"Weavers Words" Vol. 2 Iss. 87 Date Sent: February 27, 1999 Web Page: http://welcome.to/Weavers-Words Subscribers: 962 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, I have created a new forum/bulletin board for everyone to use. This is a great way to post messages like basket tips. All you have to do is go the forum and click "New Article". Then type your message. Easy As Pie. You can also reply to other people's forums. The address is: http://www3.bravenet.com/forum/show.asp?userid=zb101628 Please keep sending your messages to Weaver's Words first. There's been more pictures added. Check 'em out. The address is: http://www.iei.net/~davidc/pictures.html THERE'S STILL 20 STATES I HAVEN'T FOUND ANY GUILDS OR ASSOCIATIONS. If you want your guild and/or association added, please include the following information (If Applicable): Name Of Guild And/Or Association Contact Name Web Page Address E-Mail Address Postal Address City, State Zip Phone Number You can find all of the guilds at: http://www.iei.net/~davidc/events.html Take Care, David davidc@iei.net %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Weavers Words Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 19:52:24 PST From: "Alice Edwards" To: davidc@iei.net Bless you David, for all the work you do providing us with this opportunity to share. Could you be persuaded to give us a little information about the "Weaver's Words Forum" you announced in issue 82 and how it works. Congratulations and best wishes to Angie and Carolyn. I won't get to go to the Indiana convention this year, but plan to join the guild in hopes of someday attending. For now I am busily studying the booklet for the Missouri convention. This will be my first convention and I am really looking forward to it. I will be sharing a table to sell baskets at a fund-raiser for the historical society where our guild meets. They are having a spaghetti feed and will have a group of craft tables also. One more step and, I guess, an admission that I take myself, and baskets, seriously. But after saying yes, I am experiencing sudden flurries of doubts and panicked thoughts about ordering business cards. Marty Z. - Thanks for the info about Retayne. I'm going to check first and see if I can find it locally. Do you ever use it with reed you didn't dye yourself? In the soak water perhaps? Ruthanne- a wild boar hunt - Wow. Billie in Va. Beach - try using a piece of #0 or #1 round reed to hold the spokes in the groove on a wooden base. One of the patterns I made called for that and it worked well for me. Just insert the spokes, lay the round reed on top of the spokes up against the base and use a weave-rite tool to push the round reed in the slot. It holds the spokes in place nicely. The size of the slot and the round reed determines how firmly the spokes are held, so adjust the size to what you need. Good luck and hope it helps. Marty Holihan - Thank you for offering your advice to Carol in 'open forum'. Your words will be in our memories if we need them later, and we may have other members who will benefit now. I like to see the answers included for all. We have so many members now that it seems possible that any question will apply to more than just one of us. Beverly - central Mass. - thanks, glad you like the idea of just keeping everyone in my prayers. I have perhaps been remiss in not mentioning that it isn't exactly original. The basic concept goes back to a seminar by a Rev. Goff, a Methodist pastor, that I attended years ago. His suggestion was that many people were often unwilling to ask for prayer because they didn't feel comfortable sharing the details. He recommended only sharing names and that you should visualize yourself mentally lifting the person or situation up to God, who already knew more about the problem than we did. So, I mentally lift the whole list, all of you when you are in my thoughts, including anyone who has shared their problems. And I generally assume that if you are on my mind, perhaps there is a reason, so prayer is indicated. Eileen - Yes I do back track and redo portions of baskets sometimes, though not as often as I once did. Kudzu Karen - I take several magazines. Since I am at work now, will check and send more information about them later. Several suppliers such as Country Seat offer back issues for sale, which could be a good helpful in trying to decide if they are what you want. I think I have received issues of both 'Just Patterns' and 'Black Creek Country' recently. Happy Weaving from Alice Edwards in the Chilly Kansas City Area %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Weavers Words Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 23:57:43 -0500 From: "Joan Culler" To: Hi, I just had to write and thank you, "Aunt Pattie", for your letter about kudzu. That's the best laugh I've