"Weavers Words" Vol. 6 Iss. 13 MADE IN AMERICA BY A PROUD AMERICAN!!! Date Sent: August 15, 2002 Back Issues: http://www.angelfire.com/art/weaverswords/ David Collins 408 North Devon Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46219 Phone: (317) 899-5747 davidc@iei.net %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ATTENTION NEW SUBSCRIBERS: 1.) Back issues of Weaver's Words can be found at: http://www.angelfire.com/art/weaverswords/ 2.) If you are new to Weaver's Words, more than likely you will read messages about a basket swap in progress. Basket swaps are organized by other weavers approximately every 2-3 months. So if a swap is in progress when you subscribe, be patient and a new swap will begin before you know it. Every subscriber is eligible for each swap as long as you fulfill you obligation from the previous swap. 3.) You can order a copy of the "Basketry Travel Companion", your guide to basket shops, galleries, exhibits and much more across the United States and world wide, by sending me $15.00 via PayPal (a free service) at: http://www.paypal.com/ (Send Payment To ka9zre@yahoo.com) OR Via money order / check at: David Collins 408 North Devon Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46219 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% BEFORE POSTING VIRUS WARNINGS TO WEAVER'S WORDS!!! Check The Following Link To Assure The Virus Isn't A Hoax: http://urbanlegends.about.com/ %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% MAKE A DONATION TO WEAVER'S WORDS!!! https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=ka9zre%40yahoo.com&item_name=Weaver%27s+Words+Donations %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% PLEASE SHOP AT WEAVER'S WORDS BOOKSTORE!!! A GREAT source for Books, CD's, VHS's, DVD's, Video Games, Electronics and much more. PLEASE BOOKMARK THIS PAGE: http://www.angelfire.com/art/weaverswords/basket.html %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Hi Everyone, I would like to thank everyone who has purchased something thru Weaver's Words store. I just received my first quarterly commissions check from amazon.com in the amount of $51.00. If you are going to purchase anything thru amazon.com I would appreciate you doing so by placing your order thru the following link: http://www.angelfire.com/art/weaverswords/basket.html I would also like to thank the 2 people who made a donation to Weaver's Words. If you would like to make a donation to Weaver's Words you can do so by clicking on the following link: https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=ka9zre%40yahoo.com&item_name=Weaver%27s+Words+Donations Thanks Again, David %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: [weaverswords] "Weavers Words" V. 6 I. 12 Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2002 09:59:03 -0500 From: "Karen Booth" To: weaverswords-owner@yahoogroups.com Dianne, Get that birch flat and press it between two boards. I made a press with two pieces of plywood. Drill holes in the corners and fasten with wing nuts and bolts. If you let the birch age all curled up, you won't be able to straighten it when you want to use it. Gentle heat is the only successful way I have found for making birch bendable again. Birch is water proof (that's why they used it for canoes). I hope you were able to harvest your birch from trees that were recently cut down as a live tree needs the bark to protect it from insects and if you take enough off you can actually kill the tree. One of the most exciting times I ever had was harvesting birch from newly cut trees in Northern Wisconsin in May. Apparently the sap runs for about 10 days or so and we had the luck of hitting in the middle of the sap run. The chain saw guys would cut the trees down and run a ditch the length of the log for us with the saw. The bark just needed a little loosening along the edges and then it literally POPPED of the log in huge beautiful pieces. I have several of these pieces in my press in the garage and have been using it periodically when I teach my wood bottom bucket class (see photo attached). It is now over a year old and still cuts and splits like a dream. (The pattern is available at my web site: www.homesteadheirlooms.com. (We have some wonderful, new handpainted leather and ash strips on our website too.) I have been using a roller cutter and a strip-cutting ruler (designed for quilters) to cut my 2" strips. Narrow 1/4" strips can be cut with a pasta machine, that is if you don't really want to make pasta again. I picked mine up at a rummage for $5. Good luck with the birch. Cass Schorch (sp?) is an excellent teacher of birch classes and has some fun patterns too. She teaches at many of the Conventions so if you can, take a class from her. Karen Booth Homestead Heirlooms, LLC The home of fine leather