"Weavers Words" Vol. 2 Iss. 28 Date Sent: August 23, 1998 Subscribers: 747 David Collins 408 North Devon Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46219 317-899-5747 davidc@iei.net {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} ***IMPORTANT INFORMATION*** ***PLEASE READ BEFORE PRINTING*** 1.) Highlight entire issue. 2.) Click copy. 3.) Paste issue into a word processor of your choosing. 4.) Now Print. {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} +++++Individual Weaver's Words Pages+++++ Of course you can always find links to each individual page on Weaver's Words home page (http://www.iei.net/~davidc/). Weaver's Words Home Page: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/ Weaver's Words Back Issues: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/2468.html Weaver's Words Classifieds: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/classifieds.html Weaver's Words Subscribers: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/subscribers.html Weaver's Words Basketry Links: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/basket.htm Weaver's Words Chat Room: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/chitchat.html Weaver's Words Bulletin Board: ---http://www.InsideTheWeb.com/messageboard/mbs.cgi/mb83941 Weaver's Words RIT Dye Color Chart: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/ritdye.html Weaver's Words Basketry Wallpaper Page: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/graphics/graphics.html Weaver's Words Basketry Clip Art Page 1: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/graphics/clipart.html Weaver's Words Basketry History: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/history.html Weaver's Words Basketry Dictionary: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/dictionary.htm Weaver's Words Guestbook: ---http://www.lpage.com/wgb/wgbsign.dbm?owner=Basketry Weaver's Words Favorite Links & Stuff: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/cool.htm Weaver's Words Free Postcard Page: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/postcard.html Weaver's Words Bulletin Free Banner Service: ---http://www.iei.net/~davidc/banner.html {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Hi Everyone, Ms. Cathryn Peters' sent me some pictures of her Wicker Airplane Seats. I've added them to Weaver's Words web page. You can see them at the following address: http://www.iei.net/~davidc/yourpics/peters.html Just curious if anyone else in the group collects Beanie Babies. I've been collecting them for about 6 months and already have about 80. Actually I collect a few things: Autographs, Kaleidoscopes, Larry Bird & Jeff Gordon cards. I'm an addict. Stop by Weaver's Words web page if you haven't already and take the Basketry Survey. So far 67 people have done so. Pretty interesting results. Take Care, David davidc@iei.net {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: book info Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 22:48:06 +1000 From: M & A Lizotte To: "Collins, David" Hi Kay and everyone else who sent greetings. Here is the info you wanted about the Australian book. It is called Fibre Basketry-Homegrown and Handmade by the Fibre Basket Weavers of South Australia Inc. edited by Helen Richardson. Published by: Kangaroo Press Pty Ltd. 3 Whitehall Rd. PO Box 75 Kenthurst NSW 2156 ISBN 0 86417 265 6 Well the basket I was making when I last wrote evolved into a bucket shape. I had intended making a bowl shape but got carried away when doing the waling on the upsett and pulled it in a bit too tightly. It is still a lovely basket woven with willow, golden willow and elm suckers. I must get out and gather more willow before the sap starts rising......my apricot trees have just burst into bloom in the last couple of days so it won't be long before the willows start to shoot! Some advice please...every year my dad in NY sends me a check for Christmas and this year I am thinking of asking him to send me a basketry mag subscription instead but I don't know what is available and what is worthwhile. Any suggestions? Yes, the 1999 Gathering over here sounds great but I doubt I will have the money to go. I will just have to patient and wait for the year 2001 when it is to be held here in Tassie. By the way, I thought I would just mention that we have been lucky enough to have some Americans over her to hold workshops. In March 1996 Jane Sauer was here for a knotting workshop (I missed that one as I had a new baby at the time) and later that year Lorraine and Gene Wieskamp came and showed us how to make a Nantucket Lightship basket and in Apr. 97 Sandy Webster, a fibre artist from NC was here for a weekend and, among other things had us working with gourds, doing a shaker cheese basket, and some other interesting things with reed. And we have had workshops with a Japanese basketmaker and also Aboriginal basketmakers. There is so much to learn and so much to try..........it is mind-boggling! If I get the chance, I will try to get some photos of my baskets scanned to send in. Meanwhile, happy weaving all over the world! from Anna in Tassie where the days have been spring like but after sundown it is still winter! {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: RE: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 27 Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 09:37:39 -0400 From: Susan Tripp To: "'David Collins'" Laurie: The two antique books that I know of and are pretty good are: The Basket Collectors Book by Lew Larason, and the other is Baskets With Price Guide by Nancy N. Schiffer. Joy: I was so excited to hear of... another basket swap possibility... Just let me know when to sign up. Peggy in SW Ohio: Please describe this basket you received and mention who it was from. How's that Cindy, short enough? Susan from chilly upstate NY {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 27 Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 13:42:46 +0000 From: Pamela Woodbury To: David Collins Hi Basketweavers and David, Judy B, I save anything at least 8" long now. Wood bases have made the short pieces of reed like new found coils of reed. The much talked about cabin boy I use either 3/8 or 1/2 for spokes and 8" is plenty. Jim and Diane Langston have some really cute little wood base baskets that I believe even 6" is enough. I didn't participate in the basket swap, but have swapped through the internet lately. The rules were that we ship priority and for our own safety insure for $100 because for $100 the recipient has to sign for the package. I am wondering if my mail person is one of a kind or any of you swappers have run into this. The package I am sending and receiving is small but for priority it costs $3 and then the insurance is $1.60. For $4.60 I think the least my post woman could do is drive up my driveway and honk her horn. Yesterday I sat home the entire day waiting for my packages that I was sure would arrive. I turned the TV off and opened the front and back doors so I would be sure to hear her. Finally I decided well maybe my package didn't come so I walked down to get the mail. In the mailbox is the slip for me to come pick up the package cause I wasn't home so she couldn't deliver it. Well I was really excited to get that package so called and reported her laziness to the post office. They apologized, but it was too late. I hope any of you experiencing this with the swap or any other mail you receive will do the same. For $4.60 we should at least get some service. I guess I wouldn't be so disgusted but I live 6 miles from the post office so it isn't like I just run there whenever. Enough complaining. I agree with Kay on the nametag and WW. I too participated in wearing a tag with WW written in red and not only did I not notice anybody but nobody noticed my tag either. I don't think we really look at each others tags that well in passing. Maybe if we were in a class together, but there are 1,000 people at MI's convention and we just can't notice everybody's tag. I do agree that a red ribbon would be more noticeable or maybe we could actually set up a time