"Weavers Words" Vol. 2 Iss. 92 Date Sent: March 09, 1999 Web Page: http://www.iei.net/~davidc/ Subscribers: 969 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, Three issues of Weaver's Words in three days. WOW!!! I hope it isn't overwhelming anyone. I try to spread the issues over a couple of days, but when an issue reaches 14-16 pages in length I send it to eliminate problems with people being unable receive it. If you know of someone who has subscribed to Weaver's Words but isn't receiving it through their e-mail, please assure them that I have added them. Every time I send Weaver's Words, I get about thirty returned as undeliverable. Hoping the problem is temporary, I never remove the undeliverable e-mail addresses. Maybe you can suggest to them to try one of the numerous free e-mail accounts available on the Internet. I see many of you have taken advantage of Basketry Forum. I know Pam Feix has had a problem logging onto the forum. I'm sorry to say that I no explanation as to what the problem can be. I test the forum every day. Is anyone else having a problem? Here's the address: http://www3.bravenet.com/forum/show.asp?userid=zb101628 There's been more pictures added. Check 'em out. The address is: http://www.iei.net/~davidc/pictures.html Take Care, David davidc@iei.net %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Net hoax Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 22:50:50 -0500 From: "Linda J. Braun" To: Sorry, but this is a "net hoax". Please do not perpetuate it. "Congress is going to vote on allowing telephone......" Linda - Baskets, Etc. Baskets, Etc. http://www.bright.net/~basketc/ Linda J. Braun 636 Keen Avenue Ashland, OH 44805 Phone 419/281-1210 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Swap Basket Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 22:58:07 -0500 From: "Jayna Glemby" To: "David Collins" Had to make another posting to tell you what arrived in the mail today!!!! A very small package was waiting when I got home from work.....could it be my swap basket? But the package was so small?!? Oh the delight and surprise. Kay Harradine of Washington State made the most beautiful necklace and pair of earrings! I've never seen anything like it and I'm thrilled to pieces! Already planning what to wear tomorrow so I can show the necklace of to the best advantage. I'm guessing they are made from waxed linen...again, I've never seen anything like it.....but from previous postings on WW about waxed lined, I'd say this is it. Black with turquoise accents. The necklace has a miniature basket as it's focal point! I can't even imagine my big, clumsy hands making anything so small and delicate. Thank you so much Kay! You are a very talented and generous lady! I will always treasure this gift! Jayna In very cold, central Massachusetts %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: to glue or not to glue?? Date: Tue, 09 Mar 1999 15:52:02 +1100 From: Anna Lizotte To: "Collins, David" Just got my latest WW but haven't read it yet. Wanted to fire off a quick message before I forget. How does everyone feel about gluing embellishments on to baskets? For example, if I did a plain, coiled basket with, for example, pine needles, and wanted to embellish it with seed pods, leaves, nuts, shell, or whatever, is it acceptable to glue them on? Or should I drill each one and stitch it on? I am just curious to know what the prevailing opinion is. Gotta go and get ready for a pot luck dinner tonight. Look forward to everyone's replies. Anna in Tassie where our never-ending summer is still going strong! %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: (no subject) Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 08:31:33 EST From: Arlo1225@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Hi Everyone! Still very cold in upstate NY but at least the sun is shining. Hope Spring decides to come soon!!!! Claudia - I think the product you are looking for is Retayne. Of course at the moment I can't find any of my quilting supply magazines, so I'm not sure which ones would carry the product...sorry. Donna - Your suggestion of a petting zoo gave me a chuckle! Think our critters would even go for that idea as they never tire of getting attention! Forgot to mention all the barn cats in my previous cat count - don't even know how many there are - we just put food out for them in the winter months and see them stalking mice in the fields - never can get close to them..... Winnie - Paris, Aruba, and Egypt! WOW! Sounds like you lead a very interesting life! When do you find time to weave???? Have you found many interesting baskets in your travels? Valerie - your burden basket sounds wonderful! Any chance you could send in a picture? My 1st basket - about 20 years ago I signed up for a basket class at our local community college - coerced my "significant other" (now my husband) to go with me as I didn't want to go alone. When we got to the class found out we would not be working with reed as the instructor thought it would be too much trouble - needing water, etc. Was very disappointed but did make 2 baskets. First one twined, using jute - quite frustrating as it was very difficult to keep the shape. 