had in a long time. I love your sense of humor. It certainly created a hilarious mental image of that kudzu getting the best of you. I also got a laugh thinking of the gal who harvested poison ivy thinking it was just another vine. That laugh was tempered with a shudder when I thought about what she might have gone through after making that basket. I hope she didn't give it away as a gift. Kathi who is driving from Cal. to Nova Scotia in July. Won't that take the whole month of July just driving? We headed to Nova Scotia from NW Ohio one summer but by the time we got to Maine we were so sick of being in the car that we went to Acadia Nat'l Park and had a great vacation there. Some day maybe we'll take the ferry out of Portland to NS. Since I'm mostly a hobby weaver, I don't have much advice to give but I really enjoy reading all the letters. And thanks David for making it all possible!!! Joan from snowy NW Ohio %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Why I'm so tired! Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 02:01:36 -0600 From: Marty Zielke To: David Collins Hi to all, I couldn't resist sending this to all or you over worked weavers. My sister sent this to me, and it made me smile. Hope it will do the same for you, :~). Why I'm so tired For a couple years I've been blaming it on lack of sleep and too much pressure from my job, but now I found out the real reason: I'm tired because I'm overworked. The population of this country is 237 million. 104 million are retired. That leaves 133 million to do the work. There are 85 million in school, which leaves 48 million to do the work. Of this there are 29 million employed by the federal government, leaving 19 million to do the work. 2.8 Million are in the Armed Forces, which leaves 16.2 million to do the work. Take from the total the 14,800,000 people who work for State and City Governments and that leaves 1.4 million to do the work. At any given time there are 188,000 people in hospitals, leaving 1,212,000 to do the work. Now, there are 1,211,998 people in prisons. That leaves just two people to do the work. You and me. And you're sitting at your computer reading jokes. From Marty Z. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 84 Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 07:16:18 -0500 From: Pamela Woodbury To: David Collins References: 1 Hi David and fellow weavers. Shar I checked out your new baskets and they are magnificent. I have really been getting into the more earthy baskets myself and have been making birch bark baskets, but not as intricate as yours. I am excited to tell everyone that Deb Curtis will be coming to MI in August and she will be teaching at my guild. She sent a variety, but I am planning on doing her large purse made from various barks and also lined. Our entire guild looks forward to that. I have lots of birch bark available to me in MI, but some of the other barks are very expensive for me to use, so I plan on concentrating on birch bark. I had to laugh about all the talk about Colonial Williamsburg. We went two years before I started weaving. I could kick myself that we didn't go the year after I started weaving, but that gives me another trip to someday look forward to. I looked at all those baskets and thought they must be nuts if they think people will pay those prices and to be quite honest didn't even pay that much attention to the people who were demonstrating weaving. We also had a couple of teenagers along on that trip. One of them wanted to spend his entire time in bed and thought that getting to places like Williamsburg at 1 in the afternoon gave us more than enough time to see anything he wanted to see. The other son was a history buff and thoroughly enjoyed it. There was a reenactment going on when we were there. I sort of thought they always had them. Maybe we just lucked out and we there on a day they were having one. I visited Hawaii the following year after the Williamsburg trip, still one year before I started weaving and saw all the native Hawaiians weaving baskets from the palm leaves. Well at that time I thought they were ugly and paid little attention to them. My how I've changed in the past 14 years, 12 years of weaving. I would love to sit on the beach and make a basket with them now. I am one of the co-sponsors of the Basket Bash April 9, 10 and 11 in Marlette, MI. I will be teaching antler baskets on Friday and some of my other designs on Sat. and Sun. The classes are filling. Anyone interested in any of the classes being offered, please mail your registration as soon as possible as it is being done on a first come first serve basis. First choices are still available in all classes, but won't be for long. Pam %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: stains minus odor Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 