to meet. I know I am planning on meeting Deb Connors on Thursday night at her lecture so possibly that would be a good place to all meet as I am sure her lecture will be very interesting. I envy you gals from the Pacific Northwest. You get to make such interesting baskets out of such interesting materials. I am at the point in basketmaking where that is what I want to do is learn more about the naturals. I am taking Judy Briscoes Birch Bark rainstick at convention and can't wait. I am so excited to get it and her. I am also taking a birch bark class with Pat Levitt and Chrystal Teller at our guild in October. Birch bark is plentiful in MI so I am eager to learn a little more about weaving with it. Chrys I sympathize with your problem in making Indian baskets and beads and them not being as valuable as if you were an Indian. I live not too far from the largest Indian Casino between Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Inside the casino they have wonderful displays of Indian Baskets and Beadwork. They also have very few pieces for sale and that reason being not enough Indians are making their work to sell. Anyhow I was on my way to teach a class on antlers when we stopped to check the casino artwork out. In talking to the shop keeper I told her what I was doing and she said do you have any of the baskets on antlers with you. I said out in my car, but that I had some pictures in my purse. I got them out and she said please tell me you are an Indian. Well I am not. They cannot buy anything that is not authentic Indian work. She even told me about a lady the used to make baskets for them that was married to an Indian and he used to bring the baskets in. Well someone found out it was her making the baskets and not him and they had to remove all her baskets and don't get baskets from her any more. Dateline did a show last week on Indian artwork forgeries. It was very interesting. It was jewelry, not baskets but the same concept. The only problem was that these forgers were passing off plastic as authentic stones. The saddest part of the entire story was that some of the Indians that were selling on the streets were doing the same thing. They told a couple things to check for to be sure we weren't getting ripped off, but as I am not up on that I am sure I could be ripped off easily. It is the same thing as those people buying import baskets and passing them off as American made. Unless you are up on baskets and basketweaving you probably cannot tell the difference. Cindy I disagree with your objective to this list. We are all becoming friends and to know that Susan grows and cans all her vegetables and fruits and that Bert is a Mountain Lady is interesting at least to me. I chat in one of the chat rooms and we have hashed out everything basket thing there is left to say. Most of our chats are personal and when one of us is sick or getting a divorce or had a bad day we are there for each other. I sort of feel that this is for morale support as well as basket information and do like knowing a little bit about each other. If I was too wordy in this letter I guess you'll miss my response. Pam {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: reed scraps Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 14:22:37 EDT From: whoville4@juno.com (Brian/Diane D Vanden Heuvel) To: davidc@iei.net Hey everyone! My swap basket was mailed this week. It was so fun to wrap up. It truly was a great idea Joy. From reading WW it seems that there are a lot that agree. There were a couple of questions about reed scraps and what to do with them. (Judy Benner and Amy from Ohio). It depends on the size of the reed, but 3/8", 1/2" and 5/8" are great to be used with the wooden bases with the grove in the side. Some of the patterns go as small as 7". For 1/4" there is an ornament called a Carolina Snowflake that is easy to whip up. The smallest I've ever made is 5". I know that they can be made bigger. I use the 8" one for the star on my two foot Christmas trees! 1/2" and 1/4" can also be used to make hearts. It would be hard to explain on here, does anyone know what I'm talking about and have a written pattern? Amy for your 12"-18" scraps a small gift measuring about 2 1/2"x 4" is nice. It uses 1/2" or 3/8" and stands about five rows high with a row of color and a cute bow on the front. Really cute and quick. The Mini Wire Basket is great for scraps of 1/4". It's round, and only is about 2" in diameter. You can use the Mini Wire handles (with the three colored beads). It doesn't have a 'rim' per say. You just cut the spokes off like a picket fence. Extremely quick and easy. Graitot Lake used to offer the pattern free when ordering the handles. You could check with them. That's a couple of ideas. Hope they help. Going to guild tonight. Thanks to you that have mentioned that not everyone has a guild or group nearby. We that do so often forget what we have. We're going to be making a cathead basket, and carving our own handles. It should be fun. I've never done either, and I love to learn something new. That's all from here in Beloit, when it has been sunny and nice, but they say that the humidity is on its way! Diane {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 27 Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 11:37:51 -0700 From: Sharle Osborne To: David Collins Summer is slipping away, just when it finally got over 70, and the nights are coming earlier. I'll be back in my classroom setting up for another round. I haven't taken any trips this summer but have had a good time. I felt very fortunate to take two classes, thank you Kay Haradine Ames, at the Seattle Guild's Basket Day. I have a beautiful cedar and gathered materials decorated name tag. It was a truly glorious day. We stopped for dinner at the Kingston Hotel on our way back to the Peninsula and the featured artist was Melinda West, her wall pieces and baskets are fantastic. We had trouble taking our eyes off long enough to order. I had a terrific time at the Basketmaker's Weekend on Lake Cresent. It is only an hours travel for me, so I was among the closest participants by far. It was hard coming home where no one puts the day's menu on a white board or cleans up after the meals! I've been out looking for wild cherry trees, I so enjoyed working with the bark. I made a rectangular basket with inch wide strips of bark and cedar roots. I spent the day after I got back making a cedar root braided handle. Cherry was a new material for me, and loads of fun. The classes all looked great, and it was fun to cruise around and see the other projects. I've ordered a book I learned about last weekend. A Guide to Weft Twining . . . by David W. Fraser. It is available through amazon.com. It has many different twining techniques with drawings and explanations. If it sounds interesting to you, you might try to see it first through your library system or interlibrary loan, it is $57 before shipping. I'm trying to convince the weavers in our local group to assign each person one technique a month to present to the rest of the group and work on a sample basket each time. In the last issue the subject was brought up that Northwest Native American baskets are often worth more. Baskets ARE worth more depending on who made them. Amish quilts are worth more than mine. My neighbors paintings sell for thousands of dollars, if I were to paint an ( ugly) abstract no one would pay me a dime for it. I feel very fortunate to live in an area of the country where there are Native Americans maintaining the traditions of their ancestors. Found some local bullrush, it is much smaller but interesting. Am still looking for cherry. If I don't get it soon, I will have to wait till next year. Oh well, something else to look forward to. From West Dungeness, the northwest corner of the northwest state, WA, where I see the Olympics to the south and we get a cold breeze off the water every evening that means you have to put on another layer. Sharle Osborne 683 Lotzgesell Rd Sequim, WA 98382 360 6838816 sharleo@orca.esd114.wednet.edu {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 27 Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 11:49:16 -0700 (MST) From: "Barbara C. Marshall" To: David Collins Hannah: If you will be in New England on October 11, the Northeast Basketmakers Guild has a show and sale on October 11, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Heritage Plantation of Sandwich on Cape Cod; Sandwich is a great place in the fall, the Heritage is a wonderful museum and the show (last year was my first and only time since I have now moved from Massachusetts to Arizona) is fabulous; I highly recommend it. And it would be a quick trip up to Brunswick, Maine to Baskets of Joy; the Canterbury Shaker Village teaches classes, there are several teachers around, and a small shop on Mass Ave in Porter Square to pick up supplies if you need. (Hope this message goes through as I am new to WW and never responded before - am too busy catching up on all the back issues and making notes - think it is a great source of information and connection - inspiring me to get back to actual basketmaking after a big move across country!) {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Weavers Words Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 16:07:49 -0500 From: "Robert J. Corbett" To: Hi everyone, Just returned from a trip to Seaford, DE where we moved a portion of our environment. We are preparing for the big move later in September. We won't actually be living in the house in Seaford until December. We will still be in Jacksonville while I finish the time I have agreed to stay on my job, then I will retire. It would have been wonderful to have stayed in DE, but I promised to work until mid-December. The temperature in Seaford was in the 60's yesterday when we left. It was a blessed relief from the heat we have had in Florida. Carolyn - We drove around Suffolk on our way to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Each time I have read something from you in Weavers Words, I knew I remembered Suffolk from someplace. It all came together on this last trip. The trip started out to be very eventful. We had only driven about an hour from Jacksonville. My husband, Bob, was driving a hire truck. I heard a loud noise and saw rubber fly through the air. The right front tire on the truck had blown out. He must have been a race car driver in another life as he had the truck off the highway and stopped before I could even think. We then waited for three hours for the repairman to arrive. Fortunately, I was following him in our car and could go to the nearest exit and phone for help. My wonderful new cellular phone wouldn't work. What a day! We arrived in Emporia, VA at 10:00 PM instead of our usual 6:00 PM. Diana French - It is nice to know you are so close to our daughter, Brennan. We are moving to Delaware just to be closer to family. We will be about 2 1/2 hours from Jackson once we get settled. Right now the traffic is horrid because of the summer tourists, but once fall comes I believe it will slow considerably. When we get settled in DE we will be visiting our family in Jackson. I will look forward to meeting all of the weavers in S. NJ. Perhaps we can find someplace in between to meet occasionally. How about one of those spiffy B&B's in Cape May. The rates will be more my speed after the tourist season is over. There is a basket shop in Jacksonville. It is called the Basket and Caning Cottage. Your cousin can phone them for directions at 904-264-9609. They do have some classes and the classes are a lot of fun. I have taken several from the previous owner. It would be very easy for her to get to from St. Marys. Just about 30 minutes down I 95 to 295 and she will be there. Is your cousin affiliated with the St. Mary's Sub Base? That is one of the agencies I call on as a part of my job. I am the representative for the Federal Employee Program for a "BIG BLUE MEDICAL INSURANCE COMPANY". If your cousin is near the St. Mary's submarine base in November, I will be at a health fair there (the actual date has not be finalized). Please tell her to come by and introduce herself. Carolyn from Jacksonville {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Fw: Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 15:03:32 -0400 From: "Donna" To: "David Collins - Weaver's Words" Hi all - Returned last night to a full day of much needed rain today. Had a wonderful trip but woke up Sunday AM to a full-fledged head cold - no warning, just a wammy. Spent the entire day of flight and in between sleeping and went directly to bed. Never opened a suitcase. Really needed that as today I do feel slightly better. I usually read WW in the "reply to author" mode, and simply delete all the way down the page as I go and just insert replies where I want them. That way, I don't have to go back over it again, but I notice quite a few in my box so it won't work this time. Had a wonderful time in Moline and it was great to see Patti again. Dinner and a gab session lasted about 5-1/2 hrs.(hope her family wasn't too worried about where she was all that time.) It was just like yesterday when I last saw her. Now to WW - Lesley - We do not want to discontinue our return policy on books and patterns as we have had nothing but good response from it. I can probably count the times on 1 hand that I have refused to accept a return. Little things tell us when someone has been less than honest about the return. (BTW - we carry Lisa's Small Adirondack pattern). Karen - Thank you for your honesty - what a surprise for someone to come forth and admit to doing so. I don't know you, but your forthrightness is a delight that I'm sure no one expected. Unfortunately, you are an exception. I have told a teacher directly not to photocopy, and she so much as said "try and stop me!". She certainly knows that there is not much that we can "easily" do to her. Regarding your "Arrows Tray", have you ever seen Lyn Siler's quote "Keep in mind there are no BAD baskets. If your basket isn't "like" someone else's, yours is simply blessed with more personality and character...never BAD". It sounds like you could certainly reproduce your finished basket without anyone thinking you had copied it from someone else - and cat baskets are very popular so I wouldn't necessarily call it a mistake. You just made your cat basket first, now you can go back and make your "Arrows Tray". I have made it as a shop sample, and you probably did not exert enough "authority" to the spokes when it was time to turn them up. The original author of that pattern in a WW sub so maybe she will offer you some input. Better send this out, it's now Thursday and I haven't gotten very far. Till later, from BEAUTIFUL eastern PA with a low 40's night last night. Donna http://www.countryseat.com ctryseat@fast.net {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: out-of-print Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 16:53:41 EDT From: FosterBA@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net (David Collins) Thanks for the answers. I have made a trade for an out-of-print book. I had tried several search locations BUT this book wasn't found. I'm even happier with a trade and I shall frequently send my new correspondent a little something. To Taura: I'm sure you'll get other answers but by now most suppliers probably carry the new lashers. I got mine from Gratiot Lake e-mail (glbasketry@worldnet.ATT.NET). Carole can send you a catalog. May I suggest that you just buy the smaller one. It seems to be the one I use most. This really made it easier for me to learn to lash from inside/out and does save on the lasher. Off to Washington Island for a week with Tressa Sularz. She's teaching pine needles and twills. It's ruff duty, but as I was taught in the Marines "Semper Fidelis". Then it was to my country now it's to my new found freedom, basketweaving. Not concerned if it's an art or a craft. Barb from Green Bay were the seasons are all mixed up. Sweatshirts yesterday, shorts today. Go figure. {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 25 Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 17:09:32 -0400 From: "Donna" To: "David Collins" Still trying