Share a Basket Sunday

This basket sits at the end of my sofa to hold magazines and newspapers. To get the interesting twill design in the colored area, you weave basic over-under until you are ready to do the color. Then take your stakes and cut each stake lengthwise to create 3 small stakes. Do your twill weaving. Then bring the three stakes together again and finish with over-under weaving.
The title of this basket is "Ode to Joy" and the pattern was written by Dianne Craver.
Have a Blessed Sunday,
Nancy

Around The House--Branson, MO Silver Dollar City

Dear Friends,
This past week I've been here...

here...and here...

We're home. I'd prewritten all my blog posts this past week as we have been on vacation. We packed up our pop-up camper and went camping for a week in Branson, MO. We went to Silver Dollar City for 2 days, scuba diving, saw a couple of shows had so much fun and just relaxed. Currently, I've got laundry running and am finishing putting things away. When all is back in order, I'll write more about our trip next Saturday. Hope you have all had a great week and that you are starting your summer off right.

Love and Blessings,

Nancy

Fabulous Basket Etsy Finds

Here is another day of some beautiful Etsy baskets. That is http://www.etsy.com/ . Etsy has some beautiful baskets and related handmade products for sale by some talented artists and crafters. Here are just a few of this week's attractions. The links to each artist's Etsy shop are listed below in order. Some of these people do work in other mediums and make incredible creations in addition to basket weaving.
Do you have an Etsy shop? Let me know! I'll be glad to help spread the word.
Enjoy and Baskets of Blessings,
Nancy

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7321294

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5920891

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6229102

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5518985

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6091694

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7374081

Video #11c--Lashing the Rim Singeing the Basket

This is part c of our three parts that explains how to lash the basket and how to finish the lashing. While the basket is still damp I continue to demonstrate singeing the basket hairs. As I stress in the video, do NOT burn your basket hairs if you have already stained your basket. It will go up in flames fast.

Baskets of Blessings,

Nancy

Video #11b Attaching the Rim

This is the second part, part b, of lashing on the rim. The final segment on this is tomorrow.

Baskets of Blessings,

Nancy

Tip Technique Tuesday--Making Your Own Space Dyed Reed

I tried hard to get a good photo above, but the reed is dyed in pink, red, and then has some natural in it.

In a previous post, I explained how to dye reed HERE. This is where you start to get color on your reed. Please read that post first.

To get the variegated color, cut open your coil of reed and loosen it a bit, but still keep it in its coiled state.

Once your dye bath is ready for the reed, take your coil of reed and bend it slightly to get just a portion of it into the pot. Do this to where you are just inserting about 1/4 of it in the dye. The dye will crawl up the reed to cover about 1/3 of the coil. When it is the desired color, remove the reed and repeat the procedure with your second and third colors. I've tried this several times and have never been able to dye with 4 colors, although you can purchase it with 4 colors, I've just not been able to achieve this myself because I find the color wants to soak up into the reed dying more of it than I originally would like it to. (make sense?) Probably I get to impatient and I'm putting more reed in the dye bath than I should.

Always start with your lightest color first moving to the darkest. It really is a fun way to experiment with dying reed even though it is more work.

Have you ever tried to create variegated space dyed reed?
Baskets of Blessings,
Nancy

Video #11a Lashing on the Rim

This video, part a, is the first in 3 parts that explains how to lash on the rim. Parts b and c will be shown this week on Wed. 27th and Thurs 28th.

Happy Weaving and Baskets of Blessings,

Nancy

Share a Basket Sunday

This pattern is called "Arrow Twill Basket" and it was written by Karen Wheeler. Karen sent me this pattern and had me test it for any errors for her before it was published. The rim is lashed on with waxed linen. The dyed reed is a variegated reed called "Spacedyed Reed." In this week's Tip Technique Tuesday, I'll explain how you can create your own Spacedyed reed in custom colors. The twill design on this basket is beautiful. If you are new to weaving a twill basket pattern, it is very important that you use the exact number of stakes the pattern calls for. The creator of the pattern has made his or her design such that the pattern should flow smoothly around the basket. If you are a stake shy or one stake too much, you will alter the design and that is will be frustrating.