2nd was a coil basket using clothesline as the core material and various yarn as the wrap. That was the extent of my basket weaving until 4 years ago when once again the comm. college offered a course. This time it was for a Shaker cheese basket - not a good beginner's basket! Finally hooked up with an acquaintance of mine who I saw selling baskets at a craft show and she got me on the right track! I still have my jute, coiled and Shaker baskets - these are good reminders of how far I've come in my basketmaking skills. Pat M - so glad you like your basket! The basket pictures you've posted on WW are wonderful! Weaving with various metals is a technique I would like to try. Any helpful tips, resource books you could recommend? Thanks in advance. Time to sign off - must get the daily chores done - Happy weaving to all! Lesley %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: swap coordinator, posting replies Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 08:58:14 -0500 From: "Gail Caron" To: "David Collins" Hi David and WWers: It seems as if the recent message indicating that this digest is a clique and new members will be ignored is getting much more publicity than it deserves. We have had several issues in the past where oversensitive people got all bent out of shape over minor differences of opinion and these conflicts took over the newsletters. It is about time that everyone who signs up to join WW realizes that this is a group of good people with similar interests who are interested in sharing their experiences and expertise with each other as well as learning from each other. It is a voluntary experience not a requirement - you cannot demand that your questions be answered or throw a tantrum if others do not drop everything to respond as fast as you would like. We all have other constraints on our time and cannot respond to every question that is posted. I myself have posted several questions since I joined the list that were never addressed, but so what. Other questions were answered quickly and by more than one member. And it is true that in many cases I have not answered a question because it was something that I was not familiar enough with to feel that I could give a decent answer or because I expected someone else to reply. David has also added a search feature to the site where you can locate information in back issues on your own. To Valerie Miller: I am not sure where the situation stands as to the next swap coordinator. In the past, the position was passed by the current coordinator to the first person who volunteered to run the next one. I thought that there were some postings by interested parties recently, but am not really sure. Speaking from experience, I am confident that all of the previous coordinators would be willing to help and provide guidance if you would like to try your hand at running it. Finally, at the risk of starting another war, I would like to mention that religious beliefs are a private matter and should not be an integral part of WW postings. This is a forum for basket weavers of many different backgrounds and overtly religious messages can be disconcerting. Gail Caron %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 91 Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 09:03:44 -0500 From: "Mary Hooper" To: "David Collins" Hi All: If no one answers my questions, I keep asking until somebody does just to shut me up. Crystal, it took me 30 years to get from where you are to where I am today. Do you have that much patience? Hang in there, girl, the older we get the more perceptive we become about our own demanding ways. :-) For those who's names I don't have time to go back and look for who are chatting about WILLOW. Check out Bonnie Gale's website at http://www.msu.edu/user/shermanh/galeb/awgnnews.htm (Now why doesn't that appear in blue on my screen??? Sorry, folks. The computer and I are in a battle) Bonnie has English Basketry Willows and you might get it faster by using a search engine than trying to copy the above address. Whatever works. Bonnie will be at NCBA this month and I'm looking forward to ordering my willow cuttings from her. She has a newsletter and lots of info on which willow is good for what use. Gotta run. The boss said I could show up at work a bit late because of the snow, but she didn't count on m yreading WWl. By tomorrow it will be 50 degrees again and the snow will e melted and I'm getting tired of this up and down weather. My two little croci are wondering when their friends will come out to play.... Mary Hooper "Give me a star," she said, "and make it a big one." mjhooper@mitchell.main.nc.us %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: misc. Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 01:31:33 +1100 From: Anna Lizotte To: "Collins, David" Hi everyone, First, a question--what is a "juried seminar" or a "juried show"? I remember reading it while ago in WW and wondering but kept forgetting to ask. Yvonne--Welcome to Weavers Words. Crystal--hope you take all the comments in the right way... did you know that David has a search engine on the site that will search through the past issues for info on certain topics? That would be one way to find background info on ongoing discussions. I am one of those who tends to sit back and assume that someone else will answer. Anyway, unless it has to do with weaving with naturals, I usually don't have an answer! Which brings me to the next thing: Kudzu Karen--some good books for info on gathering your own materials are: Natural Baskets by Gilooly, Baskets from Nature's Bounty by E. Jensen, Handmade Baskets from nature's colorful materials by S. Vaughan, Fibre Basketry by the Fibre Basketweavers of South Australia, and a new Australian one out called Basketry & Weaving with Natural Material by Pat Dale. Some of them may be in the library system so you can have a look before buying. I work almost exclusively with naturals due to the cost of cane, etc over here and treasure all of these wonderful books! I have also been using some other patterns in books and