to catch up. I'm reading & replying to #25 and I see #27 has already arrived. Amy - I haven't forgotten about you - in fact Angie made a note to me so I wouldn't miss your question. Congratulations on your find - I frequently still see them around. (Sent you a note directly, also.) Yes, keep you eye on them, they should be ready to harvest very soon. Rather get them early, than too late. Ruthanne - Could you share your Dandelion Jelly recipe with us? We've made lots of wine, but never jelly from those pesky things. Shouldn't complain cause if we didn't have them, I couldn't enjoy our traditional Easter salad of dandelion greens. Susan - Please don't stop adding your comments. A difference of opinion is what makes us all different from each other - how boring it would be otherwise. I think this has been a very good discussion and not heated and personal as an earlier one that I recall. If we all remember to respect each other, a lot of good can come from "opening a can of worms". I think it took an awful lot of nerve for your friend to ask you to copy patterns for her. Donna http://www.countryseat.com {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 27 Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 17:09:57 -0700 From: karen awong To: David Collins References: 1 HI Folks, I just wanted to add my two cents in about the ideas for another basket swap. Everything sounds good Joy! I'd love to participate if you put it together again. Need help? Let me know as I am sure this is a lot of work. Where can I find some ideas for very small scraps? Can Lemmon Grass be used to weave with? The stems are very stiff but the grass itself is itchy. I received my swap basket from my Basket Buddy. It has been used several times already by the family for all different things. I love the lining Kat Montminy put inside. Something I would like to learn to do. It was such a nice feeling to get it in the mail. I am only sorry that I have no way to scan a picture of it to add to the WW Page. Karen Awong in Hawaii, where I am waiting for the sun to go down so that I can go and do some weaving. {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 27 Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 20:55:45 -0800 From: Joyce Fisher To: David Collins References: 1 Hi Everyone--I've just had the most exciting day. Our guild brought Barbie Raciche from Tahoe City. CA. to do a workshop on papermaking with emphasis on using it on baskets and gourds. It was wonderful. I have been walking about two feet above the ground since I got home. I have already signed up for Barbie's next class--called Accidental Abstracts. She is very well organized and every minute of her workshop is utilized. She has an excellent balance between lecture, slide presentations and hands on. I do want to be able to identify WW friends at AMB. I, too, am so excited about coming. I think a red ribbon with WW on it, attached to the side of our name tags would be easily visible without having to get in someone's face to see WW printed on the badge--at least for this lady whose eyes aren't what they used to be. Let's keep talking this up. I am also a gourd artist and am going to have a booth at the Gourd Festival at Zittel Farms in Folsom, CA. the last weekend in September. I'm working furiously to get enough gourds ready--but I'm having company this week and we are planning to get out in our motorhome for a week or so in the middle of September. I just don't know if I can take this retirement life--it is so interesting and there are so many fun things to do. Joyce Fisher Reno, NV. Home of The Great Basin Basketmakers {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Leftover reed Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 01:11:42 -0400 From: Joe Conroy To: davidc@iei.net Hi everyone; I thoroughly enjoy having this forum to share ideas; many thanks, David! Judy Benner - from a fellow pack rat ....In regards to your question concerning leftover reed: I keep my opened reed in large trash barrels . I mark each barrel so that I know the size of the material within. Because I teach classes in basketry, I have a lot of scraps. I keep small wastebaskets (also marked) and save pieces that are 14 inches and longer. These scraps are ideal for making smaller size baskets. During the school year I often teach basketry to 12 and 13 year olds; two baskets that immediately come to mind are from Linda Blair's books Basketmak'r One and Two. In Basketmak'r One there is a pattern for a Wall basket and in Basketmak'r Two a Single Jelly Jar basket. There are numerous baskets that can be made from scraps. Every so often, I need to clean house and end up giving some of my "leftovers" to students. There is such a thing as becoming too organized - and it can be a real challenge to keep materials squared away. Joy Moody - I have enjoyed reading about the basket swap that you have organized. The weavers involved are so enthusiastic and their enthusiasm is contagious! Unfortunately, I was behind on reading back issues of Weaver's Words and missed out. Perhaps another swap will take place in the future. I would like to share an activity that takes place with our basketry students. I remembered reading an article a few years ago about a basket swap that occurred in the state of Maine - if my memory serves me correctly. During the Holiday season my husband, Joe, and I sponsor an open house for basketry students who have come to classes during the year. We encourage students to bring a basket that they have made. The requirements are that the basket be gift wrapped and then placed in a trash bag. The bags are placed under the Christmas tree. After the guests have eaten we then have a Yankee auction. Each participant picks a number out of a hat (basket); the person who has #1 gets to pick the "bag" of her choice. The person who has #2 can take the basket from #1 or select another one. The game continues until every one has selected a "bag" and then the final selection goes back to #1. No packages can be opened until the very end. We have a great time: it's like Christmas all over again!! Not all of the students who attend the Open House participate in the auction but most do. This event has been so popular that our students encouraged us to have an additional basket swap during the year. Our second swap now takes place in August accompanied by a pot luck supper. Life is never dull - especially for weavers! Well, I've rambled on - thanks for your patience. School starts soon so my lazy days of weaving are coming to an end. Happy weaving, Kate Conroy {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: WW Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 07:45:20 -0400 From: Jayna Glemby To: davidc@iei.net Many thanks to Chris Baker of "Days Gone BY" in Maine, for showing me a picture of the famous Cabin Boy basket we hear so much about it. If you want to see it too, it's at http://w3.ime.net/~cbaker/cabinboy.htm FYI: Two years ago I gave my allergy nurse a wall basket when she moved into her new office. It was a natural basket with a bright raspberry bow, that matched the wall paper. She had filled it with dried flowers and dark green eucalyptus. Yesterday, when I went for my allergy shot I noticed a horrible, bright blue/green stain on the basket. She told me she had been sitting at her desk, writing... when suddenly, "Plop, plop, plop...there was this drip of bright blue/green liquid coming from the basket." She cleaned up her desk and then noticed the stain on the basket. Quickly removing the basket, she put it in the sink and carefully removed the contents. The eucalyptus was wet and dripping! They do dye the eucalyptus and that was what was dripping. She doesn't know if the temperature in the office had anything to do with it or not, but told me that her sister related a similar experience to her. I suggested she try bleach on a Q tip to remove the stain...will find out in 2 weeks, when I go back, if that worked. Anyone else have trouble with eucalyptus or other dried items that are dyed? Re: non-related basket information on WW. I don't mind the additional discussions at