products for your baskets. ATTACHED PHOTO: http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/weaverswords/lst %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Antler Laws In PA Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2002 15:04:57 -0400 From: "Country Seat-Angie Wagner" To: "Weavers Words David Collins" Hi All, You may want to read this article on PA antler laws - http://www.countryseat.com/basketryreed.htm#antler. The law states that only the hunter may sell an antler within 90 days of the kill. I suppose it would depend on whom you talk to or who saw you selling antlers, as with anything some people will be sticklers and others would let you go Your best bet is to NOT sell an antler basket in PA. Angie. The Country Seat http://www.countryseat.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: Pine Needles--Green Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2002 09:11:55 EDT From: Kg4baskets@aol.com To: weaverswords-owner@yahoogroups.com Just a comment on reading about picking pine needles...I hope people are aware of the fact that pine trees do not regenerate new needles once they are 'picked'. A pine tree is not like a deciduous tree, which will put out new leaves every year. Pine trees hold on to their needles for a certain number of years (depending on the species of pine) but then shed them from the inside of the branch out, losing the oldest needles. When you pick a few from here and there you are stripping the tree of it current years growth, which it does not re-grow. The needles are the 'leaves' of the pine which is needed for photosynthesis and its survival, thus only shed needles should be picked for weaving. Just thought you'd like to know. A tree lover. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Teaching Natural Bulrush Seatweaving Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 7:47 AM From: Wickrwoman@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Well, folks, this afternoon (June 6), I'm teaching, or at least showing, a TV news reporter how the old-time craft of bulrush seatweaving is done. The Rochester, MN, KTTC television reporter and his film crew are coming over this afternoon to do a piece on this ancient craft of seatweaving. Right now, I'm working on a pair of armchairs from England that are from the 1700s-1800s that had bulrush woven seats. These two are part of a set of eight, but only these two are damaged enough to require reweaving. We will use them as demonstration pieces, but I will probably have to take out the reporters' work after he leaves. Hehehe! Soooooo, since I'm going out of wicker repair and seatweaving business, closing the shop, and moving away from southern Minnesota, and wanted my previous customers to know that, I called the TV station to pitch a feature segment. I invited the local news broadcaster to come to the shop for a lesson in this nearly lost art of hand-twisted bulrush seatweaving. Due to my impending move, he's coming out today for his lesson before I leave the area. The spot will appear on the local Rochester, MN nightly news, in Tom Overlie's segment called, "Going Places." Now I have to frantically clean up the shop, because it's a real mess, as you all can surely relate. Take a look at my Inventory page of my website to see some inside shop pictures and also some of my remaining "wicker in the rough" that is still for sale. http://www.wickerwoman.com/inventory.html During the 2000 Folk Art Seatweaving Program, my apprentice and I were demonstrating at the Olmsted County Historical Society's Threshing Bee. He was weaving a paper fibre rush seat, and I was weaving a natural (not pretwisted), cattail leaf rush seat that time. Seeking publicity again and trying to get interest in the craft, I called this same station and we appeared on the 10:00 p.m. Sunday news. Everyone benefited, the Historical Society, my apprentice (he's getting a lot of work from the appearance), me, and the general public because the segment was very interesting and they learned something about an old-time craft that is being revised. Put on your thinking caps the next time you are at an art show, or doing a demonstration for a senior citizens group, garden group or nursing home, or historical society. Get brave and write those press releases, and call the TV news stations, most likely they will do a story if you can give them a good "hook" or angle! If you are interested in learning this natural rush seatweaving craft, I will be teaching a bulrush or cattail footstool class on November 4, at Eileen Mirsberger's East Troy Basketry Shop in Wisconsin. Get all the details from her site at http://www.easttroybasketry.com Hope to see you there! Visit my http://www.wickerwoman.com domain site! http://www.wickerwoman.com cathryn@wickerwoman.com or Wickrwoman@aol.com (without the "e") The Wicker Woman/Cathryn Peters 531 Main Street/PO Box 61 Zumbro Falls, MN, USA 55991-0061 Phone: 1-(507)-753-2006 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: The Moon And The Stars... Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 2:40 PM From: Jill Choate To: Undisclosed-Recipient; The Moon and the Stars... Since coming back to Alaska I have been re-introduced to the "Moon" and made acquaintance with the "Stars". Twelve of the most wonderful new future team mates that I have had the occasion to meet. With an exceptional start off by my puppy nanny Barbara Ann these pups are personality plus. The "A" team consists of Luna, Lexi, Cooper, Waco, Cody, Victor, Raven, Arlo, and Mariah. Then of course we have the "B" team from the illicit coon dog rendezvous with the teen queen Sox that resulted in Barney, Bertie and Babs. We are hoping for long ears and thick husky coats on this batch. Moon, as always, is happy to see me return home. What a wonderful lead dog and pal. He is forever faithful and "dogs" my trail wherever I go. I thought maybe he'd forget about me and turn his affection to Barbara Ann in my absence but no. Moon remembers the love of the trail and who asks him to lead the way into the wilds of Alaska. Well the weaving season is soon upon us in the Great North. It has begun to rain here and that always makes me think of hot tea, a good fire, a chair that rocks and a basket in my lap. If you are thinking along those same lines that let me help you get ready. We are now offering pre-drilled structures for J. Choate Basketry designs. Not only will we get the bare bones structure ready for you but if you prefer we'll add the ribs as well for an additional charge. Choose from the Antler Bowl basket to the Intertwine or anything in between. We can give you a head start on all your antler basketry needs and send it your way. Need to create that one of a kind basket for a special gift? Scrimshaw antler is available with a variety of wildlife and nature scenes to make your basket a treasured family heirloom. It's getting close to the end for bidding on the carved moose wall pocket to help support Kelley Griffin in her race effort for the 2003 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race. The current bid is $850.00 with a retail value of $1,200.00. The auction will end at the end of October and the winner will be announced at that time. If you would like to submit a bid email me at jill@jchoatebasketry.com and we'll put you at the top of the list. Until We Meet On The Trail... Jill Choate Talkeetna, AK %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Greetings Date: Wed, 07 Aug 2002 08:19:59 -0400 From: "Roman Monastyrski" To: "ka9zre" Greetings: Am enjoying some fantastically cool weather in the Midland MI area. Am responding to two questions: Birch Bark. First and foremost - get the stuff uncurled and store it flat. Make a cardboard sandwich and weigh the top with heavy books or something. If not using in the near future it needs to be "aired" checked so no moisture is adversely affecting it - and kept dry. Yes, my "homemade" way when working with medium sized pieces is to iron it between towels - if you want to/need to bend it. When weaving with it - it may be flexible enough already not to need to do this. I make miniature makuks, which do require the bending. After it cools, the birch will stiffen back up, so get it in place - clothespin it immediately before it cools. When splitting it into layers - like cedar - you may have "waste pieces". Save these to add to birdhouse roofs, like Cass Schorsch's. Very neat. About cutting it into widths - now I use a Jerry stripper from Tandy leather. Prior to that I used a more laborious, but effective - method of a T square on a flat board and sharp knife. Like a utility or wallpaper knife. I used the break-off blade wallpaper knife so as to keep the blade fresh and extra sharp. About the Long Market basket: A LONG time ago Willowe's in Indiana had a pattern that was beautiful. The sample (if I can remember that long ago) seemed almost plaid. It was designed to go above a door or window. It was very long and narrow. You could, of course add to the width if you wanted. When doing shows - I sometimes had one available and usually sold it. It looked stunning with dried flowers. Hope this helps. Sincerely- Kristin in Midland MI %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: WW Sent: Wednesday, August 07, 2002 1:05 AM From: Lynda Crowe To: Ok, we have finally done it! We have a new free pattern and a new newsletter. Check it out. We are having a big **HUGE** reed sale and are unsure how long it will last-stock up while you can. The apple strips on the front of the free pattern basket move fast, so order your early. Thanks and until next