton of spokes to get the shaping I want. Anna - I've attempted a hop basket and found it to be slightly brittle when working with the vines. Maybe I was trying to turn too sharp of a corner. Are your baskets brittle when they dry? Karen - The blackberry vines I've used in my baskets are the long light green runners that grow in the under growth. I wear a leather glove when stripping the thorns and leaves off. I also use an old green scrubby pad and run the vines from the tip to the butt end. I usually have to run a vine through twice. I then let them dry and soak them when I want to use them. I have heard of people using the heavier stalks but don't have experience with that. Anyone done that??? Sharle - I generally cut my dogwood mid-Feb. and have found that here in the NW we can let it sit about 3 - 4 weeks and it's still workable. I leave it in the shade and in all the weather, especially the rain. I found that it shrinks a lot if you weave with it fresh. I use a galvanized tub for soaking my cedar. black walnut, and cherry barks and have seen no ill effects. Sue Ann - I have willow planted all around the South perimeter of my yard. It's so much fun to weave with and grow. Maybe all of us who grow willow could do a cutting exchange? Anyone interested? Must go mail some baskets. One to "Small Expressions" and one to an all Oregon exhibit. Have been madly weaving these past few weeks and hope to keep it up. Denise I too would love to see your cedar bark shoulder bag. I love that material! It's just about all I weave with besides birch now. See some of you soon at the NW Basket Weavers retreat! Deb Curtis in sometimes sunny, sometimes rainy Oregon %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Andris Lapins Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 12:36:46 -0500 From: "Steve Catsos" To: "david collins" I have been reading WW for a very long time, but usually I'm too busy to write. Today I decided to make time! I've been weaving for 13 years, and my love (addiction, actually) is weaving with black ash. I teach at conventions and for guilds around the country. Someone asked about Andris Lapins....Andris Lapins is a Master Willow basket maker from Latvia. He is currently on a teaching tour in the eastern US. The Northeast Basketmakers Guild is fortunate to have him teaching a Chinese Knot basket on April 10, and teaching a skeined willow bracelet and giving a presentation at our annual meeting on April 11. Classes and meeting will be held at the Heritage State Park visitor's center in Holyoke, MA. The event is for guild members, but we are always looking for new members. If you would like additional information, about the NBG guild, or Andris' classes, e-mail me at catsos@bcn.net. Today I'm frantically packing black ash kits, and I'll be at the NCBA convention until Monday, so don't expect an answer right away. Happy Weaving!! JoAnn Kelly Catsos in south-western Massachusetts where it looks like Spring is here (at least for today!) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: greetings Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 12:08:05 -0600 (CST) From: catslapbaskets@webtv.net (Russell / K.L. Mitchell) To: basketsbyjeanette@juno.com (Wilda J Wheeler) CC: Billanlynn@aol.com, billanlynn@compuserve.com, davidc@iei.net Dear Jeanette, Don't think you have to worry about misspelling words....I won't be grading your email. Sue, Marlys and I are going to be staying over Friday night and then Sue and I are staying Saturday night so we will be there until Sunday morning sometime, so after the meeting on Sat. we will be looking for a dinner if we aren't and then more weaving so you could join us. Tracy Welch, Sue Stanton and Val Walters from the Quad Cities guild are going to be there Friday night and will be at the meeting on Sat. You need to get to know them and attend some of their meetings and outings they have a great time and aren't that far away from you! Feel free to email me any time I check my email a lot as it is so easy to do with Webtv......even when I get up to go to bathroom in the middle of the night I click it on and by the time I am done it has connected and tells me whether I have mail or not....I am an email junkie!! Billanlynn@aol.com, Lynn's email in IA billanlynn@compuserve.com, Lynn's email in AZ davidc@iei.net Weaver's Words email addy write to David and tell him you want to subscribe to the weavers words. Russ and I were just out side looking at the mess our yard is in...something has eaten some of my small willow patch.....going to cut the rest of it this weekend and see if Russ can make a basket! If you are think are interested in getting some willow starts I could give you Marlys Sowers email addy and you could order some from her and pick them up at the meeting. (Somehow I remember Lynn talking about you maybe growing willow OR perhaps you already have???) I will be happy to send you weaving website to go to you will be able to spend a lot of time checking out fun stuff. Let me know if I can help you finding email addys or anything