all, it helps us to get to know each other and we always get back to baskets. I've learned a lot about other "stuff" and find it all interesting. Signing off from central MA where it's warm and dry....but I had a hard time getting in the lake to swim yesterday...burrrr! Jayna {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: WW Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 08:21:20 EDT From: Charweav@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Hi everyone! Just a note to see if all interested have received their Winter Weave Brochure this week. We mailed it out Saturday. Our guild had a class Saturday with Kathy Halter from Royalwood. What a great teacher you are kathy! I had attempted those little waxed linen necklaces before and gave up. Thought my fingers were just to big. When the class ended I had finished and embellished my wishes necklace and then on Sunday, sat at hubbie's baseball game and made another one! You did good Kathy! Anyone still needing the Winter Weave Brochure, email me with your address. Very comfortable in Northern Ohio (of course that could change!) Char Ciammaichella {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 27 Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 14:25:34 -0400 From: "Donna" To: "David Collins" Hi All: Think I'm finally getting caught up. Judy - Nice meeting you in the shop yesterday. Re: saving scraps - Sizes 1/2" and smaller, I usually save anything 6" or larger, the larger sizes have to be at least 12" before I'll save them. Sort by size and use a rubber band to hold together keeping one end flush. (You can stick pieces in and the rubber band will expand to always hold more.) When you need spokes, lay the end of your bundle on your ruler and pull out the right size pieces to use first. Short pieces can be used for miniature baskets and base fillers. How did your stain turn out? Kay - What a great idea on shaping, that certainly makes sense. Another idea that I sometimes use is to clip a hoop the same diameter as I want the completed basket to be to the top of the spokes. This maintains the shape but is a pain in the neck to weave as you constantly have to unclip and reclip in place. I'm going to try your method of pre-cutting the weavers next time. I, too, was going to recommend Judy Olney's patterns for shaping techniques. She always has something clever to say at the start of her patterns. Kay - Fiber Basketry--Homegrown and Handmade is available here from The Caning Shop in Berkeley, CA. at http://www.caning.com - listed under "Must have books", hardcover, $39.95. Another absolutely beautiful day in PA Donna http://www.countryseat.com {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Arrowmont conference, Qualla Cherokee Arts & Crafts Coop, book Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 12:22:49 -0700 From: "Deb Curtis, Tisket Tasket Basket" To: David Collins Hi All! David like everyone else I really appreciate this forum. We are very lucky to have you and to be able to share our information with each other. Was it someone on this list that said they were at Convergence and went to a talk about a national conference at Arrowmont next year? If so please share with us more of the details and information. I've written to Arrowmont but haven't gotten a reply from them yet. I just got back from a visit to Asheville, NC. I went to the Blue Ridge Parkway Craft Center and met Cynthia Taylor (co-author of Rachel Nash Law's book, which I don't have but now would like to purchase). She was great!!! We talked and I met another basketweaver from that area (unfortunately I don't have her card with me right now). It was very interesting. I bought one of her baskets but learned a lot about the basket I truly admired, a white oak egg basket with shaped weavers so there was no packing and a braided handle and rim plus converging spokes. It was made from some of the best prepared material I have ever seen, as is my new basket. The cost of the egg basket though was out of my range. I also bought a Marilyn Sharp basket there and saw some beautiful random weave wall pieces. Very inspirational, plus saw a basket from paper and ash that was fascinating. You lucky people in NC to have such talent so close! We then visited the Qualla Arts and Crafts coop in Cherokee and I was overwhelmed with the baskets there. The rivercane baskets were amazing as were the white oak baskets. I spent a long time figuring out which ones I wanted and could afford. I came home with a rivercane mat, a small honeysuckle basket, an urn basket out of white oak and an Iroquois sweetgrass and ash basket for myself and a second honeysuckle basket and a oak basket for a friend. All are authenticated so are very special. I also bought the book about Cherokee women basket weavers that was mentioned recently here and have found it very interesting. If you are ever in that area be sure to take time to visit some of these great places. Lesley (Arlo1225@aol.com) - I am interested in the book you purchased by Keith Wilbur "Indian Handicrafts". Could you please send me the ISBN number? I think you will enjoy Otis Mason's book. I have found it very helpful when doing research for many different baskets and types of materials. I was especially pleased to find a close up of the weave for a new research project. Here's the announcement for The Columbia Basin Basketry Guild's workshops with Cass Schorsch from Michigan. We are in Portland, Oregon. If you would like more information feel free to contact me directly. On SATURDAY, NOV. 21 The "Biscuit" basket class and the "Cedar Overcoat" basket class would be offered. It would be at the Multnomah Art Center from 9 - 5 PM with an hour lunch break. On SUNDAY, NOV. 22 The "Curls" basket and the "Stilted" basket would be offered. It would be at the Multnomah Art Center from 9 - 5 PM with a half-hour lunch break if students were far enough along. I've had time recently to weave a few pillow baskets for samples and for sale at the AMB convention and must go work on my newest "dream" project. Happy weaving to all! Deb Curtis in comfortable Corvallis, Oregon {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: AMB convention Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 17:45:01 -0400 From: Eileen To: davidc@iei.net I'm the person responsible for door prizes for the Association of Michigan Basketmakers convention, Oct. 21-25, 1998. Everyone likes to receive a door prize. Any basketmaker who might want to donate a pattern, handle, base, basket, or any other basket related item for a door prize for convention may send the item to me before Oct. 5. Eileen LaPorte, 8275 31 Mile Rd, Washington, MI 48095-1302. Thanks Eileen {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Weavers Words Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 16:57:07 -0500 From: johnancy@eagle.cin.net (john nancy pam phillip) To: David Collins HI I agree with Cindy about the length and info in WW. My Weavers Words has been arriving in 3 sections the last few times and I also scan through long messages. I belong to another list and one of the stipulations in being a member is that personal messages are to be sent to the person making the post, not the entire list. That list is most enjoyable to read. I don't think it is necessary to thank everyone individually for writing in or acknowledging everything mentioned on the list. That should be done directly to the person. We all appreciate what people are doing and saying and if it is important to you to thank them, do it directly - they would probably appreciate it even more! Nancy John {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: left-over pieces Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 19:51:49 -0400 From: Winnie Organization: @Home Network Member To: David Collins Hello Weavers, Judy Benner asked about left-over pieces. I have large, brown grocery bags that I leave open on a shelf. I labeled each bag with the size reed (1/4", 1/4" FO, #3, etc.) and just toss dry, left-over pieces in the appropriate bag. Anything under 18" usually gets tossed out, you can't save everything. Sometimes