time... Weave On...Lynda 'The Crowe's Nest Basketry' http://www.angelfire.com/home/thecrowesnest thecrowesnestbasketry@yahoo.com 317-213-3342/317-859-0920 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Cindy Taylor -- Speaker Sent: Wednesday, August 07, 2002 9:37 PM From: To: The booklets will go out shortly for the West Virginia Basketmakers Convention. It will take place November 22-24, 2002. You must be a member of the Association to attend the convention. Registration for the Convention is $30.00. The teachers for this year's convention will be Eric Taylor, Lynn Schlichting, Mary Smith-Stokes, Debra Roberson, Karen Zane, Anne Bowers, Sandra Lyons, Vicki Worrel, Susan Brooks, Susan Reed-Fanfoni, Elaine Sinclair, Betty Kourounakis, Diane Craver. Registration will start at noon and classes will start at 1pm on Friday. Saturday will be open to visitors from 8 to 5 for visitor's day. We will have seven vendors this year. Classes will start at 8am and break at noon for lunch. Dinner will be served at 5pm and the door prize drawings will be immediately following dinner. After that we will have our annual business meeting. We have made arrangements to have a lawyer speak to members about copyright laws and how it pertains to pattern writing. Members will be allowed a short question session afterwards. This year's keynote speaker will be Cindy Taylor, Co-author of "Appalachian White Oak Basketmaking." She will give her presentation immediately following the copyright session. We are anticipating a great raffle this year and will draw names for the raffle prizes after Cindy's presentation. Teacher marketplace will take place after that. The Association has decided to pay for lunch on Saturday and Sunday and dinner Saturday night for those registered to attend the convention. If you are interested in attending the convention it will be at the Holiday Inn in Weirton, WV just off Route 22. The phone number for making reservations is 304-723-5522. You need to tell them you are with the WVBA. You may contact Sharon Sutton our membership chairperson for more info on becoming a member at sasutton@charter.net or Delores Stutler for information on attending the convention at jodeweaver@aol.com. Thanks, Sandra Lyons (sltarawood@aol.com) Coordinator %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Honeysuckle Sent: Friday, August 09, 2002 2:37 AM From: Dianne Walbeck To: Weaver's Words I recently purchased some honeysuckle and am looking forward to working with it, but I need to prepare it. I know I need to boil it to remove the bark, but does it smell bad when you boil it? I have only worked with prepared honeysuckle in classes and never had to boil it myself. I just need to make the decision to either use my pot on my stove or go out side and use a propane burner. My husband really hates the smell of dye so I have to make sure he is out of the house for a few hours while I dye reed and I really don't want to stink the house up with something else. He puts up with my reed being all over the living room and kitchen table, but that will soon change!! We will be moving temporarily to Michigan for a few months soon (the date has yet to be determined but we hope before the holidays) and then on to either MT, WY, or ND. We are excited and sad. Too bad I will miss the AMB convention this year but NEXT year I will be there will bells on!! Hot and humid Okinawa Japan. Dianne Walbeck %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: One With The Moose... Sent: Saturday, August 10, 2002 7:00 PM From: Jill Choate To: Undisclosed-Recipient One with the moose... It's amazing what happens to you when you spend to many years living in Alaska. Take for example the insanity that occurs when after a cold snap the thermometer makes an ascension to 30 degrees above zero and like a true Alaskan you don your shorts. Or when the weather in April hits 50 degrees and you break out the lawn chairs to tan amongst the snow mounds. After you've been here awhile it all gets to be another pretty mundane occurrence of becoming "bushy" as we Alaskans term it. A progressive disorder that occurs over time as you move your livelihood further out into the wilds of Alaska. Take for instance a stroll through Kincaid Park in Anchorage. Not a place that you think an odd occurrence would happen. It's a place of bike and ski trails dotted with locals and tourists alike and of course wildlife. It is a "park" in the city of "Anchorage" but wait...this is Alaska. The "park" is perched on the edge of the boreal forest with trails that veer off into the unknown. Being the true Alaskans that we are my cohort, and myself decided to take advantage of some free time from the Alaska Bush Basketry Retreat. Flowers, fauna, and commandeering ripe berries we're our intent. What we located instead were