adapting them. For example, I just wove the Choctaw Pouch out of Lyn Siler's The Basket Book, out of strips of NZ flax instead of the reed and it worked fine. Maybe not as sturdy but still a nice looking, strong basket for its size. The main thing is to keep an open mind and try anything! I have even used runner bean vines, pumpkin vines, etc! And the basket Bert sent me has a garlic stalk in it so the one I sent back I included some leek leaves in! The general rule is to gather, let dry out of the sun, and dampen to use. Those of you getting your swap baskets--I hope some of you (or all???) will send some photos in to David. They all sound wonderful. Yesterday I finally did the job I have been putting off all summer...Yes, I cleaned out my storage shed!!! It is probably about 10'x12' and man, was it packed! Could not even begin to see the floor. I do this once a year about now because our NW group have our group gathering day on the first Sunday in April (2nd Sunday this year). We all go together and gather tall spike rush and cattails, have a picnic lunch down by the beach, and generally have a wonderful day. So, to get more IN the shed, I have to get some OUT! But I had another motive this time, too. I recently was given a set of 2 shelves about 10' long and 2.5' wide and wanted to fit that in there. so now everything is so neatly organized! It looks wonderful, for a little while anyway! And my students will benefit because I have a huge bundle of stuff I couldn't be bothered re-sorting and putting away so I'll take it to class for them all to share. March 20 is our group's day at the hop farm from which we usually come away with a finished basket and a truck load of hop vines. So between that and the gathering day, I think the shed will soon be jam packed again. Poor hubby was agog as I kept bringing more and more out! Wait till he sees what is coming! And then willow in June......the mind boggles! Marty Holihan--I LOVE it! Reverse weaving, what a great concept. Hope you don't mind if I bring that phrase into common usage over here! One of our weavers quite often sits and watches the rest of us or just does a little bit on our meeting days and one time when I said that her basket wasn't progressing very far, she said, "Ah, but I am mentally progressing." So that is another favorite among us now. Whoops, little girl just woke up. As it is 1:30 am I guess I had better go. Talk to you all later, Anna in Tassie. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: misc. Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 10:05:39 -0500 From: "Angie Longenecker" To: "David" Hi all, Jayna - When Mike and I told his family we were getting married, his sister-in-law said to me she could never remember which way it was. We decided that it was: best wishes to the bride because she'll need them to put up with the groom and congratulations to the groom because he actually convinced the bride to say yes! Claudia - Retayne is the name of the quilting -product to prevent bleeding. I'd like to try it myself one of these days, I'll have to get some. Winnie - waxed linen would be great to weave on an airplane. Lucky you taking all of these trips! Spring can't be far away can it? Angie in PA The Country Seat http://www.countryseat.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Weavers Words Date: Tue, 09 Mar 1999 10:44:36 -0500 From: Larry & Amy To: weaverswords David and all- Thanks to those who sent kind words after our van accident. I'm finally getting caught up on the last few WW & have some comments...first-Char C. and everyone involved in Winter Weave '99-SUPER JOB! My name wasn't chosen for the pattern book raffle this year, but maybe next year? :^) Friday I was thrilled with Flo Hoppe. I was really proud of my Arabesque basket and she is an incredible lady! Fri P.M. was Shaker Hex w/ Judy Olney-fun class! I've using the rim finishing on 2 other baskets since. Back at the hotel that night, Hubby wanted to know why there were holes in the bottom of the basket, though...... Sat was shaping with Japanese spiral weave with Patti Hawkins. We did a small "practice" basket 1st, then a larger one. We had many different shapes. It was a lot of fun. I also bought one of Patti's Twill Baby kits-great! Only took me 2 hrs and I've gotten many compliments! Sunday was Margaret's Square taught by Anne Bowers. This was my first rib basket ever, but she explained things so well and gave me confidence! She also taught us a braided handle- so neat & surprisingly easy! It was a shock to go into the room & not have a "security blanket" table in front of us. :^) P- Also-Susan Tripp-are you the reading teacher from NY state I ate lunch with? If you are, I can get some written testimonials about the Accelerated Reader program at my son's school, if that would help get it into your school system. email me! Angie-congrats(OOPS-BEST WISHES) :) My hubby & I were fixed up as a blind date, got engaged 2 1/2 weeks later and married 9 months later. In Sept we'll be celebrating 15 years of marriage! (And he's sending me away-to Royalwood's Basket Gathering-for that weekend. What a MAN!) I have several questions--1)Has anyone used Easter egg dye to dye reed? I recall something about that one, and now the time is at hand! 2)Melissa Kile, Lori in IL and anyone else- After gifting my son's kindergarten teacher with a basket at Christmas, she wants me to come in & talk about weaving to the class. (2 classes of 18-19 kids) I need some ideas/input. I was thinking along the lines of making a large market-type basket with lots of different dyed reed & maybe have each child weave a row, then give the teacher