If any of you ever need someone to test a basket pattern for you, just send me the pattern and I'd be happy to weave it up and check for any errors or offer constructive comments.
Have a Blessed Sunday,
Nancy

Feature a Friend Friday--Paula from Crop Notes and Crafts

Today I would like you to meet my cyber friend Paula from Crop Notes and Crafts.

Paula is one of those people you meet on the net that you would just love to meet in person some time. We really have a lot in common with basket weaving, scrapbooking, rubber stamping and our love for crafting. Her baskets that she weaves are just my style, and take a look at the cards she makes over on her blog. I have one word for them, "delicious." Seriously they are scrumptious looking. Ok, that's two words. The couple of pictures I show here are of her seat weaving. We're talking talent here. Did you take note of that sweet basket sitting on the table by her? Be sure to pop over to her blog and say, "Hello." Spend some time looking at all she has created.

Have a wonderful Friday everyone,

Blessings,

Nancy

Tutorial on a making a coiled recycled, upcycled basket

Devona at Clever Nesting has given me permission to post this photo and a link to her tutorial on how to make a coiled basket. This is not just any coiled basket though. It is super cool because it is made with plastic grocery sacks and an old VCR tape. I am all for recycling and seriously, don't we all have a hundred plastic sacks collecting as well as some old VCR tapes that no longer work. What a great way to recycle. Also, what a great way to practice making a coiled basket. Isn't this what they're calling up-cycling because we are making something better than before?
Here is the link to her tutorial. It has many photos and is easy to follow along.
http://www.clevernesting.com/2009/04/coil-basket-weaving-tutorial/comment-page-1/#comment-188

Today is the last day of school for the kids, so this is on my list of summer projects. I'll post my recycled bag basket when I get it completed. I hope you give it a try, and let me know when you do. I'll be glad to post a link to it.
Enjoy and while you are over at Devona's blog checking out this great tutorial, say "Hello" to her.
Baskets of Blessings,
Nancy

Blog Award!

Thanks Paula from Crop Notes and Crafts for my blog award!

Paula and I are like kindred spirits as we both like to do basket weaving, rubber stamping and scrapbooking! Check out her blog which showcases her awesome and truly beautiful creativity.

Thanks again!

Nancy

And these are the rules:

Grab the award and place on your blog

Link back to the person you received the award from

Nominate 7 others with a link to their blog

Leave a message on their blog telling them they've been awarded

My super 7 of friends and talented ladies that I'm nominating are:

Anne from When Pigs Fly

Cathryn from Weavin' Wicker Woman

Frances from Weaving Willow

Debbie from Knelly Kreations

Julie from A Hand Woven Life

Shari from My Crafting Corner

Peggy from Queenmother Mamaw

Tip Technique Tuesday How to Weave a Braided Rim

I was e-mailed and asked how to do a braided rim. I will be doing a video on this, but until then, these photos I have are the next best thing. Also, the weaver I think of first when it comes to braided rims is Genie Jackson. She has a booklet 16 or so pages that covers several types of braided rims. It is called "Braided Border Baskets." Below, I am describing how to do the basic braided rim.

Baskets of Blessings,

Nancy

1. Weave your basket and then at the top, twine for two rows. Tuck in EVERY stake. Cut your round reed according to the length on the pattern. Mine are 22". Insert the round reed as in the photo under the twining. There is one piece of round reed for every stake and they are looped to the next stake. Make sure all your ends are even at the top. This gives each stake 2 pieces of round reed. These 2 pieces are held together and are now counted together as one spoke.

2. Start with any spoke and take it behind one spoke to the right and to the outside of the basket. Move to the next spoke to the right and take it behind the next spoke to the right and to the outside. Each spoke to the right does the same in its turn.