I'll just take one of the bags with larger reed, like 5/8" or 3/4", look at what I have, lay out a base, and make up a basket as I go along. I, of course, call it a "Left-over Basket", or a "Free Basket". I've read that Native Americans used to do something similar at the end of a day of weaving and call them "End of the Day Baskets". In theory it works, but you'll always have left-overs. Hope this helps, Winnie {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Re: Tasmania Australia Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 10:46:37 +0500 From: Freebairn To: David Collins Hi Everyone, I just got back from the north woods where we had the Mackinac Basket Retreat. Thanks to Barb Foster for your kind words. I'm glad you had a good time. It was fun meeting you and please DO come back next year. I wish I could have stayed in Michigan to go to Joan Moore's retreat with Judith Olney at Wawasum, but I had to come back to the humdrum of that "mom" job of work, school, soccer practice, gymnastics etc. etc.... Just having gotten back in town, and trying to catch up on WW, I saw several people welcoming the new member from Tasmania. I have glanced over several of the past WW and can't find where she introduced herself or mentioned the Gathering in 1999. We are planning to celebrate the millennium in Sydney. My husband corresponds with some friends in Tasmania, and we will be going there as well as New Zealand. I am very much interested in all the information I can get about Australia and basketmaking there. Who ever you are, could you please contact me, and let me know which WW had the information about the Gathering? I would love to start corresponding with you, and maybe we could meet someday. Right before I left for Michigan, a friend of mine had a huge willow tree fall in her back yard. We went over and stripped the bark from the bottom of the trunk to the tip top. I have these wonderful long long pieces of bark that are about the same color as red cedar, and it weaves about the same too. I ran it through my jerry stripper while it was green. It looked and felt like leather. What a gift from the big basketmaker in the sky!!! That's all for now...too much to catch up on around here. Janet Freebain {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 00:40:33 -0600 From: Sherry Gregg To: David Collins References: 1 Dear David, I am a new subscriber and very impressed with 'WW'. What an enormous task for you, but so well executed!! I am a beginning basket weaver, so the pattern I need would have to be simple, but am looking for a pattern for a fishing creel. Could anyone help? Many thanks from the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains!!!! Sherry Gregg {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Wicker Airplane Seats Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 08:54:34 EDT From: Wickrwoman@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Hi all, I have been lurking again for quite some time and have decided to jump back in. I read with interest all the messages and want to answer a lot of them, but just haven't had the time. I am sending David some pictures to post on the site. They are of two wicker airplane seats that I made for a replica Sikorsky S-38 amphibian airplane that is being built in Owatonna, Minnesota. Born Again Restoration (BAR) company is building this replica for the Johnson's Wax Company and hope to have it flying by this fall. Since they are making the plane from scratch, there are a lot of tests that must be done before the actual flight takes place. The project has been over two years in the making and will be quite a feather in their cap when it's all done. The process has been documented by pictures and film, in the hopes that it will be picked up by National Geographic--so watch the TV and newspapers for any announcement. Present owner and CEO of Johnson's Wax, Sam Johnson, wants to recreate the 1935 flight to Brazil that his father made to discover the carnauba wax that was later used in the products. They will take off from Racine, WI and make the 15,000 mile trip in short increments. My part in this was to weave two wicker passenger seats. The BAR team made the framework out of steel and then I attached the rattan pole seat and back frame supports and then wove the actual seat and back out of 6 MM red dyed and natural wide binding cane. It took me over 50 hours to complete each chair, using an antique airplane seat from a 1920's plane as a model. The pictures that I am sending along to David are of me working on a chair, the antique chair, one of the two completed chairs and an interior shot of the plane with a chair in place. What fun this all was and what an accomplishment--can't wait to see the finished airplane and follow it's progress on such a monumental flight! Cathryn Peters The Wicker Woman Zumbro Falls, MN {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: My basket arrived!! Date: Sat, 22 Aug 98 17:26:41 PDT From: "Ralph/Annetta Kraayeveld" To: "David Collins" Dear weavers, Today my basket arrived. My swap buddy was Jill Maxwell. And the basket she wove was absolutely beautiful. It truly is a treasure. Thank you Jill!! Thank you Joy for all your work on this! I am glad that you did get to weave for the swap after all! Thank you David for this wonderful forum. I appreciate your work! Annetta From an extra humid Beloit WI {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Weavers' Words Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 18:53:01 -0700 (PDT) From: Marsha Ackerman To: davidc@iei.net Dear Fellow Weavers, I love Joy's idea of another basket swap. (I mailed the one I made about two weeks ago and am anxiously awaiting mine.) I have been thinking all along that we should do a second basket-basket swap, but the idea of basket items or dyed reed is very interesting. I would like to be given some specifics, especially in the case of the dyed reed. (Like how much, what type etc.) Thanks again David for all you do! Marsha from the UP {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 27 Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 22:04:51 -0400 From: mbzaj@infinet.com To: David Collins References: 1 Hello All, Judy Benner: I share your dilemma about reed scraps. Many "wood based" baskets use pretty short lengths of reed for spokes. I check those patterns and save the sizes needed. I'm pretty sure that the Cabin Boy pattern and the Napkin Buddy pattern both take 1/2". (bases from North Carolina Basket Works, Suzanne Moore.) My sons had to make a replica of an Ohio log cabin in fourth grade. We used reed cut into very short lengths and laid the roof "authentic" style. I looked really nice stained barnwood grey. (You can use any width you like or that looks appropriate with your cabin, doll house, whatever.) I also have a book called, "Creating with Reed and other natural fibers" by Doug Parkin and Eleanor Zimmerman. On page 16 and 17 it has wall hangings that are like shallow relief pictures (almost like a shadow box) of buildings (example, General Store, a barn, a saloon, and a house). They are 3-dimensional and stained to look old. This would be a great use for reed scraps if you'd like to divert them to another craft. I do teach classes and after cutting spokes all winter, my scrap pile is quite huge. I do get pretty generous with it considering that some of my classes get late and at clean up time I want to go home. At the end of my "season" of teaching winter classes each year, I have a "slumber party". The main recreation of the night is for everyone to dive into the scraps and make a basket, pattern or none. It's gone over well, although we are now calling it our "late night" party since everyone went home at some point during the late night this year. I have door prizes, they bring snacks, and my 2 friends (that help me teach classes)and I have some surprise entertainment also (skits, cheers, "the test", the crowning of "basket queen", etc.). One of the door prizes is the scraps that didn't get used that night. They can take them all or split them with the next name drawn, etc. They usually fill at