the basket to have in the classroom for books or such. Any thoughts or other ideas? The children are all 5-6 years old. Thanks so much! Amy from NW OH, where they just cancelled school because of the snow-Maybe my boys will just sleep all day????? :) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 91 Date: Tue, 09 Mar 1999 07:46:18 -0800 From: Naomi Paquette To: David Collins References: 1 Hi Everyone, Hope all of you in the North and Midwest are experiencing Spring. We down here in Florida have had it chilly for us but to me it feels good. I'm originally from MA and the heat down here is not my favorite thing but I'll take it, rather than snow. I must say though I miss seeing the new fallen snow etc. Well the robins are here and I'm sure are just resting before they start North so Spring can't be far away. Sandy A: Is your basket series on tape by any chance. A series of video's one could buy. I'll take your advice and call my PBS station and inquire. Crystal - Good girl you got all of us thinking about feelings etc. You certainly have a right to voice yours and we should all take note that when you speak up it helps. I'm sure by the time you read this you will know that people do care and want to help. Linda Thanks for the info on the people searchers. I haven't talk to you in an age. I lost all the info off my other computer and haven't been back to Baskets Etc. I'll be back to visit. Beverly Scott the advice about the RR in the slot of the Nantucket is the best solution for keeping the reed in. I have used a piece of cane also. I have also glued (a no no). I'm off next week end to go to my first willow class and just can't wait. Sue Cooper from Nokomis FL and Woven Spirit Store where there is so much weaving stuff to get into and of course buy, is having a man from Russia come and teach. A new experience in weaving. Happy Weaving from sunny Florida - Naomi %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 10:21:42 -0800 From: "Kati" To: Dear David, You must work overtime to keep this newsletter up to date-it really does a lot for me after a lo-o-ong day to read Weaver's Words and see what everyone's up to. I don't find the time to write in as often as I would like, but maybe this summer when school is out! To everyone- I have one cat named Simba. He also likes to chase my reed when I am weaving, but mostly he likes to play with the knobs on top of lids on baskets. I think he thinks they are balls and expects them to roll off. I have a good weaving friend whose cat thinks every basket belongs to him. After she borrows a basket, I know I will have to vacuum it out. We also have a dog named Bud who is half chow and half Basset Hound. He thinks he is as big as a horse. Poor thing - he has the chow temperament and the Basset Hound body. he is about8 years old now and is a wonderful watchdog. Most of our neighbors are elderly and even though they can't pet him, he always lets the whole neighborhood know if a stranger is around. To Crystal- I am new to Weaver's Words and I haven't found your experience to be the same as mine. I don't know a lot of people personally since I don't get to attend conventions, but I have enjoyed learning about new people and new ideas. I think its like getting to know folks in any new place. It takes time. Try posting some of your questions on some of the bulletin boards - you might find more answers. I hope you will hang in there and give everyone a chance. Also, try addressing specific people. Even writing them a personal note will help. Well, here in NC, they're actually calling for some snow - Ha! - I'll believe it when I see it. We made snowmen out of socks in my classroom, but we finally sent them home and started talking about spring. My assistant swears it will snow for sure now! See ya'll around and keep the good notes coming!! Kati Pittman in North Carolina %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Weavers Words Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 14:06:06 EST From: ZOHE@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Hello Weavers, Have spent most of the morning reading all your letters. Yes, we should not worry about repeating ourselves too much, as there are always new readers and people like me who lose all their notes. Weeping willow: I sometimes use this fresh, or about three days after gathering it, when I want bands of color in a round basket. It is certainly brittle, so would never use it for spokes, or substitute it for seasoned basket willow in a conventional basket, as it will not bend and hold its shape like that sturdy material. If you have dried weeping willow, soak it for 24 hours, then wrap it in a damp towel for a few more hours before using. Pamela Parins reminded us that it can be kept in the freezer ready to go. Kudzu. One summer I asked my husband to bring me a root up from Georgia, to the horror of his relatives. I planted it in a large pot standing on our brick walkway and trained it up a post outside the front door. It made the most beautiful summer canopy for our front entrance, but it was unable to spread out into the neighborhood. It does grow along the highways in Southern Maryland and we do get single digit freezing temperatures around here. Cherokee basket maker Nancy Basket recently wrote to the chat group on AOL that she is building a weaving barn out of baled kudzu, so I suggested that she let the Weavers Words people know about it too. What is your best time of year to gather it for weaving Karen? Wisteria vines: There was a question about these in February, the vines that climb trees in twisted shapes make wonderful handles. The thinner vines that are