07:40:39 -0500 From: Ruth Emberg To: David Collins Hi everyone- It has been awhile since I have had time to write. Both Don and I have been down with a nasty virus. He has emphysema, so any illness is treacherous. Which brings me to my question. I would appreciate any input about basket finishes that do not have a lasting odor or emit the great fumes that Min-wax does. In the summer, and outside, I do sometimes use Min-wax on outdoor use baskets such as backpacks. Generally I do not use any finish. I have not had fume trouble with black walnut stain, as one person described, but it sure does smell terrible when it is heated. An outdoor job, for sure. One show that I did, I was located in the same room with a woman with really pretty baskets that were all stained or varnished (?????) and all sending out fumes. Don was with me, and we had to relocate pronto. We are always careful not to be near soap displays, but the brown baskets caught us unawares. Pennsylvania is chilly today, with an absolutely beautiful cover of snow. Probably the last for this season. I hate to see it go! Ruth Visit our site at: http://home.kiski.net/~bachembgbaskets %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Swap Baskets Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 07:40:37 -0600 From: Crystal Drenner To: davidc@iei.net Hi Weavers, Blessings to all. It has been awhile since I have been here, and got my email back. I am curious to know what this swap basket thing is? Can anyone tell me? Also, any colorful Easter basket ideas? Blessings, Crystal cdrenner@netnitco.net %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: misc, Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 09:50:52 -0500 From: "Angie Longenecker" To: "David" Hi all, Thanks Judy - yes, he is both friendly and funny (and very sweet). We both feel, why wait on a long engagement? We want to get married and it gets to be a long commute back and forth to see each other, and we both wanted to get married during the summer, so this year it is. I think the official store greeting will be different every time! No need to fall into a rut, we'd all get bored. Have you ever walked in to a Hollywood video (for example)? They're required to greet everyone who walks in - by the time you can respond to them - they already have their back to you and are now completely ignoring you. Yuck. Aunt Patti - Hang on! We're on the way with flame-throwers and pruning shears! Still pretty cold in PA, Angie The Country Seat http://www.countryseat.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: ww Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 06:53:53 PST From: "Jennifer Forsyth" To: davidc@iei.net I have been reading WW for a few month now and haven't written yet. This is my first time. Actually, it was Lois's last e-mail that spurred me to write. I have been weaving for about a year and have had a few similar experiences regarding patterns. It is extremely frustrating and I have had to "make-up" my own directions. I would like to see pattern writers have their patterns tested. I think that is the only sure way to ensure accuracy. I love reading everyone's stories, ideas and everything. In cold (and maybe snowy) north, central Massachusetts. Jenn %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: RE: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 86 Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 10:26:51 -0500 (EST) From: Judith Spates To: davidc@iei.net To Darla Krahling: Thanks for your kind words about my "Judy's New England Quilt Basket" pattern. I, too, love the larger baskets with wooden bases! I have several other patterns for larger baskets. Feel free to e-mail me if you would like more information. These are all fairly new patterns. Judy Richmond Spates "The Judy Richmond Collection" JSpates@hope.gordonc.edu %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Nantucket Molds Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 12:56:49 -0500 From: "Karen M. Johnson" To: Hi David and Everyone, I haven't written in quite a while, but enjoy reading WW. I have recently finished my 4th Nantucket Basket (with the exception of the handle). I would like to know where other Nantucket basketmakers purchase their molds? Does anyone have any used molds that they would like to get rid of? I have gotten some great info from Nancy Hedberg (thanks Nancy!!), but appreciate any other tips others would like to share. There has been talk on the list recently regarding painting on baskets, well I don't have that talent so I rubber stamp on some of my baskets. I emboss and it comes out great. We had a discussion long ago about this so I won't go into detail, but if you are interested please e-mail me direct and I'll answer any questions that you may have. Susan Tripp - I am going to Stowe