"Weavers Words" Vol. 8 Iss. 30 MADE IN AMERICA BY A PROUD AMERICAN!!! Date Sent: November 21, 2004 Back Issues: http://www.angelfire.com/art/weaverswords/ David Collins 408 North Devon Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46219 Phone: (317) 899-5747 davidc@iei.net %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%Meet anyone while out? 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.) MAKE A DONATION TO WEAVER'S WORDS 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/ %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: Teacher Needed-Eastern TN Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2004 19:20:01 -0500 From: "Bill Seneker" To: weaverswords-owner@yahoogroups.com Hi! This is Sharon Seneker, Secretary of the TBA (Tennessee Basketry Association). For information about weaving classes/instruction/guild in Sevier Co., TN contact Pam Parman, Jr. Past President of the TBA and member of a weaving Guild in Sevierville at: pmparman45@hotmail.com There is also the GreenEville Basket Guild in Greeneville, TN about an hour or less drive from Sevier Co. and also the Tri-State Basketry Guild which is a little over an hours drive from Sevier Co. If interested in the 5th annual TBA Convention 2005 at the Carnegie Hotel in Johnson City, TN on July 20th-23rd entitled "Sit 'n' Weave a Spell" you may contact J. Smith at jsmith1220@adelphia.net for information about joining the Tennessee Basketry Association. Happy basket weaving in East Tennessee! Sincerely, Sharon Seneker %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Coiling Kits Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2004 18:35:28 EST From: AuntPattie@aol.com To: ka9zre@yahoo.com Babs, I'm sure that this will be a duplicate of someone else's answer but... you need to buy a coiling kit from Judy Wilson. Judy writes great instructions &, if you have trouble understanding anything, just e-mail her or call her. Her website is http://www.judykwilson.com/ I've purchased many kits (and baskets) from Judy. Her designs are unique & she's always very generous with her information. I was lucky enough to take a class yesterday with Billy Owens. What a sweetheart (don't think anything funny about that statement, it's just the way we talk down here). I made 2 great baskets & had a great time. My daughter & her family get here in 3 days &, by the time this goes out, I'll be blissfully wallowing in grandmotherness. Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pattie Bagley Top of Form Bottom of Form %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: [weaverswords] "Weavers Words" V. 8 I. 29 Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2004 18:22:06 EST From: KDelmer@aol.com To: weaverswords-owner@yahoogroups.com Does anyone know how to contact Bases to Weave whose website was baskatz.com (Candace Katz)? Their website doesn't seem to be working...nor their email addresses. Thanks, Carol %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: Honeysuckle Harvesting Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2004 17:52:56 EST From: Linhebert@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net, ka9zre@yahoo.com Hi Joanne, I have very detailed instructions for Honeysuckle Preparation on our website. Go to the Basket History page; then click on Gathering Natural Materials, Making Rib Baskets. The Basket History page address is http://www.basketweaving.com/basket_history.htm . There are lots of other free patterns and info on this page- most of which are collected from the archives of the twice monthly newsletter that I send to our e-mail newsletter list. Best Regards, Linda Hebert V. I. Reed & Cane http://www.basketweaving.com V. I. Reed & Cane has been a supplier of superior quality basketweaving kits and materials since 1981. Guaranteed highest quality reed with quick, friendly service and Secure Online Ordering. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Honeysuckle Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2004 10:29 PM From: Allen Keeney To: David Collins Cc: rhbjh2000@yahoo.com The way I always prepare honeysuckle is to coil it up in a pot of water. Bring it to a boil and simmer for a few minutes. Let it cool and the bark will wipe off using a leather glove. Watch for slivers. I then coil the stripped strands by size and let them dry for future use. You then treat them much like reed. If you wonder what becomes of old basket weavers Check out http://www.santapalmsprings.com Allen Allen's Basketworks %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Honeysuckle Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2004 10:37:34 -0500 From: "Susan Laswell" To: rhbjh2000@yahoo.com, ka9zre@yahoo.com Goggling "honeysuckle basket materials" yielded the following. Good luck. Susan