above ground are very breakable, but the long pieces that run for yards over the ground are marvelous weavers, either with the bark left on or peeled off. Gather them from September till Spring. I never boil them like grapevine or honeysuckle. Cat games. When I made my first woven geese one of the cats would get under one and scootle about the floor wearing it, to the alarm of the other resident animals. Many of us wonder at times whether we can mention classes and books or whether it will sound too much like advertising and blowing our own trumpets. Donna at Country Seat seems very careful about this, but is generous with answering questions and giving advice. May I blow her trumpet this month and say that at present she has just the right size of vine rattan for my geese. (Yes, a toot from me too.) Other places stock vine rattan, but shipments vary greatly on size. And I am interested in reading about Jill Choate's antler basket tour this summer. What else are people doing in addition to conventions? Judy Miles, what an interesting craft fair, it sounds like sheer drudgery to make 620 baskets in a year! Did you get the name of the woman who made the telephone book baskets? It's snowing so much in Northern Virginia I can't get to the dentist. All the best, Diana M. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: FW: Weavers Words Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 13:09:57 -0600 From: Dianne Gleixner To: "'davidc@iei.net'" Hi everyone! It's been a few weeks since I've written, but have been faithfully reading each issue. I'd like to thank everyone who responded to my request for places to visit on our trip to PA this summer. I will definitely be visiting The Country Seat, thanks for the info, Angie. Wendy - I am very interested in knowing how your first teaching experience went. What was especially good? What went bad (if anything)? What would you do differently next time? How many people in your class? I am interested in getting started teaching, so your experience will greatly help. Regarding nailing on the rims of Nantucket Baskets - I could never figure out what to do with the end of the nail that sticks out the other side of the rim. Do you cut it off? If so, doesn't the nail slip out? Or do you put glue on the nail? I've actually resorted to skipping that step, and just lashing on the rim with no nails. Sandy - It's been mentioned a couple times recently about your PBS show. Our local PBS station aired it many years ago but doesn't anymore. Thanks for the info on how to go about requesting it - I sure will do that. I actually have a bunch of the older shows on VHS tape. I went back and watched them, they are probably from 1988 or 1989 or so. I haven't watched them in quite a while, so when I did I was pleased to realize how many of the little tips you give during the show I remembered. These shows were one of my first inspiration in basket weaving. My first basket is long gone, I'm sad to say. I taught myself, started with a kit and at the time didn't realize that I'd still be weaving many years later. Now I wish I still had that first basket. It was a small melon basket, woven with round reed in a rainbow of colors. Wish I knew then what I know now! Jane Wilson - have fun creating your "Basket Studio"! Write down ALL your wants and go from there. You can always narrow down the list, but it's harder to go back and add something. I envy you, I have an old kitchen table set up in a corner of our basement, with all my supplies hung up on pegboard in my husbands workshop. I do have a TV to keep me company, but really don't enjoy being in the basement. A few years ago we moved, and I had an entire extra bedroom for all my craft stuff. It was nice to be able to look out a window! Oh well, things change, we have another child, and I should be happy that I have a place that I don't have to keep clean, and put away my projects when I'm done! Pam F - thanks for telling us how to pronounce your last name! I haven't ordered anything from you YET, but have your site bookmarked for future reference. Linda W - I don't have any info on shops or museums in Oregon for you, but was just wondering where in Wisconsin you are from. I just discovered the Lake Country Basket Guild in Pewaukee and plan to join, I live in Brookfield. Unless I'm just out of the loop, basket weaving doesn't seem to be quite as "big" in Wisconsin as in other states. It's nice to chat with another Wisconsinite. Leanne in Alexandria - you are not alone in the fact that you don't have e-mail. I only have access to it at work, and I only work 3 days a week. So needless to say, I really should be working right now. Maybe someday I'll be able to get e-mail at home. (I won't hold my breath!) One last note, thank you to all who have added links to other basket sites in their posting. I wish I had more time to sit and browse, but I've made ALOT of bookmarks, so I will return to them soon. Dianne, in way, way, way too snowy southeastern Wisconsin. Thank you! Dianne Gleixner %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Weaver's Words Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 11:30:22 -0800 From: hannah To: "'davidc@iei.net'" Hello to all!!!!!! David, I tried to get to the forum page on more than one occasion and I get a message saying that a connection to the server could not be established. I guess it means that it is in my computer where the problem is, I just don't know how to fix it!!! HELP!!! Also to David, I hope that you do not take it personally, when someone feels that this forum is not working out. There are way too many of us who love it and look forward to