in May and it will be my 3rd year. I have two days (wed & thurs) of Nantuckets with Gladys Ellis and Anne Lima (they're great), 1 day (fri) with Flo Hoppe (incredible teacher), and two days (sat and sun) doing a set of bent wood shaker carriers (with teachers I have not met before). It is a great time. Is it your first visit? Let me know and I'll look for you. Karen Johnson Brookline, NH %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Weavers Words Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 10:10:35 -0800 From: "moonweaver" To: davidc@iei.net Salutations fellow weavers, I want to thank those that replied to my question in regard to wholesale. The people that contacted me are evidently flakes. Sent them two of my micro mini baskets as examples - haven't heard a word since. Just might ask for my samples back... Jayna - yes, I still have my first basket. It's a coiled out of small reed wrapped with rafia. Has over 5000 stiches in it since I 'sew' each stitch. I know this is not the 'normal' way to coil - but I like the final results better. Alice - you wrote about ordering business cards. I make very professional looking ones on my computer. They sell some very nice stock for cards at many stores now a days. If you have the time it's well worth the effort - and much cheaper. Angie & Carolyn - congratulations!!!! Ten Thumb Barbara - cats...what about dogs??? I don't have cat's anymore - got tired of their nasty little habits in my flower beds and garden. (I'll probably hear from you cat lovers about that. I do like cat's just not at my house.) So we have 4 dogs - they are good at keeping the cougar, bears, and other things that growl away from our barn. Also are great mousers!!! Eileen - I redo baskets that aren't quite right. Guess it goes back to when I was first learning to embroidery from my grandmother. (at age 4)If the stitch wasn't right - rip it out and start over. It has carried over to my weaving. AuntPatti - I loved your last post in regard to Kudzu. However this stuff sounds rather neat. Would like to grow it as a house plant. That way one could have weavers with out the threat of take over in ones yard. Also I want to bring up a point here - introducing plant materials from other regions should be thought out carefully. Many native plants have been destroyed due to introducing non-native species. After all we are responsible for our own areas. Well the sun has been out the last few days - makes that snow awful bright! But it's melting - soon I'll actually be able to see the grass again! *S* By the way set up my web page - stop by and take a look. I'd really appreciate any comments. To all those with troubles my prayers are with you. Take care everyone. God Bless & happy weaving, Chrys MoonWeaver Basketry http://people.goplay.com/moonweaver %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: swap basket Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 13:40:02 -0500 From: "Mary Hooper" To: "David Collins" Ann in Dundee, MI: Thanks for the lovely double bottom pegged basket, which arrived day before yesterday, day in Hell at work and I needed a lift! The flowers on the front wall are in two of my favorite colors and the workmanship is notable. I'll proudly hang it in my home. Thanks again. I'll e-mail you soon. Mary Hooper %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: swap baskets and cats Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 17:02:35 -0500 From: "Gail Caron" To: "David Collins" Hi David and Weavers Worders: I finally put my swap basket in the mail to its intended recipient. Unfortunately, it is heading to New England where the huge storm that missed the middle Atlantic turned into a blizzard yesterday. I hope the postal service is back in business to deliver the basket to someone who probably desperately needs a diversion. I have also discovered that the secret to making my own swap basket arrive is to head to the post office and mail the one which I wove. Just like last time, I came home to find a package waiting at my door. It contained TWO baskets from Pat Moritz: a gourd basket with a braided border and a small silvery and copper basket which she called "Flirtation". They are both beautiful and very appreciated since I do not weave in either medium. My cat especially liked the gourd basket, which is lined with a felt like substance - I will be gluing a patch of it back into place tonight. Speaking of cats, for the survey my cat population is now down to four (as I wrote several months ago I lost two of my little buddies earlier in the winter). The two boys would rather be outside, so they are basically barn cats who do not have the opportunity to impose on basket weaving except in the summer when I weave on the deck. My little Eliza is a basketry menace - no piece of reed is safe and no basket