http://inin.essortment.com/directionsform_rheh.htm Honeysuckle vines: Vines need to be at least 1 year old and should be cut between fall and early spring. Boil vine for 4 hours and then remove bark. Before use, soak 20 minutes in lukewarm water. (Took a class in 85 - I remember using a rag to strip the bark, after boiling, then dying with walnut hulls, onion skins, pokeberries, etc.) http://www.ehow.com/how_13939_prepare-honeysuckle-vine.html How to Prepare Honeysuckle Vine for Weaving Honeysuckle produces a light-gold to light-brown vine once the outer bark is removed. The woody vine climbs or trails along the ground. Steps: 1. Use honeysuckle as an accent when weaving a melon or egg basket and as a material to lash a basket together. 2. Gather vines. Honeysuckle vines are thin, and it will take a large amount to make a basket. 3. Coil vines in loose coils and discard badly damaged vines. Coil longer what did you dream about?? Runners together and short ones together to be used on different parts of the basket. 4. Boil water in a large pan. We suggest a #2 washtub on a camp stove outside to prevent a mess in your kitchen. 5. Place coils in boiling water and boil for 10 to 30 minutes or until the outside bark peels away easily. 6. Remove coils from hot water with a pair of barbecue tongs. Wear gloves to prevent burns from splashing water. 7. Cool coils until you can easily handle them. 8. Remove outer bark with a plastic scrubber. You can use a knife to gently scrape stubborn bark. 9. Hang stripped vine up to dry and to prevent molding. 10. Coil and store until needed. Tips: Stored honeysuckle vine can be soaked in warm water to make it pliable and ready to use. Honeysuckle can be gather at any time of the year. And finally this: http://www.basketweaving.com/natural_and_rib_baskets.htm Gathering Natural Materials, Winter is prime time for gathering natural materials. Vines, in particular. Grapevine, honeysuckle, Virginia creeper, bittersweet, coralberry, wisteria and other woody vines. You want to gather before the sap begins to run again. The nice thing about gathering during the winter is that it's far easier than when the leaves are out. less foliage to get scratched by, and hopefully most snakes are in hibernation. This time of year also makes it fairly impossible to choose any vines that are too "green" for basket weaving. For the best weaving stock, select vines that are the new one-year-old parts of the vine. These will be flexible, but still woody - having survived last fall's frosts. Older, thicker vines are suitable for spokes, and for coiling into wreath-like circles for the framework of rib baskets. PREPARATION of Materials I'll use honeysuckle as an example. Once you've gathered the vines, they may be woven peeled or unpeeled. Unpeeled will be more rustic - with a bird's nest kind of texture. If the vines are too shaggy, snip away any bark that looks too messy. For unpeeled, you'll quickly see that there are two layers of "epidermis" or skin. The outside is the rough part. Under that is a very thin, nearly transparent layer. It responds well to drawing a penknife down its length. Once you've cleaned those layers off, you'll find a smooth, waxy surface. Cream-color that ages to a nut brown. The Cherokees have been known to polish the honeysuckle with sand to make it even smoother. Any kind of smoothing is a good idea (sandpaper?) because the parts of the vines where it branches tend to have little prickly spots that tear up your hands. SOAKING the Honeysuckle If you've woven only with commercially prepared reed, you're going to notice a vast difference in soaking times. I usually bring a canning pot of honeysuckle up to a boil on the stove (or on an old gas grill outdoors). Then let it sit for a day or so and test it. It takes a long time to absorb the water through the walls of the vine. Later, when you're satisfied that it's ready to weave with, you'll find that you have to stop frequently and soak honeysuckle for longer periods of time than reed. The thing to watch out for is when the honeysuckle starts to snap (i.e., break). Then you have to stop and put it in for another soak. Each vine is different. Different thickness, different texture, different porosity. Use your own judgment. Start with a small basket and be flexible (literally!) about the outcome. Sometimes a basket's gotta do what a basket's gotta do. You are the facilitator, leading it into a shape that hopefully is of YOUR choosing. Not trying to sound philosophical here... it's just that honeysuckle can have a mind of it's own. Have fun with it! Susan Laswell, Systems Analyst InfoHandler.com 100 Europa Drive, Suite 290 Chapel Hill, NC 27517 slaswell@infohandler.com Phone (919) 942-9448 ext. 105 Fax (919) 942-7213 www.infohandler.