"Weavers Words" Vol. 3 Iss. 114 Date Sent: March 08, 2000 Web Page: http://members.xoom.com/dgcollins/ Subscribers: 1334 David Collins 408 North Devon Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46219 Phone: (317) 899-5747 Fax: (520) 222-0391 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 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% The Basket Bookstore Stop by "Weavers Words Basketry Bookstore" for a great selection of basketry literature & save up to 40%. Over 40 titles to choose from. The address is: http://members.xoom.com/dgcollins/book.html %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Earn $0.50/Hour By Surfing The Net From AllAdvantage.com: http://www.alladvantage.com/home.asp?refid=BOK567 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Attention New Subscribers You can search Weaver's Words web page and back issues by going to Weaver's Words web page (http://members.xoom.com/dgcollins/) and entering your search criteria into the PinPoint search box. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Attention AOL Subscribers For some reason some AOL subscribers haven't been receiving Weaver's Words through email. If you are one of these subscribers, or know one of someone who has not been receiving Weaver's Words, you can get all of the issues on the Weaver's Words web page. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Picture('s) Added To Web Page Since The Last Issue Dolores Gatz's-----Chinese Knot Bowl, Survnoir Basket & Knot Pins Dolores Gatz's-----Lidded Chinese Knot Basket Dolores Gatz's-----Andris Lapnis' Chinese Knot Bowl Dolores Gatz's-----Lidded Basket Is Peeled Willow Coiled With Pine Roots %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: IT'S HERE! Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 11:17:10 -0700 From: "Rae Hunter" To: "David Collins \(Weavers words\)" A beautiful, wonderful, well made Penobscot Style Tote Bag. I very big one, filled with two bags of bread mix, a herb growing kit, herb tea and loads of frustration and love. Eileen Oesterle must be one determined person. She made several attempts at other baskets that didn't turn out the way she intended and just kept going until one did. And it really did. I haven't made myself a tote basket, it will be used with appreciation knowing not only that someone made it for me but that she did not give up. The bread basket she made wasn't right on one end, well me ....I would have decorated that end or made it into a sculpture. Not her she attempted a Shaker basket, a twill basket, ordered reed which wasn't the right size for the pattern and while waiting for another order she tried to figured out how to use the first reed she got. Then she thought she'd send a basket she made a few years back only to find she couldn't find a box to ship the oval basket because of the rigid handle. She took a two session class for the tote basket that I am now the proud owner of. How is that for determination? I really don't expect my baskets to come with extra gift. I am sure that is what made the shipping cost so high. Mailing a light basket is enough for me, so in future swaps, I am a long way for most people and would feel better if you didn't add any extra weight. It is just too costly. I am going to Lethbridge to talk baskets to some High school students. My favorite subject. Now I will be able to take my tote to carry some of my thing and to show it off. Thank you, Thank you Eileen and also Delores for a job well done. Have to get on the road and we are having a winter snow. About 10 inches in one day. March in like a lamb and going out like a lion. Eileen if I don't get time to write you personally before I go I will be in touch when I get back on the week - end. You are a treasure. Cheers One very happy Rae %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: My Kids Basket Class Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 08:14:46 -0500 From: "Mary Berrus" To: Hi There, If you all remember, I had a basket class to teach to fourth graders and up for 4-h day at our school? Well, I just wanted to fill you in on how it went. SPLENDID!!! A lot of you told me that it couldn't be done in 2 hours, it was, right on the nose LOL!! The basket we did was simple, but soooooo cute. It was approx. 3 x 3 on the bottom. It was a little smaller than a single jelly jar basket. Anyway, I did the red, white and blue theme. Alternated red and "reed" on the bottom and then three rows of blue at the top, then when the rim was done, I had them put wire on it for a "handle". We just stuck the wire under the rim, then back up and twisted it, then made the handle curly, with a pencil. Then I had painted some wooden stars white, and added glitter to them, then they hot glued the stars (2 of them) up where the blue reed was. They turned out so cute. And they finished them in exactly 2 hours. It was a lot of fun. The basket was done in all 1/2" flat, except for the colors, that was done in 1/4" flat. I made my "first" double wall basket the other day, turned out beautiful, but took a long