it. I am thrilled to have found this and all of the weaver's here. The folks here are truly a blessing and the ideas and other topics of conversation are welcomed. Crystal: I am so sorry that you feel that you have been ignored. (And also to those who wrote to Crystal privately) Like many others who have already written, I feel that you have mis-judged us all. I, too, have written in questions and still, to this day, have not had them answered. I even posted more than once, but since I got no response, I just took it as though noone had an honest answer for me. Not only that, but sometimes, when I see a question posted on here, I wonder if what I have to offer is as good as what someone else will have to offer. If I don't think my answer is good enough to submit, then I don't submit it. I have found this forum to be most helpful, not only with basketmaking questions, but with support from the love that they all share with each other, and with me. Also, like today, I haven't had a chance to read the last two issues until this morning, when lo and behold, here is another one to be read. Sometimes they come fast and furious and we are all very busy and write when we have time. Please do not feel that this is a scolding. I want you to feel welcome and just want you to understand why your questions, and others' questions may not get answered. Please keep on trying and Welcome to Weaver's Words!!!! Lois: Do you think you could bottle some of that warm air and mail it this way, I am tired of being sooooo cold. I am also tired of all the darn snow and ice here, so the warm air would certainly be welcomed. I am sure glad that you are home, safely, where you no longer have to endure this cold winter!!! I do hope your husband is feeling better. Gail Jacobson: Welcome to WW!! Where do you live in OH? I live in southwest OH and am always interested in meeting weavers in the area. I would also like to meet you weavers who are not in the area, but I am trying to be a bit realistic here, haha. I am sorry to hear that your friend is having to battle her third bout with cancer. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I will tell you that my Grandma has been going through a bout with cancer since late August and the support from these people here has been tremendous. In regards to my Grandma: Her chemo will be done on April 27th and she is looking forward to it. She has lost quite a bit of weight and her skin is so discolored, but they tell us that this will go away. Her mood is not the greatest, but I guess mine wouldn't be either. Anyway, they just did another blood test for tumors and it came back normal, so it looks like she is on the mend. Keep your fingers crossed for us!!! Thank you to each and every one of you who prayed for us or offered support or just even thought about us, you are truly wonderful and I love you all. Jan Hardt: Who is in line to do the next swap? I know, that at one time, when this first got going, I said that I was willing to coordinate one, but do not know when it is my turn. Could you let us all know who is next in line? Thank you so very much. I did not get to participate in this last one, too too busy, but am looking forward to others. Thanks again. Carol: Welcome to WW, also. I just wanted to tell you that the person who said that the question was too basic did not mean that the question was so basic that it was not considered a valid question. How I took it, was that they thought the question was basic and that there would probably be so many responses that they did not bother. When I see a question like that, that is exactly how I think, so please do not think that your questions are too basic. We all ask questions, and we ask them because we don't know the answer and would like to have one. It does not matter if your question has even been asked before, please, anyone and everyone, if you have a question, ask it. It may not get answered the first or second time, but ask again. There are so many of us that sometimes we overlook some of them, and other times, we haven't had a chance to respond. Please feel welcome here, there are truly wonderful people here who are willing to share their ideas and thoughts. Good Luck. To whomever it was in search of a Moses Basket: I cannot remember who wrote in, I apologize, but I ran across a pattern for a Moses baskets at http://www.basketsofjoy.com Even if this basket is not big enough for a child, you can always adjust the size so that it will. It is really a nice looking basket. Check out the pattern page and you will find it. Good luck. Pattie Bagley: I have a friend who made some snow shoes this past year, so I have e-mailed her to ask her where she got the pattern. I am hoping that she will not continue to be a lurker here and offer her information to all of us at WW. If not, I am sure she will let me know where she got the pattern and I will definitely share with you all. I apologize for making such large posts, but I gather my notes and post them all at once. Talk to you all again, very soon. I will actually get to meet some of you very soon at the IBA. Billie: I think those of us going to IBA are going to wear a red ribbon with our name tags to identify ourselves. Your idea sounds like a good one too. Thanks for the tip. Ta Ta For Now!!! Pam Feix in Southwest OH where we were just hit by another winter snow storm and the kids are missing another day of school. http://www.feixbaskets-crafts.