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Rit Dye Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2004 08:35:18 -0600 From: "Jean C. May" To: ka9zre@yahoo.com Hi David... please post the following on Weavers Word: Since I am moving to FL, in my efforts to control inventory, I am selling my stash of Rit Dye at my COST. $8 per pound bulk and $1 per box. Most of the 25 colors are in plastic jars with amounts varying from 2-5 pounds each. I'm not separating what is in a jar... i.e. if there is 3.5 pounds of Slate Blue, you take the entire jar @$28! Many of these colors are no longer available from Rit such as Amethyst, Aubergene and several more. For a complete listing of available colors and quantities, email me at jeancmay@juno.com. Thanks So Much, Jean Cadmus May %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: [weaverswords] "Weavers Words" V. 8 I. 29 Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2004 08:18:40 -0500 From: "basketc" To: weaverswords-owner@yahoogroups.com Babs, You might try the coiling CD offer on this website: http://www.xbasket.com/ Linda %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: [weaverswords] "Weavers Words" V. 8 I. 29 Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2004 21:48:41 -0500 From: PBWEAVE@aol.com To: weaverswords-owner@yahoogroups.com Go to http://www.cherokee.org/Culture/CultureCat.asp?Cat=CherokeeArts or go to http://www.cherokee.org and look under culture. There is helpful information about harvesting and processing plants for weaving and dyes. Remember after boiling the vines and removing the bark, wipe each piece with a dry cloth to remove the rest of the inner bark that isn't always visible. When I weave with vines, I soak them very well but wipe each piece before weaving because the vines are slick. Peggy Brennan %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Silk Coiling Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2004 14:06:13 -0500 From: judykwilson@adelphia.net To: ka9zre@yahoo.com Babs Kasper asked about silk coiling last week. I have emailed her directly, but am sending in the web address of the silk coiled baskets (and twined baskets), so that you can also find it, if you are interested. My web site is: www.judykwilson.com. The site was updated about a month ago with 12 new baskets. There are now over 50 kits available. Complete instructions come with each kit. You can always call me at 770-479-2383 if you need help over the phone or if you have questions. I will be happy to help you in any way that I can. The baskets shown have a slide show, so that you can see the basket or tray from different angles. We would love to have you come and visit the web site and share it with your friends. You may call or email me to order. Thanks so much for your interest. Judy K. Wilson %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: NCBA Convention Booklet Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 06:48:38 EST From: KindredKountry@aol.com To: Ka9zre@yahoo.com I just want to say Thank-you to the people who put the convention booklet together. This year was my first convention & I can't wait til March. What a beautiful selection of classes to choose from. I love Carolyn Kemp's artwork. Thanks Again, Rami %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Cradle Pattern Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2004 05:22:51 -0800 (PST) From: "Darlene Pearce" To: "David G. Collins Jr." Hello Everyone, Hoping that one of you has a Chevron Doll Cradle Pattern by Sharon Wright that you would be willing to part with...made from round reed...it is out of print and mine has come up missing...I am fortunate enough to have her other Heart Doll Cradle Pattern so I had a pattern for the wood base...also have a class work sheet that I did up when I was teaching and one woven cradle to go by...so I have been able to weave two of them for my sister-in-law...but would really like to have the original for the braid instructions...which were very well illustrated...had to use a different braid on the ones I just wove... I also would like to share a great website for wood bases...they are made of ash and oak...no pine...tons of fretwork...but if you click on others you will find an amazing collection of bases...the mind races with ideas just looking at them...they will also make your design...I sent them the pattern for the cradle base and they made them out of red oak... Hugs To All... Darlene (Utah) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Sweetgrass Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2004 05:14:33 -0500 From: "Pamela Zimmerman" To: weaverswords-owner@yahoogroups.com Cathryn, congratulations on your sweegrass find! It is so hard to use a gauge when coiling grass; it is really only an exercise