is too small to try to squeeze into. (I now know that she likes gourd baskets too). Thanks to all who sent their condolences on the death of my father in law. Given his physical condition, it was probably a blessing, but sad nonetheless. Joy Moody: Glad to see you back here. I sure know the responsibility and time required to treat aged and infirm animals. I sometimes think my life is governed by it. But the companionship of our pets makes it all worth it, doesn't it? I hope that all of our northeast members have survived the blizzard. How are you all doing now? I heard that some areas lost power in addition to having two feet of snow. Better get going to feed the animals. Gail Caron in southern NJ %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: This and That Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 16:59:46 -0600 From: ANDREA & TOM OKEEFE Organization: SAVANNAH HOUSE To: davidc@iei.net, coltsfan@usa.net Hi David and Everyone, Well I am within 6 hours of completing my Nantucket tapestry purse. It's my first and last! At least the end is in sight. Next project is a flower girl basket. My daughter is getting married April 17th and it's getting stressful. She is freaking out all together. I'm sure everything will come together and it will be a beautiful day. To Barbara the 10 thumbs weaver my condolences. I lost my husband last May and I can certainly empathize. I know exactly what you are going through. My thoughts and prayers are with you. It doesn't get any easier-you just get used to it. To Beverly - I am so fortunate to be living where I am here on the Island. We are so small and such a close knit group - the love and support from friends and neighbors has been phenomenal. We have a group called Island Angels who volunteer when there is sickness or trouble and do whatever needs to be done in the way of assistance or support. Throughout the many months my husband was in the hospital (100 miles away) they took care of my "kids" (2 Maltese dogs) every day, cooked my meals and prepared the after funeral repast. And now that I'm "alone" the islanders make sure I'm included in everything and they continue to offer all manner of support. I couldn't have made it through without them. Thank you for asking. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy this list. Thank you all for your contributions. Andrea Palm Island, FL %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Weaver's Words Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 19:28:10 -0800 From: hannah To: "'davidc@iei.net'" Hello to all of you Wonderful Basket Weavers!!! David, I took a look at Jace and he is just beautiful, and that hair!!!! He is truly a gem. Angie: Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. Donna: Did someone actually try to harvest poison ivy to weave with? What is the story, I must have missed this one, it sounds interesting. Please send me the camping information. We have a motor home and I told my hubby that we need to be coming your way. We have been wanting to go to Gettysburg and the Eagle and Hawk Sanctuary sounds wonderful. We really enjoy nature. I cannot wait to come to see you sometime. I don't know when we will get to, but am hoping sometime this spring or summer. Ruthann: Wild boar hunting, you sound like a real adventurous person. Thanks for reminding me about putting my tools in a safe storage area. I was not aware that someone got hurt, but it truly is a smart thing to do. I sure hope that no one was hurt badly in that particular accident, or any other for that matter. I am also glad that you went and bought a carbon monoxide detector. It sounds like you were both very lucky. Aunt Pattie?: Your description of how to plant the kudzu was very comical. I laughed and laughed. Thanks for the smiles. I cannot believe that I have been south so many times in my life and have never really noticed the plant. I guess I must have on blinders when I come and just appreciate the vast differences from the north to the south!!! Your description sounds like it would make a pretty good, low budget science fiction movie!!!! Carolyn: Congratulations on your upcoming wedding too, I did not mean to forget you. :) About first baskets, I still have the first three that I ever made. The first one I made was a wine tote. I was so proud of it, that I actually made this basket, but now when I look at it, I can sure see the progress that I have made. Thank goodness!!! My second one was a small apple basket and it doesn't look like it was supposed to, but my third basket, a small market basket, turned out very nice, as a matter of fact, it doesn't look like I was such the beginner. I think I just took more time doing it!!!! Anyway, I am proud of all 3 of them and would never give them away. I don't think that anyone should ever give their very first one