time LOL. I guess I won't be making too many of those :-) Happy Weaving, Mary Berrus Lowville, NY (where it is supposed to be in the 50's today whooohooo) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Basket swap #8 Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 09:03:12 -0600 From: Sandy Brown To: davidc@iei.net I have not done a basket swap with the Weavers Words folks before, but I did just do one with another group of weavers and it was great! I got my basket Friday and opened the box at a small basket weaving class that I was attending. Everyone was so excited when I pulled it out of the box and showed it off. It was made by a lady named Betsy Greener from Hobart Indiana. She is a new weaver (as I am) and the basket was excellent! So I encourage everyone who hasn't done this before to join in! I certainly have had a good experience! I just love getting to see someone else's work and then get to keep it, too. Sandy B Sandy Brown Administrative Assistant Stockton R-1 School District %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Basketmaker article" Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 11:44:28 -0500 From: "Mary Hooper" To: "David Collins" This week, I returned from a five-day class in white oak basketmaking to find an e-mail message about a magazine article. The Spring 2000 issue of American Style magazine features a piece on Billie Ruth Sudduth. I wanted to share with you that my small Williamsburg basket is the middle one on the peg rack in the bedroom photo on page 60. No credit line, but I'm proud to have a basket in Billie Ruth's collection and hope y'all will take a look at the article with its beautiful photo layout. Happy Spring, from Mary Hooper, in western NC,who is getting ready to till the garden for potato planting, then return to basketmaking.... mjhooper@mitchell.main.nc.us %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: NCBA Date: Tue, 07 Mar 2000 12:45:59 -0500 From: Fran Steidel To: davidc@iei.net Hi Everyone, Just thought I would repeat my message from last week in case someone missed it. I will be at the registration desk at the NCBA on Thursday from 1-4 pm. I will have red ribbons for WW members. Bring your own pin to stick it onto your shirt near your name tag. I'll also have a sheet of paper. If you want to sign your name - do so. This way we can see who came and I'll report back to let you all know how many of us were there. Tonight in my Community College Basket class I will be teaching "A Basket for Lois" It is a pretty round basket woven on a wood base with tapered handle. Just some twining and continuous weave. It is a pattern I have written in memory of one of my students that passed away a few weeks ago. Some of you may remember my mentioning 2 years ago that I was getting a blind student and was anxious about being able to help her. Well Lois was wonderful. She was an inspiration to the entire class. What a great gal and friend she turned out to be. Her husband sat with her every Tuesday night and was her "scissor". She made and gave away her baskets to her friends. She gave one to her doctor, and to Louise from Carolina Basketry. Lois was diabetic, last month she got pneumonia, and then suffered a heart attack. We all miss her, but her husband is so sad and lonely. I will give him my basket after tonight's class and hopefully that will cheer him for a bit. Fran %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: But is it art? Date: Tue, 07 Mar 2000 09:47:31 -0800 From: helen schwartz To: David Collins References: 1 There is no reason why a utilitarian object should not be considered a work of art if concept and execution take it beyond the expected and into aesthetically pleasing realms. You could start with the Cellini Cup at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and take it from there. Fine craftsmanship goes without saying in great work of art, but when a hand-made object is not derivative, but successfully reflects original concepts, good innovative design, and a thoughtful use of materials, I think it would pass the test as a work of art even if you used it to carry eggs to market. Or washing to the basement. Helen Schwartz %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: weekend class Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 13:45:38 -0500 From: "Dolores Gatz" To: "David" I think last week I mentioned picking Andris Lapnis up in Jersey. Well, he taught a class at WABG this past weekend. He's at Midwest Basket Focus now. Well, I think I wiped him out of baskets. I sent pictures to David. Hope they look okay. Their all done with skeined willow except one. One is coiled with pine roots. And I just happen to have some pine trees in the backyard that have to come down - hmmmmm. Anyway, if any of you get a chance to do a classes with Andris, grab it. He's a wonderful teacher. Great sense of humor. He's convinced me that I must get into skeining my own willow. What a fabulous material to work with its so strong and smooth and shinny. The bad news was he said the first year of skeining