"Weavers Words" Vol. 3 Iss. 98 Date Sent: February 05, 2000 Web Page: http://members.xoom.com/dgcollins/ Subscribers: 1317 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 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 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. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Hi Everyone, YOU MUST READ THIS MESSAGE! ! ! GET PAID TO SURF THE WEB! ! ! If I haven't already told you, I recently joined AllAdvantage.com, a cool new Internet company that pays its members to surf the Web. You never pay anything and you don't have to change how you surf. All you need to do to get paid is download the free AllAdvantage.com Viewbar and keep it on your screen while you surf! AllAdvantage.com has already paid its members hundreds of thousands of dollars, just for surfing the Web as they usually do. If you've already become an AllAdvantage.com member, SMART MOVE! If you haven't, now there are even more reasons to join, download your Viewbar and tell your friends: 1.AllAdvantage.com was rated the 12th most-visited property on the Web in October. 2.Last month, more than 30 AllAdvantage.com members earned well over US$1,000 EACH and the top earner pulled in more than US$4,400! 3.The company has more than 3 million members, but there are still 75 million active online users (in the US and Canada alone) who are waiting to hear about AllAdvantage.com and become members. Makes you think, huh? Make sure you're the first to tell them about it so you get paid while they surf! For the first 25 hours you're online using your Viewbar(tm) service: You're credited $.50 per hour. For the first 25 hours each direct referral spends online using their Viewbar(tm) service: They're credited $.50 per hour. You're credited $.10 per hour. For the first 25 hours each extended referral spends online with their Viewbar(tm) service: They're credited $.50 per hour. The member who referred them is credited $.10 per hour. You're credited $.05 per hour. Join now at http://www.alladvantage.com/home.asp?refid=BOK567 and please use my membership ID number (BOK567) when asked if you were referred by someone. Happy Surfing! David Member ID# BOK567 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Swap Basket! Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2000 22:12:59 EST From: Frbasketsc@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Hi weavers, just wanted to let everybody know that I received my swap basket today. It came from West Virginia, a place I have always wanted to visit but haven't had the chance. The basket Linda Cutright sent me is a bean pot with the most beautiful green bows twirling all around it. she also sent a candle with three angels to hold it and two bath cubes, which I will use as so a they let me. (They) are my two boys one is 10 and the other is 42. Well, thank you Linda sounds like you are going to have a really nice Craft Studio. If I ever get down that way maybe I could take a class if you have any openings. Thanks again, A Friend in weaving, Carolyn %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: (no subject) Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2000 23:47:15 EST From: Tonyfig1@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Good evening fellow basketmakers, I am new to weaver's words and have been enjoying the correspondence. I have a question that maybe somebody could answer. Years ago someone passed along an address to me for a direct importer who worked out of New York City. Apparently, this company imported a wide array of basket materials that was of exceptional quality. I recall that you had to order in large quantities. My problem is two-fold: 1) At the time I was just beginning to dabble in Basketry so I wasn't in the market for a lot of reed and 2) I misplaced the address when I finally decided to order. Does anyone know the name /address of this company and are they still in business? Would certainly appreciate your help! Thank you, Tonyfig1@aol.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Thank you David! Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2000 23:02:32 -0800 From: "M. L. Ames" To: "Weavers Words" Wow, Thank you so much, David, for the excellent suggestions for website design. How generous of you to share your findings with us all. They make so much sense, and are so helpful. I plan to build a site one of these days, and I will save these ideas and links as reference. You are Wonderful!! Can we please coax Eileen Spilman into sharing her Guatemala Angel story with all of us!?? I have finally found a fairly painless way of saving tidbits from Weavers Words and the Willow and Naturals List for easier reference and retrieval. Whenever there is a topic of interest, such as Donna Hall's tip for pecan+coffee+tea stain, (thanks Donna!) I highlight it, copy it, and paste it into a Word document. I have one for Tools, one for Stains, one for Cattails, one for Grow Willow, etc. and now one for Web Design, thanks to David. I insert a line of asterisks