some rather odd looking fuzzy, brown, suspiciously wide branches that were floating above the bane berry bushes. (These we had just picked, sniffed, squashed, analyzed and examined thoroughly only to find out upon referencing our field guide that they are "deadly poisonous".) At this point my cohort became my escort as she identified the branches as attached to something larger. "Keep walking, keep walking, " she said grabbing my arm to accelerate the pace of our excursion. Long time Alaskan that I am, I began to hail her with tales of moose when "HELLLLOOOOOOO..." echoed from behind. It was clear to me that the time for adrenaline had occurred. I was certain that when I turned around to look not only would this giant bull moose with a full rack be thundering down the trail at a full charge to meet me he was also telling me of his arrival. Imagine my surprise when after a mighty war yell emitted by myself... a mountain biker hailing his right to one side of the trail came zooming by. Some odd things happen to folks who live here to long. Well the summer tour of 2002 may be almost ready to wrap up but we're already looking forward to 2003. If your group or organization is interested in getting scheduled in for next summer's tour let us know and we'll get you on board. The Alaska Bush Basketry Retreat - Fish On! is but a good memory now as our guests have headed back outside. Lots of baskets were woven and lots of fish caught. If you'd like to head to Alaska to visit during Iditarod let us know and we'll get some information out your way. Until We Meet On The Trail... Jill Choate Talkeetna, AK %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Water Base Stain Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 10:58:17 EDT From: SharonKlusmann@aol.com To: weaverswords-owner@yahoogroups.com Hi David And All, I was just at Shaker Woods show over the weekend located in NE Ohio and talked with a girl who had a basket booth. I really liked the stain she used and it got busy before she told we where she purchased it. She said it was a water based stain, which she buys in powder form and mixes with water to whatever color she wants. I told her I use mostly the natural walnut hull myself and sell the Weavers Spray Stain to my students. The look was almost identical to the Oak Weavers Stain, which I like better than my walnut, but couldn't believe it was water base. She used to use the natural walnut hulls also but didn't like the fact that you have to worry about the molding. I keep my refrigerated, but would be interested in trying the powder she was talking about. Is anyone familiar with this type of stain? I have used water base stain you buy in the gallon but didn't like the consistency of it - it seemed more like paint. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Sharon Klusmann Cornerstone Baskets www.SharonKlusmann.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: (No Subject) Sent: Monday, August 12, 2002 5:15 PM From: EKuhlmann@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net I noticed that people refer in the weaver's accounts of the basket maker Jeffery Gale. Do you have an email address for him or a surface address? I have bought baskets from him but lost track of where he is. E.Kuhlmann ekuhlmann@aol.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Driftwood Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 17:28:25 -0700 From: "Darlene or Gordon Pearce" To: "WW" I have a friend that wants to make rib baskets with driftwood handles...is there any book out there dedicated to that subject... Summer Fun Just About Over... Darlene...Okinawa, Japan %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Hot Summer Special Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2002 7:32 AM From: The NorEsta Cane & Reed To: davidc@iei.net Dear Basket Weavers, Our Hot Summer Special with a Cool 5% off your first On-line order will end on August 31, 2002. There is still time to visit our new on-line store and set up your account to place your order. Visit us on the Internet and see how enjoyable electronic shopping can really be! http://www.noresta.com Sincerely, The NorEsta Cane & Reed http://www.noresta.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Basket Swap Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 20:26:22 -0400 From: "Judy Talkalot" To: "ka9zre" Dear Weavers Words: Am I to send you a picture via email of the basket I sent to my buddy? She has received it this week. Let me know. Judy McDade %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% That's All For Now Folks. To Post A Message Use: davidc@iei.net or ka9zre@yahoo.com To Subscribe Use: weaverswords-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To Unsubscribe Use: weaverswords-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com