willow he estimated, he ruined 90 % of the skeins, the 2nd year 55 % of it. He estimates he's down to 5% ruined now. I guess that means I won't be sharing any skeined willow with anyone in the near future. Although that hasn't stopped me from deciding on some baskets that I want to make with the skeined willow. Like, I'd like to do the Japanese Flower Knot Basket with it. I'd like to do a Nantucket using Skeined willow as my weaver. So I better get good at skeining. Now, "K A", I have one thing to say to you. Join Swap 8, join, join, join. and if you didn't get that join the swap, now. Jennifer's email address is ZestfulWeavings@hotmail.com. Got it, join. And if you think I'm pushy, well that's not the half of it. JOIN!!!!! Isn't this wonderful, my posts finally don't take up half the ww's. I had 144 member to the last swap. I'd like to see Jennifer with 250 so come on and sign up. Hurray, Hurray join in on the fun. Dolroes %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 3 I. 113 Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 13:47:13 EST From: Caldesigns@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Jackie. Just visited your web site and it is great. I live in California now, but originally came from Michigan...Norton Shores on Aue Rd. To be exact...talk about coincidences. My daughter graduated from Mona Shores. When I retired from teaching in Fruitport in 1992, we immediately moved to CA (love the weather) That was also when I started to do basketweaving full time. I originally took at class at the Weaver Bird's in Muskegon in 1984...and have been hooked on baskets ever since. The Weaver Bird's also sponsored a 3-day seminar with Grace Kabel who inspired me to go out on my own. I also took several classes from Barb Smith at Mona Shores, Char Johnson at the Muskegon Museum of Art, Sherry Winchester at Muskegon Community College and Shari Van Duyn in Fruitport. I still love to take classes...and to teach too. Really hope that Summer Meadow Basketry goes well. It was nice to see basketry is alive and well in Norton Shores! Carol in Carlsbad %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: leather handles Date: Tue, 07 Mar 2000 09:12:16 -1000 From: The Keener Clan To: davidc@iei.net Aloha, Like many other subscribers, I skim what I*m not interested in, but probably I shouldn*t have skimmed this part. At class last week, I had an experienced weaver in my class for the first time and when it was time to put the bushel basket handle in the backpack they*d woven, this weaver pulled out a leather strap (just a piece of leather, rather thin, about 1/2" wide) and slid each end under a row of weaving on the inside. She laid the basket on its back and put a piece of wood underneath, hammered two copper tacks from the inside through the leather and the rim row. Thus, the rim itself would cover the tack. So, is there a source for leather straps? It is my understanding Tandy is going out of business in the US (am I mistaken?). Will those two small tacks be able to hold that handle? This backpack, with a wooden bottom and skeds, is fairly heavy and I have doubts about that handle holding up on this basket, but what about smaller baskets? Another swap already? Can there not be some down time between these things? Lois Honolulu %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Basket Pattern Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 14:59:35 -0500 (EST) From: maureenbartz@prodigy.net To: Weavers Words David, I have been enjoying reading Weaver's Words for about 6 months and appreciate all your work to provide a forum for all of us. I benefit from all the useful info that is shared. I saw a heart basket years ago and I was hoping to locate a pattern for it. Maybe someone knows who it is by and where I can purchase the pattern. It was a ribbed heart basket with a handle that goes from point to point. I can't remember exactly if it sat on the pointed end or the wider end, but the other side is cantilevered in the air so it sort of rocks when put down. I would appreciate any info provided. Maureen from sunny and 72 degree Greenfield WI where they are predicting snow for Thursday?? %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: this and that Date: Sat, 4 Mar 2000 11:58:37 -0600 From: "purrx3@stlnet.com" To: Dear WW friends, I'm going to join the throng and again thank David for all his work, and especially his restraint in printing all and everything (whether it's embarrassingly complimentary or unforgivingly mean) unedited. The comments from 'Had enough' were right on! Life is too short and too full of opportunities to gripe and pick at one another. How can we presume to dictate manners to others? As Miss Manners is fond of saying, to point out someone else's unmannerly behavior is far worse than the original 'goof.' (Not that Miss Manners would ever use the word 'goof', but I don't pretend to be able to remember her words exactly. My heart and sympathy go out to you, Hadenough, on the loss of the 16-year-old to leukemia. I don't know how long ago your loss was, but