The last spoke standing goes behind and through the one that is already in place.

3. Again, start anywhere and take any spoke over and through the spoke to the right and to the inside of the basket as show above. Move to the next spoke to the right and do the same. Continue around the basket with each spoke in its turn.

Now, even though the spokes are not standing straight up as they were when we started, you still need to repeat steps 2 and 3 completely again. So, once again, start with any spoke and take it behind the next one to the right and to the outside of the basket and complete steps two and three. After repeating steps 2 and 3 a second time, make sure the spokes lie against the wall of the basket.

Let the spokes dry overnight, then cut the ends at an angle that doesn't show from the top.

Video #10--Putting the Rim in Place

In this video, I show you how to put the rim in place. You can view all my videos in order on my Youtube channel at Basketmaster's Weavings Videos.

Happy Weaving,

Nancy

Share a Basket Sunday and a quick note

Hi Friends,
Julie over at Deen Homestead Basketry alerted me that comments to my blog were not showing up. I had changed my settings, but didn't do it completely to view comments before they are posted. If any of you posted a comment in the last few days, I didn't snub you and not approve it, I just didn't receive it. My sincere apologies and please understand I'm still learning all the computer tricks. I love all of you, my basket friends!

What I do not love are inappropriate comments. I have never received any on this blog, but I did a couple of days ago on a Youtube video and I figured it was just a matter of time before something unacceptable showed up here. Hence, I'll be viewing all comments before they show up here on the blog as well as on Youtube. Thanks again Julie for letting me know about my little problem with this. For those of you who have given my Youtube videos a 5 Star rating a huge THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. Doing these videos is something I truly enjoy so this means a lot to me to receive a 5 Star review.

Moving along to sharing a basket...This is a little muffin basket with braided rim. It is just the size to hold 2 large muffins or 6 mini muffins.
Enjoy and have a blessed Sunday,
Nancy

Post Note: I think I found where Blogger had been saving my comments and all are now showing.

Around The House--A 16th Birthday Party

This previous weekend our oldest daughter celebrated her 16th birthday with a party. I've decided these kids watch too much TV because she wanted an amazing party like some she has seen on TV. We toned her ideas down quite a bit, and I still think she had a pretty nice party. This was her first boy/girl party since she was 5 years old.
Katie having a Hawaiian themed birthday party.
22 kids on a trampoline. I thought for sure the legs on it would break, but they didn't. It was a very nice group of kids, all well mannered. What you can't see in the photo is we had 100 glow sticks in different colors and these kids made amazing pictures with them.

Katie wanted a tiered cake which I made for her. It took 6 boxes of cake mix.

There was music and room for dancing on the patio. The kids were having a great time, but we felt like we needed to turn off the music at midnight. Our poor neighbors were forewarned so no complaints about the loud commotion. Things ended at 12:30 am. Hubby and I were so ready for bed at the end of the night.

And then on Sunday....

Me and my Mother's day present. "Say Cheese!"

Have a wonderful weekend.

Nancy

Fabulous Etsy Basket Finds

There are people who have been blessed with so much talent and creativity. Have you been to Etsy to see some of it? That is http://www.etsy.com/ . Etsy has some beautiful baskets and related handmade products for sale by some talented artists and crafters. Here are just a few of this week's attractions. The links to each artist's Etsy shop are listed below in order. Some of these people do work in other mediums and make incredible creations in addition to basket weaving.
Do you have an Etsy shop? Let me know! I'll be glad to help spread the word.
Enjoy and Baskets of Blessings,
Nancy

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6864418

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5791061

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5670454

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5865021

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6815464

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5280124

Book Review--The Basket Book by Lyn Siler

When I first learned to weave baskets, this is the second book I purchased. It has over thirty basket patterns. The baskets are more traditional in nature, meaning that these are older, more historical style, functional baskets. It is full of beautiful photography as well as illustrations.
For the beginning weaver, there small section of basic weaving techniques in the front of the book but then specific and more advanced techniques are explained thoroughly as you use them with each individual basket.