away. It is such an accomplishment. One last thing before I go, I have been getting phone calls from some of my customers to place orders and find that they stammer over my name, so I am going to tell you all how to pronounce it. Since we do business out of our home, we generally just answer by saying, "hello" and I am trying to get my son and hubby to answer the phone by identifying our last names, at least, but that is a small job for me to work on. Anyway, thanks for all of the business that you have all be giving to us. Now, here is how you say my last name, it is spelled FEIX but pronounced, FAKES.. I sure hope that helps everyone. Anyone is welcome to call, snail mail, e-mail, or use the shopping cart from the web site, whichever way you prefer. We are doing our very best to accommodate all of you. Thanks again for helping make our first 6 months in business such a success. See you all at the IBA!!! Pam Feix in Southwest OH http://www.feixbaskets-crafts.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 23:42:32 -0800 From: "Marc L. Ames" To: "David Collins" Sandi Quint - Discarded unfinished sisal macramé' projects are often available at thrift stores in the craft section. It is a taupe or drab colored, fairly hairy coarse "rope", usually loosely plied, about 1/4" or more in diameter. Sniff it though, as it is a fiber that often picks up a musty or sometimes tar-like odor for some reason. Don't overlook other "fat fibers" such as bulky handspun, wool roving, colored jute, etc. I'm always looking for interesting weavables. One unusual find was a sweater knitted from colored leather lacing, which I spent hours unraveling. Bon Voyage Winnie - Happy Birthday, enjoy your trip and be safe! Tell us all about it when you get back. Rae Hunter - please let us know when your willow melon basket manual is published and how to acquire it. Joan Culler - Managing a basket shop in an 1850s village sounds like the perfect job! Animal roll call at our house: 1 llama, 4 goats, 3 sheep, 1 turkey, 3 geese, 8 domesticated ducks, 24 chickens, 3 cats, and lately at least 100 wild ducks on the pond - mallards, wood ducks, buffleheads, hooded mergansers, Canada geese, etc. From Kay Harradine, very wet and windblown in the Pacific Northwest, not quite finished with her swap basket, and trying to keep up with WW. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 22:54:42 -0500 From: Jeff J Braunscheidel To: davidc@iei.net Please add me to your mailing list for Weavers Word. My address is clueless1013@juno.com Thanks! Maybe you can answer me or print a note in your next mailing. 1. I am looking for a pattern for a crayon basket by Tarri Olli or Ollie. I have purchased the handle and lid some time ago with the assurance from my retail supplier that I could get the pattern later, but now am told that they can't get any more copies of Tarri's patterns. Is there somewhere out there that still have copies of her pattern? Or does any one now how I could get in touch of her? Maybe one of your readers has this pattern and would give/sell me a copy? 2. I am looking for a handle distributor to buy good quality wood and wire handles from. This should be someone who could sell to me in bulk at a wholesale price and have a good selection or make handles to meet my size criteria. My local basket supply/retail store doesn't always have the size handle I need and cannot get it for me. Got any good suppliers to recommend? Hopefully you or someone out there reading this can help me out. Thanks! Tammy %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Basket Swap Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 23:48:07 EST From: JanHardt@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net David and Weavers, All swap baskets should have been sent out by now. Please let me know if you do not receive yours by the end of this week. I hope everyone had a great time participating and enjoyed the basket they sent and received. E-mail me directly with any questions or problems. Jan -- Des Moines, IA %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 86 Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 23:56:53 EST From: EVANSGRMA@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net I am new at this and haven't been online very long...I am interested in obtaining websites for basketweaving/patterns. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: NZ flax,etc Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 20:17:53 +1100 From: Anna Lizotte To: "Collins, David" Hi everyone. Bert, I'm not sure what you want to know about NZ flax...Its botanical name is Phormium tenax and it has long, tough, sword shaped leaves which are 2-4 inches wide and 3-10 feet long. It is pretty hardy and comes in green, bronzy-purple, or variegated cream/yellow, the green being the most common. They all dry to varying shades of brown, though. The leaves are very tough and fibrous and to use you split off the back rib, cut off the butt end and then split the leaves to the widths you want with a strong needle, awl, nail, etc. Tie in bundles and hang to dry in a shady place for a week or two. To dry wider lengths, just split off the back rib which should divide the leaf into two wide pieces, coil each piece up and tie. Store 2-3 weeks to allow for a little shrinkage and then dampen and wrap in a towel overnight to use. If you want to use it for stitching in coiled basketry, leave a bit of the butt end sticking out of the towel to dry and harden and then use that end, cut to a point, as your "needle". I also quite often use the flax green as there is not a lot of shrinkage. I just go back and fill in a bit after it has dried. It is really tough and can be used in the garden to tie up plants, etc. I also use it to tie up my bundles of leaves, willow etc. The flower that I sent you was made out of half of a small flax leaf and I learned how to make it from someone who learned from her Maori relatives. Janet Freebairn--I visited your site and saw all the pictures. Looks like a great time was had by all. I went to one of the links and got a pattern for a Gourd with Beaded Date Palm. I recently found a discarded gourd from the lady in my husband's band. It was a maraca that had broken so I quickly rescued it from the rubbish bin and plan to trim up the broken edge and use the pattern I printed out. By the way it was from the Caning Shop and can be found at http://www.caning.com/coilproj.html Tony--I, too, love your baskets and your site. Good job. I also found the site on kudzu very interesting. I have sent David some photos of the possums that were pestering us on our camping trip. They are a bit different to the ones already posted on photo page. I have also sent him, finally, photos of the baskets sent to me by Bert Comstock and Sharle Osborne. By the way, Sharle, I loved the new photos posted by you. I dearly wish I had a source for Cedar bark here...I love the look of it...I am jealous. I have been asking around to try and find some other bark that we may have here that would be similar but no luck so far. Most of the eucalyptus bark is pretty thin and stringy and not very strong. Well, soon it will be autumn here....and then willow collecting time again! Hope you all have a good spring ahead of you. Anna in Tassie where I am being eaten alive by the mozzies (mosquitoes). That'll teach me to forget to close the kitchen window!!! %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 86 Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 08:19:28 -0500 (EST) From: IBWEAVIN@webtv.net (Juanita Gulden) To: davidc@iei.net (David Collins) Hi David, I have been receiving WW for awhile now and have just been sitting back and enjoying all that has been offered. I was a beginning weaver and not to sure of myself. Through WW I have met Karen in MN my cyberspace weaving buddy and Nancy a very nice lady who invited me to my first guild meeting. It is a teaching guild and I look forward to learning all I can.(thanks Nancy) Thank you David for giving me the opportunity to make new friends with the same interests and giving me information to pursue what I love, basket weaving. A very grateful weaver, Juanita Gulden Balto MD. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: basket swap Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 06:08:59 PST From: "Barbara Mullally" To: davidc@iei.net Hi Everyone, After carrying it around in the car several days, I finally got to the post office yesterday before it closed and my swap basket is on its way to the east coast. Great to hear from some of the folks who have been quiet for a while. WW continues to be a great forum, hoping to see many of you next month in Indie. Best wishes to all from rainy (today) Michigan, Barb Mullally %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Natural Walnut stain Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 17:53:58 +0000 From: wanda crist To: davidc@iei.net Dear David & all, Last fall, very late in the season, I collected some walnuts. They sat outside all winter, and I recently added HOT water to begin the process of making stain. They have been outside where the temp is still hovering in the 30's and low 40's during the day. Now I have a smell to the stain (No bugs or mildew). I added some ammonia to the stain but it hasn't helped. Any ideas?? Start over?? Thanks in advance!! To someone in New York, the mailman will have something for you on Monday-I hope you enjoy!! The swap has been very fun. Are there plans for another??? Sorry for the lengthy post. TO all - HAPPY WEAVING!! %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Guilds/1st