we lost my 13-year-old son very suddenly 5 1/2 years ago. I know exactly what you're going through and would be happy to e-correspond with you personally as you and your family work through the grief. I won't go into all that here, but I will say, that though it doesn't go away, it does get easier to bear. On behalf of the family member with MS, (which I too have), there is a one-list site called MSers on line that I have found very helpful (MSers-Online@onelist.com). When one loses a child, you feel so very alone and even your best friends don't know how to respond (same is true for having a disease like MS). On a cheerier (and basket related note) I received my MO convention catalog Wednesday. It's beautiful! Thanks, Tony, for all your time and effort in putting together a wonderful catalog. I know using color was much more expensive, but it's so glorious and made it easier to see the detail in the baskets. Of course, this made it even harder to decide on what I to take. Narrowing it down to four choices for each time slot I can attend was even harder! I just drooled over the whole book Wednesday evening, Thursday I circled everything I wanted to take, and last night I made my choices. Oh, what a decision!!! I showed my husband the catalog and even he was impressed. The one basket he said he thought was pretty (I did agree) was not one I chose to list, however. That one used a technique I already know how to do (I certainly won't say I've mastered it) and I try to choose classes that are truly new (and perhaps not typical of the kind of thing made here in the Midwest). Gretchen, congratulations on finally being able to get your daughter. How wonderful!! Now, be sure to post her picture where we can all see her! Elaine in St. Louis - yesterday we had rain, sleet, and even a little snow and today it's supposed to b 70! %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 3 I. 113 Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 20:41:45 -0500 From: martyhln@juno.com To: davidc@iei.net Hi David and World Basketmakers, As usual I am behind on everything, Ruthanne, your question do I consider my baskets Art or craft, Well I consider my baskets Art, even though I do buy and use patterns designed by others sometimes, to me it is a jumping off place, as all my friends tell me I don't know how to read, because the basket never, looks or turns out as the designer planed, even when I weave with a teacher, designer, somewhere the basket decides it wants to be different, or maybe it is in my head, that the basket needs to be mine alone. Now I don't think just because a basket has a cavity that it needs to be utilitarian, a basket can stand on its own merits, as an Art form, all baskets, if done well, are a work of Art, one of the oldest Art for Arts' sake, was baskets. Some people thinks they need to finish a basket in a class, and the faster they weave the better, not so, however I like to take classes, and if a teacher has a special technique, that is different I like to learn the technique. The creation of a basket, that I do belongs to me, regardless of who I pay to teach me. I try however, not to be obnoxious, and hurt the teacher's feelings, as I am drawn to their creation one way or the other. I have had many great creative teachers, I appreciate, all who have taken the time, to teach me the skills that I use, my hat is off to all of them. Isn't Basketmaking a great thing to do. Everyone keep creating, the Art, do it for you. Oh! have some fun, don't take things so serious, go weave a basket. I send you love. Marty Holihan---Flint, Michigan---martyhln@juno.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: WW Swap #8 Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 21:57:26 -0500 From: "Jennifer Mulcare-Sullivan" To: "David Collins" Hello swappers! WOW........the 1st day and already 54 people have signed up!! This is great! One quick note..... PLEASE remember to send me all your info. I received a few entries w/ no mailing address or last name. Thanks, Jennifer WW Basket Swap #8 coordinator %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Thank you Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 22:09:37 EST From: Lewiscarolv@gateway.net To: davidc@iei.net Thank you Tony for your answer to my question about basket oil. I checked out your web site and your baskets are to die for. Makes me wish I lived out your way so I could get in your classes. From sunny SC where it reached the high 70's today and expecting 80 tomorrow. Carol Votaw %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Look Ma no hands............ Date: 8 Mar 2000 05:11:18 -0000 From: "J. Choate Basketry List" To: List Member J. Choate Basketry List - http://www.corecom.net/~choatepp I suppose it's the little kid in me that still has the need to show off. At least that is what my Mom told me when she left for home yesterday. I just couldn't wait to get her in a dog sled and show her what I could do. So, I bundled her up, stuck her in the sled and headed off towards the mountains. She dodged the alders, flattened her caboose on the moguls and even stayed in the basket when I dumped her over once. Mt. McKinley and it's neighboring dignitaries saluted her in full array both going in and coming back home the next day. We figured we give her a taste of the dogs before we took her on to the start of the Iditarod in downtown Anchorage. Having been behind six you really appreciate watching a musher blast off with twelve down Main Street in town. Then off to Wasilla on Sunday for the restart and the send off at Knik Lake. Dog days in Alaska are something to fill your memory book with. Speaking of, the information brochure for the "Alaska Bush Basketry Retreat" is complete and available. If your interested in an adventure of a lifetime let me know and I'll get the information out to you. Last but not least I finally have my own domain www.jchoatebasketry.com. It's still being worked on but you can see me in full mushing regalia and some of my baskets as well. Until we meet on the trail..... Jill Choate Talkeetna, Alaska %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: RE: 'Weavers Words' V. 3 I. 113 Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2000 05:06:18 -0800 From: jhechmer@naxs.net To: davidc@iei.net Bert: I too had the opportunity to meet Tom Hess when I was visiting my parents in Kimberling City (Joe Bald Rd.) last Spring. His Yurt workshop is really something isn't it. I finally finished my shaving horse. Not much to look at, but it works. I am pretty pleased since I made it myself with limited woodworking experience and tools. We have cut 3 small white oaks off our property so far. None of them have been very good-kind of twisted and small, but I am learning the technique and have been able to make a few splints. I almost have enough for my first basket. I figured out a way to start the splints when the billet is getting small. I put it in a vice and tap a butcher knife in the end to get it started. Now I am anxious to find a 'real' tree. Have you split any yet. I really admire what Leon does now that I have tried it myself. Janet Hechmer Sneedville, TN %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 3 I. 113 Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2000 12:50:40 -0600 From: Roberta R Comstock To: davidc@iei.net "Weavers Words" Vol. 3 Iss. 113 Darlene Safrit - I'm looking forward to hearing how you like your first basket convention. Did my first one in 1997. I still get excited about them & wish I could get to more. Take plenty of shopping money. Jackie Carlson - Congratulations on your recent retirement. Hope Summer Meadow Basketry continues to prosper. Dianne Gleixner - I have played around quite a bit with plastic craft lacing. I don't think it is suitable as a basket material all by itself. It is certainly flexible enough, but lacks the tensile resistance that seems to me a major factor in most basketry. My test for this is to weave a 3 x 3 spoke base piece and then see if you can pick it up by one corner. If the material has the tensile resistance, you should be able to pick it up by any one piece of your material. If the pieces are too brittle to weave or too flexible to hang together in this test, you probably won't be happy trying to make an entire basket of them. You can use soft weavers with firmer ribs or stakes, though. But something has to have the ability to hold the shape. You Could use the craft laces in coiled baskets (maybe with rope for a core) or for looping or twining or knotting. Bert Comstock, Independence, Mo where the forsythia bushes and magnolia trees are blooming like crazy and yesterday's high was in the mid-70s! %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Stuff Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2000 20:19:50 EST From: AuntPattie@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Dear David & All, Well here I am again getting lost in time. I can't believe that NCBA is next week. We had a guest teacher a few weeks ago, Matt Hoots, who taught a class in weaving (oh, no) Kudzu baskets. It was really fun & I'm glad it was a nice day because it took a lot of space & half the class went outside. If any of you have a chance to do something similar, take advantage of it. I think that the non-basket-weavers (spinners, potterers & a beekeeper) made some of the coolest stuff because they were less intellectually tied into classic basket shapes. Jodi Shebester is coming in at the end of the month for a couple of Nantucket classes (what a treat). Oh, yes. I'd like to thank those of you who answered my questions on sweet grass both on WW & privately. I now have a local nursery that specializes in native plants looking for some for me. Better go write a pattern for the next class. Thanks David for all you do for us. Pattie Bagley in Georgia where the Bradford Pears and daffodils are in full bloom and everything else is getting ready to bust open. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% If for any reason you would ever like to cancel your subscription, simply send me a message with "unsubscribe" as your subject.