Here is just a sampling of some of the basket patterns you will find in this book:

• Twill Market Basket
• Flat Bottom Egg Basket
• Ribbed Potato Basket
• Solid Bottom Shaker Basket
• Williamsburg Basket
• Cherokee Comb Basket
• Twined Planter
• Two-Pie Basket
• Wool Drying Basket
• Fishing Creel
• Nantucket Lightship Basket
• Shaker "Cat-Head" Basket

This book is comprehensive and beautiful. It has explicit instructions. If you are a brand new beginner, there are some easier basket patterns just for you. Once you have mastered the basic weaving skills, the instructions on the more advanced baskets patterns in this book will help you be successful in weaving a beautiful basket.

One of my favorite things about this book is that it has such a wide variety of patterns. I hope you gathered that from my list. Each basket is unique from the next.

"The Basket Book" by Lyn Siler is a book that should be on every weaver's bookshelf.
Happy Weaving,
Nancy

Works for Me Wednesday--Reed Storage

(Before)

Dear Friends,
You may have seen some of this in a previous post, but this time I'm going to give you more of a close up of my reed storage.
Not long ago my husband and I shared an office. It was for his work and for my creating. It was a mess and it was not working. He was using a $5.00 garage sale desk, it's in the back left corner, and his work was spilling onto my crafting/creating table. Anytime I wanted to sit at it, I'd have to pile his work up and move it. He needed his own space and a much larger space at that.

(After)

(Before)

So, his birthday was approaching and I wanted to do something really special. He went out of town on a week long business trip and I got to work. I moved everything out and painted. I enlisted in the help of my in-laws and got his desk and book shelves assembled as well as put in a ceiling fan. I hung curtains and bought extra curtains to cover the garage shelving. You see, in the corner, my reed is stored on garage shelves. I was able to relocate my table to another part of the house, but had no place to move the reed. It needed to stay, so I wanted to make it look nice. I used the extra curtains and sewed them to the right length. I attached velcro to the top of them and adhesive velcro to the garage shelving and I covered the garage shelving with matching curtains. It looks so much better and when hubby is working it is out of site for him.

(After)

It is easy as pie to unvelcro and revelcro the curtains to get to my reed.
Below you can see my maple strips are stored in drainage tubes from the hardware store.
The full pounds of reed are stored in tubs.

The dyed reed are stored in bags that I made. These bags are made from mosquito netting that I got at the fabric store. I don't have the size as some are different. I just sewed bags the size I thought would be right to hold an open pound of reed. The mosquito netting is full of holes so there is no mildew or mold buildup as any damp reed will easily dry. PLEASE NOTE: If you are going to do this, make sure you get MOSQUITO netting, NOT nylon netting. Nylon netting will tear the instant you try to put reed in it. Mosquito netting is really strong.

I store my scraps in some plastic drawers. I know plastic is not ideal, but I make sure the reed is completely dry before I put it in them. I used to store my reed scraps according to color. Now I've found that storing it by size works better for me. If you open one of those bins you will find all kinds of colors in that specific size.

This is my reed storage system. By the way, Mike was extremely surprised to see his birthday present, and very VERY happy with it. As they say over at We are That Family, "This really works for me!"