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Weaver's words Date: Tue, 09 Mar 1999 15:43:22 -0500 From: Larry & Amy To: weaverswords David & friends- I just remembered 2 other things I wanted to share. First, a commercial ;^) In the automotive dept at our local Wal-Mart they have a container of assorted sizes of cable ties on sale for $5.97 and there are 500 in the package! You might want to check your store if you like them for rims-this is a good price around here. The other is a small brag-I wanted to do something different in a small ash necklace basket I was making (loosely based on Mary Hett's ash lunch sack), I remembered a package of iridescent icicles left over after Christmas & twined some in. It looks really cool. I had blue waxed linen above & below, so I think that will help it stay put. It would look really pretty with pink, too. I guess I HAVE to order some ;^) Just a reminder to look around & "recycle" things in a new way with baskets! Baskets forever....housework whenever! Amy from NW Ohio, where the drift in front of the garage is almost 4 ft high and my boys love it! %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Date: Tue, 09 Mar 1999 17:37:41 -0500 From: "Patricia Steinmetz" To: David Collins Hi all, Weavers Words are coming so fast lately, it is hard to keep up. Norma, so you are finally going to try that bread maker. You know I am always available for a taste test. Just call me and I'll be there. Maggie S. / Tony - When I was in England a couple of years ago, I too had difficulty finding an English made basket. I later learned that most of the basket makers live in the Sommerset area where most of the willow in England is grown. We were on a tour and unable to travel to that area. There is a lady by the name of Mary Butcher who lives is Canterbury, Kent, England who does wonderful willow baskets. I hope the be able to look her up when we go back to England next year. Canterbury is just a short train ride from London and a really wonderful, historic place to visit. Linda B - Thanks for the "people finder" information you gave to someone. I am going to try to use it to find a friend that I have lost contact with. WW is great. Where else can you get helpful information that you didn't even know you needed. :) I am so sorry that I did not participate in the basket swap. It sounds like every one was really pleased with their baskets. Last, but by no means least, Chrystal - There have been plenty of people apologize to you and answer you questions . Don't you think you could say thank you and be done with it? Pat, in cold, snowy, windy Indy %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Coffee stains, raffia and internet charges. Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 17:25:14 -0600 (CST) From: catslapbaskets@webtv.net (Russell / K.L. Mitchell) To: davidc@iei.net Hello David and World Wide Weavers! First of all Thank you David for all the great things on the website. One of the website features I think is really great is the search engine. I used it to find two versions of the coffee and tea stain. Version One: calls for a 3:1 ratio of Instant Tea and Instant Coffee, mix with hot water apply to basket let dry and reapply to get the color you want. Version Two: calls for 6 Tablespoons of Instant Coffee and 4 Tablespoons of Instant Tea mixed with warm water to dissolve, put in 32oz spray bottle, fill with warm water. Spray basket, allow to dry and respray to get desired color. Evie: you were mentioning misbehaving raffia, when I use it in my necklace pouches I find that I can handle it better if I lightly rub the raffia over a block of beeswax, like you would do with thread, lets me hang on to it better. REGARDING THE WARNING ABOUT INTERNET CHARGES. I know that this was sent with good intentions and it seems totally possible for the government to allow us to be charged for internet use BUT I really think this is a hoax started who knows where and passed on by innocent people. This is the third year I have been on the Internet and so far every year about this time this type of email scare has been sent to me. Please check this out at this website http://www.snopes.com/spoons/faxlore where several email scares and scams are explained. The internet charges scare is under "A Long Pay From Home". Wishing everyone happy weaving, From K. L. Mitchell in Mpls where spring is waiting under 14 inches of new fallen snow. BUT I am inside with 4 cats so there is always one or two on my lap! %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject:? About Double Wall Baskets Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 18:55:02 EST From: StarlaK@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Hello Everyone: I would like suggestions as to a well written pattern for a double-walled basket. This will be my first attempt and would like it to go well. I've found several patterns but hesitate to buy until y'all can lend me advice on a pattern. I'm thankful for the Retayne hint. Just dyed several colors for Easter baskets. My students have had no problems with the colors running. I even tried a little Retayne in some lukewarm water on some navy reed I dyed 3 months ago. It worked great! Joy and Peace, Darla Krahling %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Weaver's Words Date: Tue, 09 Mar 1999 19:52:53 -0500 From: "MYLOIS@PRODIGY.NET" <"MYLOIS@PRODIGY.NET"@prodigy.net> Organization: Prodigy Internet To: davidc@iei.net Hi All: Hallejuah! We finally missed a storm as far as the snow goes but we are having helacious winds outside right now. It is blowing the snow all over causing whiteouts and treacherous roads. To Judy Spates: First off, I wove Kayla's Cradle for my granddaughter for Christmas and it turned out so lovely. Morgan is 19 months old now and hauls the cradle all over and is always putting her "babies" to bed. Thanks for designing such a lovely cradle that is so easy for toddlers to use. I have 11 birds -- 3 finches, 1 parakeet, 1 lovebird, 5 cockatiels and 1 quaker parrot. The quaker parrot talks up a storm and is so nosy when he is out of his cage and I am doing my weaving. Like your bird, he loves to grab stuff and throw it on the floor. I think birds are one of God's greatest creations. The house is never silent -- I never feel alone when my hubby is at work. We also have a cat, 2 dogs, a rabbit and a chinchilla. Most of my pets are in some way disabled and if I hadn't taken them they would have been put down as they were "unsellable". My cat was a starving baby that wandered up on my deck and we took her in. She never goes near a door that leads outside -- she loves it inside now. Myra Stutler mylois@prodigy.net %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 2 I. 90 Date: Tue, 09 Mar 1999 17:09:34 -0800 From: "Deb Curtis, Tisket Tasket Basket" To: David Collins First thank you David for keeping us all going! you're great! Linda W - The NW Basket Weavers Guild is having their retreat March 25 - 27th about 4 hours North of Portland in Washington. Maybe you could join us. Friday and Saturday there are workshops and open weaving. There are mini workshops on Saturday as well an a can auction and oral auction. If you'd like an address or phone number to contact let me know. In Portland there are lots of great galleries. Some specializing in NW Native American Art. Tow more contemporary galleries that I like are "Real Mother Goose" in downtown Portland and "Contemporary Crafts" just outside of downtown. I'm not sure if either of these currently are displaying baskets but they have had them at times. The Multnomah District has some interesting antique shops and some baskets in one of the galleries. If you get a chance to drive up the Columbia Gorge about an hour drive East of Portland is Maryhill Museum. It's actually on Washington side of river. It has a fantastic collection of Native American baskets. Chris - I made a bassinet that hung from hooks in the ceiling and would rock the baby back to sleep. It could have been used to carry a baby in but I like carrying them in a baby sling or my arms. Both my children (now 8 and 4) used it and it's currently used for stuffed toy storage. They used it until they were pulling themselves up (about 5 - 6 months old). If you'd like some information about how I made it feel free to e-mail me. Woe to me for Billie ever talking about e-bay! I find myself perusing the baskets there often. Have seen some pretty amazing baskets! Hope all are healing and beginning to see spring. Deb Curtis in 30 degree mornings Corvallis, Oregon (2 hrs. South of Portland) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Wood Base Baskets Date: Tue, 09 Mar 1999 15:43:18 -1000 From: Joanne Howard To: "Collins, David" Aloha, It has been awhile since I have written. Things have been so busy. Which is really nice. I have finally spent the last few weeks organizing all my patterns, books etc. I didn't realize how much stuff I had to sort!!! That's what happens when you let things go for years!!! Now my little room is all organized and I can't find anything!!! I have to stop and think when I reach for something because it isn't there anymore. Oh well, things could be worse. It's a beautiful sunny day here in Hawaii. I wish I could share it with all of you. I was astounded to read about all the snow in the last few issues of WW. I hope everyone is doing well in that weather. I have a question that I hope someone can help me with. A few issues ago, someone wrote in that they were having problems with spokes staying in the groove of a wooden base. One person went so far as to glue the spokes in and I was always of the thought that using glue to do that hindered your ability to move the spokes while weaving. That is if you have an adjustments to make. Someone else wrote in something about using round reed in the groove of the base to help keep spokes in. If anyone can remember what that instruction was, could you please write in? I am having a problem with a wood base basket at the moment. Some spokes stay in just fine, others are too thin and wobble around too much. Any other suggestions will be appreciated. Crystal, hang in there. Sometimes you get an answer and sometimes you don't. I have been part of WW since we were with Shirley Reed (that means years) and there are times when I just don't have the computer time to answer. I usually print my WW out and read at a later time. I can't always get back to the computer to answer and by the time I do I have forgotten what I was going to write in!! Call it old age or too busy. I don't think anyone purposely doesn't answer your questions. Some of us are better at it than others. Lois, I am soooo glad you are home. Richard, get well buddy. Can't wait for the Ring Ding you said you would bring to painting class!! Isn't it amazing the things that excite you!! Ring Dings, Devil Dogs, and Yodels. Hmmmmm, what I wouldn't give!!!!!!! For those lucky people on the east coast, Drakes Cakes are not sold here in Hawaii. Neither are Wise Potato Chips. My all time favorite!! Hey, I'll swap Kona Coffee for Wise Chips or Devil Dogs!!!!!! Joy-Thanks for the info on Nantucket Supplies. I didn't know that John McGuire had a web site. Will go and visit. Thanks. Aloha to all from sometimes sunny, partly cloudy with mauka showers Honolulu. Joanne %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% If for any you would ever like to cancel your subscription, simply send me a message with "unsubscribe" as your subject.