least 2 garbage bags. It's great because I feel like I'm giving them something they'll use and I also gain more room in my craft room. We're both happy. :) Well now, what was I responding too? Oh yes, what to do with scraps. Hope this helps. Sorry to go on and on. Amy: for projects to take along with you, I love waxed linen necklaces. I think I can weave the pattern Simply Round in my sleep. You don't need water and there isn't much to lug along with you. Cindy Dunham: I agree with your suggestion about keeping to the point. It is a long newsletter and I like to hear about basket-related things too. It is nice though to email people directly if you find other interests that you share. I've met some nice people that way! :) (I hope, although long, that I've stayed to the point today!):) I'd also like to thank the couple of ones that referred to my question a few issues ago. I would like more feedback, but I think I'm sensing that there are no easy answers and maybe you all are stumped too. (The question I am referring to is below:) > My question is this: > When I teach a class and want to use someone's pattern, I may find that > when I make the class sample, that the pattern is unsuited to teaching. > Many times I have also found "out and out" mistakes in the pattern. Or > I find myself rewriting the pattern to fit my needs for teaching. I may > also change dimensions to fit the requests of students. After all of my > rewriting or changing, I find it hard to order the original pattern and > sell it to the students, then tell them that we are not going to be > using it as written, then hand out my "revised" version. I'm sure they > won't appreciate the added expense of an unused pattern. > > I would appreciate input from all of you on this situation. Would one > of my options be to write the pattern as I would like it to be and add > "This pattern inspired by Jane Doe's pattern titled 'Jane's basket'"? Happy Weaving to you all, especially to who is weaving my swap basket :) he he. Big thanks to you Joy. My basket made it to Maine before I did! Brenda Johnson Spending every day in the pig barn at the Great Darke County Fair (doing knotless netting today). Ohio {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Back Issues Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 22:43:37 +1000 From: M & A Lizotte To: "Collins, David" Hi David, I was just having a quick browse through the back issues that I downloaded and noticed that issues 42 and 43 are the same as are issues 69 and 70. The issue numbers are different but all the text that follows is the same for the respective pairs. Joy--had a quick visit to your site--it looks great. Can't wait to go back when I have a bit more time. Jill--I love your antler baskets. I would love to try one. There are a couple of deer farms here in Tassie....I wonder if they have any antlers to sell or give away?? I wonder what the reaction will be when I ask?? I have done similar things with driftwood as a handle but the antlers intrigue me. I spent the day today--and a blustery one it was--sorting out my willow and bending some handles and hoops for later use. This is the first year I have really gotten into willow and I am looking forward to doing a bit more. I will have to collect some more though...it takes so much per basket!! It certainly is a bit harder on the hands than the leaves, etc. that I usually work with. Well, I envy you all your autumn colours.....I am missing the New England falls.... Anxiously awaiting spring in cold, rainy Tasmania........Anna {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Chairs, Swaps & things Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 09:36:24 -0400 From: "joym" To: David: I lost the first (incomplete) message in cyberspace. If you get them both, please print THIS ONE Hi Everyone~ If anyone is interested in woven furniture, check out the September issue of Victoria magazine. On pages 86 & 87 there is a herringbone weave dining chair and a Deco style living room chair. There's also an impressive table on page 90. It always fascinates me how these pieces must be fashioned by some obscure weavers in far off countries, with the importer being the only one to make some money. I can't imagine how long it would take me to attempt something like that Deco chair (big)! HEY!! People are e-mailing me about joining the Swap NOW, or joining the next Swap. We need to have some discussion about whether we have an interest in doing them regularly, how often, what kind, who's interested in coordinating etc. etc. As I've written a few folks, the coordinating is not difficult, but it IS time consuming (about 3 full days combined). I do have a business to run here, so I can't say I'd want to coordinate them all, or a schedule as often as say, monthly! I am not complaining, but there are a few things that I learned that would make the next Swap a little easier: *Read your Weaver's Words and send any questions about the Swap to the WW forum WHILE IT IS IN THE DISCUSSION PHASE (like prior to the Swap starting). Answering individual questions while coordinating the list & names exchange was ..well, less focused. *Decide whether you want to join & if you do THEN submit ALL the required information. Several people were undecided & seemed to want me to make the decision. This required extra e-mails back & forth and resulted in a few people thinking they had signed up when they had not. I did NOT include people on the list until they had make a firm decision & sent their info. Several people submitted SOME, but not all the information. Same confusion. **Make sure your e-mail address is working and your mail box is not full! There were a number of letters that had to be re-sent several times & I had to keep track of what was going through & what wasn't, so nobody got lost! * Finally, if you don't receive your Swap person's name at the prescribed time, let the coordinator know. This information has to be located & re-sent. Again, I am not complaining, but I think if we are all aware of the snags, we can make the next swap run easier. I hope most people take advantage of David's great offer to post a picture of their basket!! Like the Virtual Guild site, it will make the WW site even better & show what we have been up to. Welcome, to the (several) people who've just joined us from Lurkdom. We hope to hear from you often. Please don't ever think your input or question isn't worth submitting. This is an equal opportunity forum! There are still a lot of our (700+) members who we'd like to hear from! Joy Moody Sign of the Crow http://www.signofthecrow.com Hampden, Maine {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Storm Damage Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 10:10:49 EDT From: Wickrwoman@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net One of the reasons that I haven't been writing to this newsletter lately, is that on June 27th my residence/business was hit pretty hard by a tornado or straight line winds--who cares, all I know is it blew away 1/3 of the building! We were all prepared for a flood because the Zumbro River, that runs right through town was expected to crest the dike, around 6 p.m. That scare came and went, but I was prepared. I had all my wicker pieces and customer's pieces up off the floor, piled on tables, chests, filing cabinets, and my desk. I even took my important papers upstairs and put everything in plastic bags. So, I'm sitting on the pot doing my business, (after closing all the windows, unplugging the computer, TV and other appliances), realizing that the flood problem is gone--but now the winds are picking up--when the whole back 3-season porch was ripped off the building and thrown up on top of my apartment roof!!! It landed over the bedroom and dining room and ended up damaging rafters and lots of shingles, to say nothing of exposing my well used 3 season porch and utility room below, to the elements. This was also where the staircase was to my shop below and the garage. The only other exit is the outside staircase from the dining room. I ran next door and huddled with the neighbors in their cellar