else. Russ and I think email and the internet are great....so I know why you are excited. By the Way, Russ and I both signed up for classes at the Amanas, we are going to drive down on Saturday, go to the dinner on Saturday night and take classes on Sunday and then drive home.....At least I hope that is the way it will work ...I guess it will depend if we get the classes we want. Like I said let me know how I can help you out with this internet/email stuff I will be happy to do that. Take care, Karen %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: new member Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 10:27:38 -0800 From: Janet Hechmer To: David Collins Hi Everyone, I guess you would say I've been 'lurking'. I've been getting the letters for about a month. It is great to read the letters from so many basket weavers. I've been making baskets for about 15 years. I use reed, driftwood, grapevine, honeysuckle and just about everything else I can find around here to use. I don't use kudzu because it shrinks so much. Also my husband doesn't want me to bring even a stem of it on our property. I would like to find out more about cedar bark. What is a good book about harvesting barks? I live in Sneedville, TN. We are about 1 1/2 hrs. north west of Gatlinburg. Bert Comstock: I grew up in Independence. We moved to Tennessee in 1972. I graduated from Truman in 1970. Have you lived there all your life? Why don't you Email me sometime. Gotta go weave. Janet %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 102 Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 13:36:37 -0500 From: "Karen" To: "David Collins" References: 1 Hi guys! My prayers to all you going to conventions. Drive carefully! Carol in Montana-- You asked about Kudzu. Let me tell you about it. HEHE! It's one of my favorite subjects. Kudzu is a plant that was imported to USA from Japan, and when translated to the American south, just went bonkers. It has grown over fields, houses, telephone poles, roads, etc. The winters are too mild to kill the roots off, so it just starts to regrow in the Spring. Look at my webpage for more detail and pictures. www.kudzuweaver.com I harvest kudzu, with my families' help, and weave baskets from it. It is a very rustic looking basket, not refined at all, but I love them. Kudzu has actually done a fair amount of damage to the South, and no one has found a way to stop it. I think its great to take a monster and turn it into something good and wonderful. Let me know what you think of my baskets. Leigh, you like kudzu too! What kind of basket did you make. What does the North Carolina Center for Advancement of Teaching do? Is it for crafts? Here's a question for all. I think I asked this before, but got no answer, but it could have been in one of the messages of mine that got lost. I saw a basket made out of datu. What is that. Where can I get some, and have any of your used it? Enjoy the Spring guys!!!! Karen %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: It's a melt down.... Date: 23 Mar 1999 20:23:23 -0000 From: "J. Choate Basketry List" To: List Member J. Choate Basketry List - http://www.corecom.net/~choatepp I'm still here, just shifting gears into basket production instead of mushing about the country. It's a balmy 50 degrees in Talkeetna. Time to recline in a lawn chair, soak up some rays and watch the snow melt off the roof. Of course I've always got a basket in hand at this time of year trying to get those orders out. Needless to say the dogs have just about ended their season of duty. It's been a fine one to say the least and I have a collection of slides and stories of our escapades to share with you at Indianapolis. Too bad all those good wrecks never made it on film. Unfortunately the camera was always stowed in my pocket when I was in the midst of a collision. I'll have to give you my best recollection of the dog dramas to make up for the lack of visual aids. Flying out this evening en route to Indianapolis for the IBA convention and will be waiting to rendezvous with all of you who will be there as well. Please stop by and introduce yourself and I'll do the same. I've seen lots of names via internet but few faces to go along with them and I'm looking forward to matching them up this weekend. Until we meet in Indy! Jill Choate Talkeetna, AK choatepp@corecom.net %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: (no subject) Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 15:28:15 -0500 From: Preston A Raymer Organization: The Raymers To: "davidc@iei.net" Hi all! I was wondering if any of you used the wholesale supplier P.L. Butte? If so, are you happy with the service and quality? %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Hello back, I finally got my list, thanks! Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 13:05:27 -0800 From: "Denise Beck" To: Hi everyone, I finally got a copy of Weaver's Words list, thank you David, it's wonderful, and all your salutations and comments, I feel very warm and wooly! I will include photos of some of my recent baskets with this note, the not-yet-finished red cedar shoulder bag, the miniature on which it was based from a pattern I got at the Basketmakers Retreat at Lake Crescent, Washington last summer (yes Sharle, we met. I bought and still wear one of your "bun-warmers" which I note is included in one of the photos of your baskets in David's pictures section), and the basket I started last night, a large willow "garden skep" as taught by English basketmaker Alastair Heseltine of Hornby Island, B.C. I'll include the finished version in the photo too. >>Welcome, Denise Beck of B.C. We are glad to have you, but.... You must send a picture of your basket to David to share with us. I have just been looking at some baskets made from red cedar bark, I think, and they are incredible. Did you prepare the bark yourself? >> Karen Horner -- yes I did. A member of our basketry guild here on Salt Spring Island had decided to cut down a mature cedar for a split rail fence and invited the group to her place to harvest cedar. She waited until it passed the strip test -- when you can easily pull a long strip of bark cleanly off the tree, happened to be in May last year (it's when the sap has begun to flow strongly back up the tree form the roots), and then felled it (well, SOMEONE felled it, I don't think she did all this heavy work) and we all went over with hatchets and knives and baskets of baked goodies and bottles of wine (we're a real dedicated group, nudge, nudge) and sat around on her lawn and peeled bark. Fun, but also hard work, my tennis elbow really ached for weeks after. You strip off the entire bark and then have to separate the outer bark from the inner, which is what you weave with. That was the real labor-intensive part, 'cause it often is less than willing to part cleanly and you have to do a lot of fine scraping. Someone asked recently about getting the pitch off sticky bark. The native women here (well one of them, anyway) told a member of our group that if you put pitchy bark in the ocean for (a day? A week? I don't remember) when you take it out and dry it the pitch just falls off in a dry powder. No more sticky-wicky. >>I've been reading in the WW latest about those of you who grow your own Willow. How do you prepare it for weaving, etc. Where do you get your shoots to plant. >> Naomi, you can get willow shoots for planting from Bonnie Gale of New York state, her web site is http://www.msu.edu/user/shermanh/galeb/welcome.htm it's called Basketry English Willows. You have to join the American Willow Growers association when you order, but no big deal there. I am currently awaiting a rather large order of willow shoots from her for planting. I also have a big box of cuttings from Alastair Heseltine (see above) who is MUCH closer to me than upstate New York! I believe I saw a nursery web site that might no longer be in service from a grower in one of the Carolinas, I think. Do a web search and find out. There are lots of basketry links on the Mining Company site http://basketry.miningco.com/ and I think I found it there. On the subject of dying, one of the Pomo Indian basket photos (to DIE for! One sold for over $30,000 at auction, so don't let anyone tell you baskets aren't valuable) I found through the Mining Co. site mentioned that they used to get their black color by keeping rusty nails in water and soaking the material in that, so I've got an experiment on the go. I have three large walnut trees, so I harvested lots of walnut hulls last fall. Packed a bunch of them in a mason jar of water with a handful of nails I found outside on our construction site and a spoonful of salt for good luck... Put a strip of cedar in about three weeks ago now and will go and check it today to see if it has turned black yet. Denise McCann Beck Coastal British Columbia USDA zone 7 Sunset Zone 4 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: woodworking Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 17:07:33 -0500 From: Jeff J Braunscheidel To: davidc@iei.net JOANNE IN HAWAII--My husband does as much woodworking as time permits him with four children, work, home and chores. He makes wood bases, magazine and CD basket legs. I am hoping soon he will get to making me shaped bottoms with holes drilled in for round reed spokes, so I can weave some shallow dish type baskets. I also have patterns for him to make me cradle and sleigh bases. He saves me a lot of money and if I use parts he has made in a kit or in a basket I sell, I pay him for them and that gives him some hard to come by extra gift cash(so he can buy me more gifts for me!) Not to mention they are better quality than what I have found out there. His favorite thing to do is make specialty types of furniture. His least favorite is refinishing and duplicating several copies of the same thing. Anyway, if you would like to e-mail him direct with questions or comments it would save a lot of room in WW. DARLEENA IN THE AZORES--First off where do you live?? The Azores??? Anyway I was wondering how you make any money from craft shows? In my area the booth/space fees seem high to me and I usually don't sell enough to make any profit after I pay the expenses. Any helpful hints? Tammy and Jeff in SE MI clueless1013@juno.