in frustration. I suggest you don't use one at all. It is much simpler to add grass under the active coil, where the ends are easily hidden. If you are making a "closed coil", where the sweetgrass is entirely covered by stitches, or if adding underneath the coil too difficult, it can be added on top of the coil. If you don't like either of these methods, and still want to add to the center of the coil, the absence of a gauge will still make it much easier. Just look for the grass "ends" coming up several stitches ahead, and add approximately that many new strands. It should be very easy for a person with your weaving experience to keep a smooth, regular coil in this way. Grass is best used dried. To dry your own, it only requires that you cut and let sit for 3 days.(of course in a dry place...if it is dry and not windy at this time of year, you can leave it sitting where you cut it!) You will notice the most significant amount of shrinkage will have occurred by then. Of course, coiling with fresh grass not only leaves one open to a "loose" basket from shrinkage, but also presents the possibility of mold or mildew within the coil, which could eventually ruin your basket. Traditional sweetgrass is coiled to the right, as are most awl-based coils. Of course the traditional binder is a flat, natural binder, palmetto leaves, and the traditional tool an awl. Since it is pierced from the front, this gives approximately the same look as a left-spiraling coil, pierced from the back with a needle, unless one "knows" how to find the "front" of a basket. I have never seen a gauge used, and if it was, it would be something very large (cow horn?). As for binder, if you wanted an authentic look, you could try another natural binder, like yucca leaves, or wide raffia. I have tried to bind sweetgrass with hand-spun cordage, made variouisly of raffia, basswood fiber, wisteria fiber and combinations thereof. I have also attempted binding with strips of papyrus stem (split), which is not quite flat enough to approximate palmetto strips, but interesting. Raffia seems the easiest to use, what most complements the sweetgrass naturally, as well. Your antler work is contemporary, so of course the look of waxed linen would give the coiled work a more contemporary look which might be in keeping with your "style". If you find that raffia does not give you what you want, however, and you are looking for something else, I recommend artificial sinew. It comes in a variety of colors, the most popular of which, for me, is "natural", a tan. It is easy to work with, wide, and strong. Please let us know how your experiments in coiling sweetgrass progress. I would love to learn "authentic" techniques from a gullah sweetgrass basketmakers, but at this time we have not found anyone willing to come teach at our guild. Pamela Zimmerman http://pineneedlegroup.tripod.com http://bazketmakr.geo.tripod.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Newest "Dog Tail" - Welcome To The Neighborhood Sent: Friday, November 19, 2004 1:44 PM From: Jill Choate To: jchoate@mtaonline.net The bid for the Carved Caribou Tower for Kelley Griffin's race effort is now at $750.00. If you'd like to place a higher bid drop me an email and we'll make you the "lead dog". Newest dog tail - "Welcome to the Neighborhood" on line at www.jchoatebasketry.com/dogtail.html Until we meet on the trail... Jill Choate Talkeetna, AK %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2004 21:27:06 -0500 From: "P Stark" To: "David" Dear David, I'm a lurker but want to share that there is a neat article on Indian baskets with great photos in the November MARTHA STEWART LIVING MAGAZINE, maybe 4-5 pages long. Enjoy receiving Weavers Words, thanks. Polly %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Christmas Gift Idea Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2004 00:34:01 EST From: Bskcreed@aol.com To: ka9zre@yahoo.com LAST CHANCE BEFORE CHRISTMAS - get a Basketweavers Creed T-Shirt!! Be sure to mention Weavers Words for special pricing of 2 shirts / $20 Would you like a unique gift for a weaving friend? Need a Gift Exchange for your weaving guild? Want one for yourself? Just copy this note, write "wish list" on the top and leave it for someone to find. Oh heck just order one for yourself, and leave it wrapped under the tree! Short Sleeve T-Shirt 100% cotton - In the great colors of YELLOW or PEBBLE FRONT: "Frazzled basketmaker" woman with a long piece of reed! BACK: "Basketmakers Creed" poem... 40 favorite weaving slogans. Just follow the link below --- http://members.aol.com/Bskcreed/index.html Don't delay - some sizes are limited. And... have a GREAT DAY!!! %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 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