between the entries and just keep tacking the new information at the end of the document, together with the author. Mary Hooper - I think you should volunteer to change your basket display in the library space, and suggest to them that you could make it "educational" by including perhaps one or two basket books from their shelves, opened to interesting diagrams or photos, with a bundle of raw materials or two, perhaps a tool, a historical basket like one you make, to show how traditions have changed (or stayed the same), and maybe a nicely lettered, easy-to-read sign with a brief, thought-provoking statement that involves the viewer, such as, "Did you know that all baskets are made by hand?" How could they refuse such an offer? If not for next month, they would surely want you back, and you might drum up interest for classes, if you teach, or be asked to speak to an organization, if you have such an inclination. Good luck with it. Good advice Rae, to use when there is a strong minded student who wants to deviate from the class project. Sometimes I find I can explain WHY I want them to do a certain thing a certain way, but tell them it is their choice. Often they merrily continue only to find out the hard way that it isn't working. That is a lesson, which they will not forget. I like to offer a lot of leeway and personal choice in my classes, but you make two very good points about placing extra demands on the instructor's attention or being disruptive to the rest of the class, and also requiring more materials than the fee covers. I think we can all be better students if we are aware of these considerations. Happy weaving to you all, Kay Harradine %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Aloha Date: Fri, 04 Feb 2000 21:24:41 -1000 From: The Keener Clan To: davidc@iei.net Aloha all, Regarding classes and those who want to do "different": The center where I teach/instruct sells reed and handles and so on and weavers are required to buy the majority of their stuff. I submit a schedule and supply lists months in advance and put up a sample of each class. (I teach every week-a morning and an evening class-once a month there is a two-week class, otherwise, they are 1-week classes). If a weaver wants to weave same basket on a different handle or use different dyed reed than what I supply or substitute 3/8" for 1/2", I can handle that. But they are paying me to teach a certain basket and when the majority of the class is expecting me to teach that basket, I don*t feel I should be taking time to work with one weaver who wants to do something drastically different to her basket. Once, I had a woman in class who was a folk art painter and painted her handle with acrylic before class. The handle looked fine as she*d used a combo of paint and water and the handle looked like old barn board. She also painted a few pieces of reed the same color. During the class, she kept changing her mind and finally ran out of painted reed so she decided to paint more and expected me to assist her with it. When I told her I was busy with other weavers, she became obnoxious and shouted at me and demanded I hold the reed straight while she painted it. I walked away from her. No, she never came to another class and that was fine with me. I think as long as someone is weaving the basic basket and that person is experienced, I don*t care what they do to their basket. But I can*t concentrate on 1 person when I have 12 in a class..and I offer no guarantee they will finish or be happy with the finished product... After all, it is their basket and they have to look at it everyday. However, for a first time weaver to expect to change the original basket is asking just a tad too much. I once had a woman who wanted to come to a class and weave "different". She*d never woven before, but wanted to weave a basket to hold a box of laundry detergent--and I told her no way. She then asked if I*d teach at her house and I said maybe we could work out a date and she told me we*d have to do it in the garage as she wouldn*t allow the reed, etc. in her house...and that ended that. So, yes, minor changes are fine as long as I*m not expected to hang over the shoulder of one weaver for the whole class. Joanne and I did change our brush box designs, but only after I called the instructor who said it was okay to do so. I don*t think I would have walked into class and then informed her I was doing different....that wouldn*t be fair to her. Aloha, Lois (who will be spending this sunny warm weekend in the basketroom while the Pro Bowl takes place about a mile down the hill from her house..) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Weavers Words Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2000 02:30:34 EST From: "Patricia Steinmetz" To: davidc@iei.net Greetings from snow covered Indianapolis, Wow, Weavers Words have been coming so fast that I can't get caught up. I really enjoy reading about all the swap baskets. Sure makes me wish that I had participated in this one. Aunt Pattie - congratulations to Angie on her scholarship. And hats off to her for all her hard work. You must be very proud. Having just put my own daughter through college, I know how expensive it can be. Thank God for scholarships. Marty H - I was disappointed when I first heard that you were not coming to IBA. I was so looking forward to seeing you again. But having read your recent post about Basket Bash 2000, it looks like I will get to see you after all. I sent in my reservations yesterday. This will be my first time going and I am really looking forward to it. Everyone that I have talked to said they had a blast last year. Can't wait. You will be missed at IBA. Just finished weaving up Yvonne Guenthner's "Small Fishing Creel Purse". It turned out great, even if I do say so myself. However, the person who asked me to make it thought that the price I was asking was too high. (She thought that the purse would be bigger). I don't know how you people that weave for profit, do it. I have rambled on far to long, (must be the cabin fever) so I will sign off for now. Happy Weaving, Pat S %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: John McGuire WW 3/97 Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2000 06:53:03 -0500 From: Joe Conroy To: davidc@iei.net Good morning David, Someone was looking for info on John McGuire. His website is: http://www.johnmcguire.com/ His e-mail address is: basketman@lynnet.com I saw some queries about sharpening draw knifes. NEVER alter the flat side of the blade. All the angle sharpening is done on the beveled side. Just try to maintain the existing bevel. If you are not sure what you are doing you should have the drawknife professionally sharpened. One lady mentioned she had dropped and broke her drawknife twice. If you have a freestanding shave horse I'd suggest installing a hook on the side of your shaving horse to hang the knife on. Put the hook, or a dowel, in a location that is easy to reach while you are seated on the horse. Joe Conroy Exeter, RI 02822 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 3 I. 97 Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2000 09:04:06 -0500 From: Joe Conroy To: David Collins Greetings, Debbie C. You mentioned that you sometimes have difficulty weaving your basket so that the sides go up straight. A technique that you might try is to weave three or four rows; if your basket appears to be going up straight then measure the length of your last weaver. Cut all subsequent weavers the same length. Also, concentrate on the SPACE between the stakes. If you are attempting to weave straight up then the spaces between all of the stakes should be about the same width. I find that looking at a basket from that perspective is helpful. I agree with you; sometimes when you leave a basket for a period of time and then go back to it you lose your momentum. Hope these suggestions are helpful. Bren Miller- I checked with Edward R Hamilton, Bookseller (Hamiltonbook.com) to see if they carried the book that you are looking for. Unfortunately, they do not have it. In the future, you might want to check with this company in searching for out of print books. I am sometimes successful in finding what I am looking for and at reasonable prices. The site is updated daily and they often carry basketry books. You can also subscribe to their newspaper; it is free of charge and comes out about once a month. Basketry books are listed under Arts & Crafts. Happy weaving! Kate Conroy %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Swap Basket Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2000 08:36:14 -0700 From: "Chrystal L. Higgins" To: davidc@iei.net First, to Deleana Adams of Willingboro, NJ, your story about the Kool-Aid loving cows was great! What a picture will come to mind every time my daughter makes Kool-Aid from now on. I wanted to let a certain lady in North Caroline know that her basket is FINALLY on its way. My life has been very hectic this last month, as I will explain in her package, but it went out by USPS yesterday afternoon. I only beat the deadline by 3 days - I am sorry you have had to wait so long. Regarding a source for birch bark - I certainly could not supply an extremely large amount, but there are numerous birch trees around our area and I have a couple of large boxes of birch bark sitting in my basement all the time. My husband is out in the woods every chance he gets and is always coming home with boxes full of birch bark, conchs, bright green moss, and anything else that he believes will be a treasure for me. He is usually right. I never have to go very far when I am looking for something extra for my baskets. Anyway, I do have some extra and can obtain more as soon as spring decides to show its face in my area of the country. If anyone is interested, let me know. Chrystal Higgins, from the northwestern corner of Montana (Whitefish), where we just had another 3 inches of snow last night. Yesterday was gorgeous, bright sunshine, and I thought spring had decided to come see us. Oh well. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 3 I. 97 Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2000 11:22:35 EST From: Frbasketsc@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net As for basket class, I go to home style Handle & Supply in Millington, Mi. Donna the owner there gives classes usually two a week Wednesday and Thursday morning. You can take what you want to learn or you can buy what you want to learn. If you are a first time basket maker she will teach you. She also has a teacher in on Thursday. the most students I have seen their are 8. So try to find a basket shop that will teach you what you want to learn they are out there or talk to the teacher she might teach at her home one morning a week. Call around and see what you can find. Donna charges $6.00 a class the class is 2 hours long. The first class she starts you on the basket you want to make. Then you go home weave as far as you can then go back the next week and she shows you how to finish it. Donna is the best teach I ever had here in MI. Thanks Donna for all your help she is a lurker. A Friend in weaving, Carolyn %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 3 I. 97 Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2000 08:31:30 -0800 From: helen schwartz To: David Collins References: 1 Mary Hooper: If you don't ask for an extension you definitely wont get it. As an exhibiting artist (museums too) and someone who uses our library windows for the adult school my advice is: thank them tell them how pleased you are because the library is such a great setting for display and then ask if it would be convenient for them ...would they like it etc. If they can't and they may be scheduled, ask for another date in about a year. Saying stuff like " I have so many baskets I would like to share" is a good way to go. The big thing, I think, is to make it easy for them to say no without getting embarrassed...(I know how busy you are, is it convenient etc.) If they can say no easily they'll be much more willing to say yes another time. Much luck Helen (Schwartz) in Princeton %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Deleana's cow tale Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2000 11:53:55 EST From: GrayFelix@cs.com To: davidc@iei.net That is a great story you shared about the cows and Kool-Aid. I will be chuckling whenever I work with Kool-aid now just knowing Kool-Aid cows are around in the good old USA. Thanks for sharing. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Aaaarrrrgghh! Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2000 11:47:58 -0600 From: Tony Stubblefield or Dean Meredith To: David Collins Ok, I just wrote this really long email answering questions from the past 5 WW and my internet connection went down and I think I lost the message. So some of this may be a repeat, but if it isn't my apologies to the people I answered concerning quick-set glue, sharpening a drawknife and John McQuire's email address. I don't have the energy to try to rewrite my responses right now. One of the things I had said in my email was that, finally after a week in the shop, I have my computer back - yeah! The MO basketweavers convention book I have been working on is intact - yeah! I am now a week behind on finishing it - boo! Everything seems to be working on my computer now - yeah! Somehow during the repair I lost all of my address books and saved emails - double boo!! So, if you have sent me a note saying you were interested in the class this summer with Martha Wetherbee and you haven't heard from me please send me another note as I have lost your address. Also if you have corresponded with me in the past please send me a note as I have also lost your address. This is a really big pain and I have now learned I must back up my address book! I fortunately didn't loose my bookmarks. Happy weaving, Tony Stubblefield Suffering from the computer blues in St. Louis http://www.tetranet.net/users/deanandtony/baskets.htm %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2000 11:54:37 -0600 From: Jim Beltz To: davidc@iei.net Marlys, John McGuire has a web site at www.johnmcguire.com. His e-mail is basketman@lynnet.com. I have ordered from him for quite some time and shipments have been on time and as ordered and materials have been excellent. Beth Beltz-Texas %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Swap basket's here Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2000 14:05:48 EST From: Weavekat@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Just wanted to let Charlotte Gambrel know that the swap basket arrived safe and sound. It was on the porch on Thursday but I've had some late running nights and haven't sat down to post until today. It's an oval flower basket style with twined bottom and sides woven in alternating widths. Light golden oak stain. On the front is a powder blue flower arrangement. I'm interested in where you got the ceramic flowers and leaves? This would make a perfect flower basket for a wedding. The notepad is something I never have to many of. Thanks, Charlotte. You did a great job. I'd like to let my swap basket buddy know that I haven't forgotten. I'll have something in the mail by Monday. Your state is known as a producer for one of my favorite foods: White Cheddar Cheese. Kathy in KY %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Thanks. Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2000 10:59:17 -1000 From: Joanne Howard To: "Collins, David" Aloha, Thanks to everyone who responded personally and in WW about painting classes. First let me say that this painting teacher is not the same as the one in our beginning. This gal is really super!! Lois called her before class and asked her if we could do something different and she was so nice!!! She said of course we could. When I went to class I asked her if she sure she didn't mind and she was so gracious and nice. As a matter of fact, I didn't want to take her time away from other students who were doing her project so I told her I would just work on my own and she wouldn't hear of it. She was so kind and helpful. I learned so much from her while I was working my own project. It just goes to show you that painting and weaving teachers are the nicest people. We had a great time in class and our projects are coming along. Thanks Nani, you are the best! Marty, thank you for repeating your rit dye recipe. I printed it out and filed it away for future use. Suzi- Did you ever find that recipe for periwinkle blue that you used on my swap basket? I took it to Lois' basket class this week and we did a little show and tell. Everyone loved it especially that beautiful handle. We gave everyone info as to where to get the handle if they wanted to purchase one. Thanks again. Beautiful warm weather but my allergies are kicking my butt. I can't stop coughing and sneezing. I feel like a walking medicine chest, inhalers, nasal spray...oh well I should grip.....it could be worse! Hope you all have a fab week. Happy weaving, Joanne %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 3 I. 97 Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2000 19:47:08 -0000 From: "Jeff & Diana French" To: "David Collins" References: 1 Hi Everyone - I haven't written in ages but do read each WW from beginning to end. Reading about all the wonderful swap baskets makes me wish I had participated in this one. It's just been too busy a time for me. But I'll definitely join the next one. Marlys Sowers - Yes, John McGuire does have a web site. It's: http://www.johnmcguire.com/ Happy Weaving Everyone! Diana French from cold & white Southern New Jersey %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: swap basket Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2000 19:39:38 -0500 (EST) From: mdcamcd@ix.netcom.com To: davidc@iei.net Hi to all my fellow weavers and a special smooch to David who keeps us all together! I just got my swap basket yesterday... seems the mailman and I didn't connect with the first notice so it sat for almost two weeks at the PO! I got a fabulous wall basket from Wayne Husted from a tiny town in NH. It's woven on an antique wooden vise. Wayne sent me a note telling me that his specialty is weaving on antique tools. What a great way to combine two interests! The basket is really wonderful and I have just the spot for it! We have a workshop in our basement with oak kitchen cabinets and an empty wall space just crying for his beautiful basket. Thanks so much to Wayne for his unique creation! He also included a calendar with beautiful photos of his county's attractions and a tin of Badger Balm, a local product that must have been designed for sore basket-weaving fingers. I'd also like to tell a certain lady in a state associated with peanuts, peaches and a former president who shares my birthday (Oct. 1) that her basket is doing the same thing as the name of her town. Watch for the red, white and blue eagle to fly to your home mid-week! I'd also like to thank Dolores Gatz for coordinating the basket swap! Thanks for all your time and hard work, Dolores! There are a lot of happy weavers this week because of you. Cass McDonald, from snowy Maryland, where it is FINALLY starting to warm up enough to melt some of the ice and snow! (Three days after writing "Let Me Weave", we got 18 inches of 'partly cloudy'!) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Gourds Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2000 19:53:08 EST From: Maribasket@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Does anyone know about the gourd farm in Wren, Georgia? Also I heard there is a museum in Cleveland, Ga. I would appreciate any info on how I can contact them. The terrible heat this summer destroyed the plants I had going, so I'm looking for a close place to buy some reasonably. Thanks, Marianne %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% If for any you would ever like to cancel your subscription, simply send me a message with "unsubscribe" as your subject.