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: weavers words Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 14:21:24 PST From: "Jennifer Forsyth" To: davidc@iei.net Hope everyone has a great time at the conventions. All of us here in the Northeast are envious. Naomi- Can you provide me with a couple of basket supply/stores in your area. I am going to be in the Tampa Area at the end of May and if I have time I would love to check out some places. Cats - I figured it was time to finally chime in about the animals in our household. I recently had to have a cat put down - her name was pooshie and she was a 13 year old Persian who was very tired. All we have left is our 1 1/2 year old cocker spaniel named Haley. She loves to sit wherever I am weaving and keep me company. 1st basket - I have only been weaving for a little over a year (but I am a nut) and I kept my first and second baskets. My first one was a berry basket (round) with a twined base and the second one was the Amy basket from Lyn Siler's book. It is amazing how far I have come in over a year, but to an outsider they think they are great. We are our worst critics. Well I guess that is all for now... Thanks...from cool Central Massachusetts, where we are still waiting for spring. Jenn Forsyth %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: peanut shaped baskets, Twill Babies, etc. Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 20:31:27 -0500 From: Winnie Organization: @Home Network Member To: David Collins Ingram asked about keeping rectangular form looking like peanuts from the top. Carefully keeping the space between the spokes even is the key. When the spaces between the spokes increase it forces the sides of the basket out instead of straight up. You can control the spaces by using a short piece of flat reed as a guide to keep the spaces consistent. After you upsett the basket measure the space between the spokes. If it is 3/8', use a piece of 3/8" reed to check the spaces after you weave each row. If the spaces between the spokes gets larger, weave the next row a little tighter. This has worked for me. If you get to the top and it still looks like a peanut you can put on a stiff, well soaked rim and force the sides of the basket to be flat. This will push the ends of the basket outward, but you'll overcome the peanut look. I'm looking forward to Twill Babies. Just read two consecutive posts about them, one from Donna at The Country Seat and one from Patti Hawkins. Lois, I liked what you said about making baskets look just like one made by someone else. I tell my students that because of differences in the reed, sometimes I'll make two baskets and they will be slightly different shape. Darla if you're really desperate to speed up the drying of reed I've been known to wipe them with an old towel, and then put reed in an old pillowcase. Now keep in mind that you're really desperate here, I then toss them in the clothes dryer on low heat and watch very carefully. I've tried it and it works with no apparent damage to the reed. I'm sure I'll get a lot of comments on this one. I envy all of you who are going to the convention this weekend. Have a great time. Are there any conventions during July and August? I'd love to go to one, but I teach in the public school system and can't get away during the school year? Winnie, waiting for spring in Connecticut %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Various Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 20:41:06 EST From: Corbettrj@aol.com To: DAVIDC@iei.net Hello to everyone, Diana French - I am alive and well except for the moving aches and pains. I would still like to get together with the NJ weavers, but will have to wait until I have things sorted out here. We have been spending a lot of time in Jackson, NJ. Going back again Thursday as our little three year old grandson is having surgery. It is nothing serious, but scary any way. I do hope to have a little free time to explore the shop in Tinton Falls. Tony S. - Your web site is incredible. Glad I have unlimited hours on the net as I spent a lot of time there. To any and all - what do you do when you get wimpy reed as a spoke. It was not apparent until half way up the sides? Should I have cut it off and inserted a new spoke? It ruined a wonderful day of weaving for me as I couldn't get it to work. One spoke is all "hilly". I am probably going to just chuck the whole thing and retrieve the handle. Then I will start all over. I made three of the same basket - two are great - one ugly! My husband, who is so supportive, says no one will notice - I will. All help gratefully received! Happy Weaving, Carolyn Corbett, Seaford, DE %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% If for any you would ever like to cancel your subscription, simply send me a message with "unsubscribe" as your subject.