until the storm was over. It hit about 8 P.M. and was pretty well over by 11 p.m. The neighbor and I went over in the dark (electricity and telephones in town were out for about 4-5 days), to salvage anything we could, but some of the beams and storm windows hampered our salvage efforts, plus we couldn't see very well and it was still raining pretty hard. The next day it was sunshining so I bought several throw-away cameras and started taking pictures of everything inside and out. Then we started salvaging and later was the cleanup and reconstruction. It took months to finish cleaning and organizing everything and it was only within the last few weeks that I have been able to work in my wicker restoration shop. Thank goodness nothing was damaged down there. Main damage was to the porch and the utility room below. Through my diligent efforts of cataloging damaged goods, taking pictures, securing replacement value/restoration estimates, and getting a building inspector and contractors out here to give estimates, the insurance companies are settling up nicely. It has taken a long time, but it was well worth all my troubles. Personal property was $8,000 and building damage was $35,000. Now, to get all the work done. Hubby is on a six month construction job down south but was able to fly home one weekend to put up a temporary back porch roof and then he was off again to Texas, Lousianna, Mississippi, and Alabama. Since this whole southeastern area of Minnesota was hit hard over the last few months, it is almost impossible to find contractors willing to do any work--they are already booked out into 1999, so hubby may end up doing the work. That's his main type of business anyway, building contractor. As I have mentioned on the bulletin board of Weavenet and AOL, document your belongings while they are undamaged. It's really hard to do it after a storm or fire, believe me!!! We lost over $2,500 worth of hardcover books that were in cardboard boxes under the stairwell that got rained on for days following the storm. I make a plea for you to all keep your unused books in plastic tubs and make sure you catalog them with the author, title, ISBN number and call a bookstore to find out what they cost to replace. Do it now!! Well, enough rambling about that--someone mentioned a while back that they didn't like all this talk about anything not pertaining to basketry. As far as I'm concerned if you are a basketweaver, (chair caning and basketweaving is my full-time business) everything we do is somehow linked to our basketweaving. This newsletter gives us a way to open up to each other and become a more closely knit (woven) "family". If you don't want to hear about our mundane lives, skip over that part--no one has a gun to your head to make you read things. ~The Wicker Woman/Cathryn/stormy MN~ {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: AOL Basket Message Board Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 10:33:04 EDT From: Wickrwoman@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net For those of you that are not on AOL, I thought I would tell you a little about our basketmakers bulletin board. It is a very active board with people from all over the nation and Hawaii. There was a question a while back about non-AOL people getting involved with what we are doing on AOL and it's not possible to access AOL message boards, IM's or anything else unless your carrier is America On Line. We have unlimited usage for $21.95, the rates just went up from $19.95. >From what I am hearing about other carriers, AOL seems to offer a great deal more in the way of special features. I love it and the system is very easy to work with. If and when hubby buys me a more powerful machine, I will be able to do a lot of stuff that I am not able to do now on my 486 (non-Pentium), 33.6 modem system. On the basket board, we have two basket chats, one on Wednesday mornings and one on Sunday nights any topic is up for discussion. It can get kinda frazzled when several people are "talking" at the same time! We were also the first ones to start the basket buddy swap and are now on about the fifth or sixth one--can't remember. I think it's great that the rest of you are now able to participate through this Weaver's Words swap--links us all together. One really neat feature about AOL, America On Line, is that you can set up a "buddy list" of people you would like to talk to frequently. You just add the screen name of your friend to your buddy list and then whenever that person gets online, it will show up in your screen list. When you see someone on your list that you would like to talk with, just highlight their name and send a typed message. That person receives it immediately (you are only hampered by your rate of typing speed) and then can answer you back. This process is called an "Instant Message" or "IM" for short. If you have a powerful machine, you can even get set up with "voice mail" where instead of typing your message, you speak it!! How cool!! I have a friend that uses that system all the time, he loves it because he is a slow typer. Well, if there are any other things about AOL that I think you might like to hear about, I will post them. If there are any questions, don't hesitate to ask! ~The Wicker Woman/Cathryn/MN~ {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Re: Bee Skep Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 09:39:08 -0500 From: Dave Balleweg To: "Collins, David" Hi all, I don't recall the name of the person looking for bee skep instructions...sorry. I remembered seeing this in one of my magazines. There is a tabletop size version in the June/July 1992 issue of The Herb Companion magazine. Maybe you can find it in back issues in the library. If not, let me know and I'll loan you my copy. Marcia Balleweg, Wellston, OK where it still has not rained and is still 100 degrees plus. {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 27 Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 17:10:05 +0000 From: Pamela Woodbury To: David Collins Hi Basketweavers and David, Just a short correction, I said I was meeting Deb Connors after her lecture on Thursday night at AMB. It should have said Deb Curtis. Both Deb's chat on the chat line I chat on and I wrote the wrong name. Sorry Deb and Deb. Pam {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} Subject: No Subject Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 21:12:32 EDT From: BSKTCHERYL@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Hi all: Anna Marie asked about soaking pine needles in a water and bleach solution. I just soak them in water. Why would a person add bleach? Wouldn't this hurt the pine needles? I've never tried to dye pine needles but I have seen them painted on the surface of the basket when the basket was complete. I've thought about what Bert said about soaking materials. That too much soaking might cause mildew or weaken the fibers. I think this must depend on the climate that you live in. In California during the summer months, everything is very dry, including basketry materials. If I don't soak my pine needles and raffia before using them they become very brittle and break off if I put any stress on the materials. Would someone please tell me what a Longaberger basket is? Welcome Anna from Australia. How exciting to be able to communicate from such far distances. I'd love to know what you use for making your baskets. Marilyn Miller and Molly Gardner wanted more information about the Western Regional Basketweavers Gathering in Reno, Nevada in June 1999. This gathering is being organized by California Indian Basketweavers Association (CIBA). More information can be obtained by speaking to Sara Greensfelder at (530) 292-0141 or via email at ciba@oro.net. The CIBA web site is: www.ciba.org/ciba/ I've just learned how to weave (plaited) bracelets from hala leaves and am making them for all my friends. Cheryl VanDeVeer Santa Cruz, Ca. {*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*}{*}-{*} If for any you would ever like to cancel your subscription, simply send me a message with "unsubscribe" as your subject.