Baskets of blessings,

Nancy

Tip Technique Tuesday--Decorating Your Home with Baskets

Dear Friends,
Baskets can serve a dual purpose by being both practical and decorative. I've found several wonderful ideas for how to decorate your home with baskets. I've compiled these from different sources and have added a few of my own ideas. Let me know how you decorate with baskets.
Enjoy and Baskets of Blessings,
Nancy

• If you have a country kitchen try hanging baskets from hooks on the ceiling or on a beam. Try placing several in a horizontal row.
• Hang some baskets with their bottoms down, or their handles down. Hang some of them on their sides.
• Don't feel you have to hang all square baskets or all circle baskets together in a row. While you can do this, you also can hang all different shapes and styles of baskets in a row. Or hang different shape baskets that comprise the same material, such as all twig baskets.
• Nothing says "welcome" more than a small basket in a guest room filled with trial size bottles of soap and shampoo.
• Have a second, larger basket in the guest room with an apple, orange and banana as well as a TV guide and brochures to local attractions to help your guests plan their stay.
• Willow baskets come in huge sizes. And they're sturdy and lightweight. Fill them with throw blankets and throw pillows in the living room to create a cozy look.
• Hang a large flat, round basket trays alone on a big empty wall or make it a trio. Put three round willow trays with the inside of the tray facing outward away from the wall.
  You can even try creating a basket wall collage.
• Place a beautiful basket on the mantelpiece over the fireplace. Baskets can mingle with your photos and other displays.
• Hate dusting your baskets but want to show them off? Try putting them in an enclosed cupboard or pie cooling rack that has clear windows on the door.
• Don't forget your front porch. With a table and chair on the porch, set a basket on the table that holds some potted flowers. Just be sure to put a liner in the basket so that water will not damage it.
• Consider putting baskets next to other woven items such as straw purses, table mats, floppy straw hats and straw coasters.
• Group similar origin baskets on a wood shelf above a doorway or archway. This is the perfect spot for visibility, yet you're not taking away a functional spot that you may need.
• Weave baskets using colors that match your decor.
• Baskets are not just for food and flowers. How about putting some beautiful polished rocks in a low flat basket.
• Don't forget to contain those magazines in a magazine basket.
• If you have a fireplace, weave a hearth basket to hold extra logs.
• In a laundry room, a basket can hold stray socks or corral laundry supplies for a pretty look.
• If the basket is to hang on wallpaper with a busy pattern, pick a solid color basket that complements or is the color of one of the elements in your wallpaper design. A multi-colored basket would clash or get lost in the jumbled design. A simple wire basket with a rattan base might be ideal in this situation.
• If you're hanging wall baskets or platters or other flat back baskets, think vertically too. Put a vertical row on each side of a doorway or archway. A basket can add three-dimensional texture to your otherwise flat smooth wall surface.
• Pot-bellied wall pocket baskets have a rounded bottom and front and a round fixed top handle. But their back is flat so it hangs flat against the wall. Fill them with dried flowers and hanging ivy.
• Create dried or fake flower arrangements in your tabletop basket. Pick a basket with a tight weave so the floral foam core doesn't show. Or if you're not handy with creating floral arrangements, buy an inexpensive pre-made floral arrangement from the craft section of bricks and mortar retailers, even one that's in a flower pot or basket already. Just drop the whole thing into your basket. If needed, fill in around the edges and rim with moss to hide the other planter or basket from view.
• Flat-backed cone baskets hang against the wall and hold free-flowing vines or dried spray arrangements. These baskets usually have a cone shaped base with a wider flared opening at the top (for instance, picture an ice cream cone or an upside down witch costume hat).
• The cornucopia basket is a classic. And it's easy to work with. This basket sort of looks like a horn. Stuff it with fake fruits and let them hang out a bit. Use a floral foam core if you need to do so to keep fruit or other elements in place. Use the cornucopia basket as a seasonal centerpiece. You can put other things in it as well, such as a free-flowing fern that sets on an end table.
• Finally, don't forget the holidays. Easter baskets decorate a table with much beauty. Miniature baskets can become ornaments on a Christmas tree.

Video #9 Cutting and Tucking the Stakes

Dear Friends,

This video explains how to cut and tuck the stakes on your basket. Remember you can watch this and all of my videos in order on my Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/basketmasternancy

I hope you all had a happy Mother's Day yesterday. I didn't get to sleep in, but then again, I never do so I'm used to it. Mike got me a Nikon Coolpix camera so I spent most of the day reading the manual to it. We went to church in the evening and then out to dinner.