Basket/Cats Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 13:15:59 -0600 From: Beth Bechtel To: "davidc@iei.net" I belong to a basket group that is interested in forming a guild, but we don't really know where to start or what the benefits might be. We just met this morning and had some discussion about it. Our group has had quite a few problems getting organized & meeting in the last year. I see that Joan Culler asked for any guild information: how-to/benefits/dues/just-general-advice. If you have any information like that, please send it to me also, if you could, we really need it! Thank you!! (Char Braun-I emailed you about us last year, but never got back to you. Sorry. I'll let you know when we are more organized...) The very first basket I made was a basic twill in 1/2" flat reed. It was WAY TOO HARD for a self taught beginner (what did I know?), but I did it. My mom has it & that's good because I won't ever attempt to sell it if I feel like I'm low on inventory for a show! Finally, I have 2 lasher-chasing cats! Beth in southern WI %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Basket swap Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 15:21:18 -0500 From: "Hill Family" To: Just wanted everyone to know what a great basket I received from Diane B. It is a wine basket with grapes on the outside and was such a treat. Just got me in the mail on the last day of February so someone in a land of sunshine (hopefully lots of it) an pineapple can be looking for their basket next week. They may have the distinction of receiving the last basket of the swap. Really enjoy these swaps and have participated in each one. Wish there was more time to weave. Love the hints and incentive received in each copy of Weavers Words. What a great job you do David. Have some basket pictures from swaps that I will be sending. Bleeding fingers to all. Julie Hill from E. TN, the land of rain. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: bits and pieces. Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 16:48:00, -0500 From: BDKE97B@prodigy.com (MRS BILLIE A DORRIS) To: davidc@iei.net Have a couple of new tips to pass along- As I near the end of a Nantucket I mark each spoke to show where the rim is to be placed-using either the top of the mold or the guide line on the mold. If you turn the mold side ways (with base to one side)it is much easier to see where the mark goes than if you have the base towards you. Don't know if this make sense but just sort of stumbled on it and found that the line is much straighter when you look at it this way. Give it a try. I know there are special tools for marking the basket but this is much easier. Because if the top of your mold is level then the basket will be as well. Also in my eternal quest for neatness (those who know me will tell you it's useless)-I discovered that I have quite a few basket necklaces that I never wear because they are always upstairs in my jewelry box and with me out of sight is out of mind. So I bought a rack for hanging lots of men's ties that has wooden knobs. I hung it in the downstairs bathroom on the wall over the light switch. this is usually the last place I am before I leave the house . This way they are not only noticed by me but displayed rather than stuck away somewhere. I considered one of those expanding X type racks but the other holds more and in a more secure position. I am paranoid about them falling on the floor as they are just bite size for the granddogs. Right after he came to live with us Charlie "found" a mini oak egg basket that I had just finished. Fusspuss helped by knocking it on the floor from the counter. When I found it it was somewhat mangled. Am spending the weekend alone-without human company that is. My husband was due back last night from a business trip and called to say it will probably be next Friday or even the next. So I hit Blockbuster and then the grocery store for some outstanding frozen entrees(as the button on my new microwaves calls them) so I am all set for what I hope will be a weekend of weaving accomplishments. Spring is once again in the air in the tidewater of Va. as the Nor'easter missed us again. One of these days we are going to get hit again. Think it was about this time of year last year when we were almost washed away. There is a tradition here that when the circus comes to town so does the storm. Enough for now. One more thought (of course) a couple of years ago when we needed to identify either other at convention someone suggested the @printed in large red print to stick on your name tag. Not only did it work but all the "non-people" wanted to know what it meant. Enough for now Billie %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% If for any you would ever like to cancel your subscription, simply send me a message with "unsubscribe" as your subject.