What did you do for Mother's Day?

Love and Blessings,

Nancy

What We're Weaving and Mr. Linky

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful mothers out there. God Bless all of you!
This is a basket I made for my mother. I hot glued a doily to it as well as hot glued the little pansy cerammic piece to the doily. The size of this is perfect for putting packets of seed in it so that is just what I did! It uses a 4" x 6" 'D' handle. Did you make a basket for your mother? Have you made a basket for your mother in the past? If so, I'd love to see them. Link up with Mr. Linky below in What We're Weaving so we can all enjoy the beautiful baskets we've made for our mothers. You can link to your past posts.



What We're Weaving--Mother's Day

Several times a year I'm going to post What We're Weaving. This will give all of us an opportunity to share with one another what we are weaving and working on. It is intended to spark ideas with one another and to help us get to know other weavers all around the world. Hey, I and others want to know you are out there and to say hello to you! So please don't be shy and jump right on in.
Here's how:

1. Go to the specific blog post of your basket on your blog and click on the title of just that post. Then at the top of the page where it has the e-mail address that starts http://www/......... Just copy and paste that into Mr. Linky. This will take us directly to your blog post (not your blog home page) and we won't have to search through your blog to find the basket you want to show us. It is also going to ask for your name. You may use your first and last names or just your first if you want.

2. Please mention and link to my blog on your blog. Then we all get to see beautiful baskets and get to know more and more basket weavers. Let others know to post links to their beautiful baskets here as well.


Again, Happy Mother's Day. How are you going to celebrate? What did your children do for you? What did you do for your mother? We are going to church this morning and I'll call my mother and mother-in-law. As for what else happens, I'll have to let you know tomorrow.

Baaskets of Blessings,

Love,

Nancy

Around the House

It has been a busy month for our oldest daughter Katie, who is about to turn 16. She has been taking scuba lessons and as a family we went camping last weekend to Santa Rosa, NM where she completed her open water dive and received her certification. She has joined the ranks of her parents as a diver. A little FYI about Santa Rosa. They have a sink hole called the Blue Hole. Many divers come here, and at least this weekend, the visibility was great. It has a constant temperature of 61 degrees so a wet suit is necessary. (I'll confess, I really only like to warm water dive.) There is speculation that the caverns under Santa Rosa continue all the way to Carlsbad Caverns and that this sinkhole, once cavern, is somehow connected. Mike went and dove with her and her class while I stayed at the campsite with our other children. Katie was a "happy camper" literally once she had finished all 5 dives.

Have a blessed weekend.

Nancy
This post links to:
http://thetrendytreehouse.blogspot.com/2010/04/come-on-by-trendy-treehouse-every.html

Feature a Friend Friday--Cathryn Peters, The Weavin' Wicker Woman

Cathryn Peters--The Weavin' Wicker Woman

Dear Friends,
I've been browsing Cathryn Peter's blog for some time and she is truly an artist in the world of wicker and weaving. Cathryn is not new to blogging as she has been on the scene since 2004 and has been keeping weavers up-to-date with conventions and other weaving, wicker, and furniture restoration events, tips and facts. Cathryn has done some amazing wicker furniture restoration and caning and is full of information in this area. She is your 'go-to' gal in this field.Cathryn has a website called The Wicker Woman. It is a great resource and has articles related to basket weaving, caning and wicker furniture care.

Take note of her beautiful antler and ribbed baskets. You will find patterns for some of these on her website.Be sure to visit her blog as well as her website and don't forget to link up and follow her. The knowledge that she shares with us all in her areas of expertise are invaluable. Thank you Cathryn for sending me these great photos to use here.
Leave her a great comment and tell her Nancy says "Hi!"
Baskets of Blessings,
Nancy
PS. If you weave baskets full time or even on occasion as a hobby, let me know and I may just feature you some Friday.

Hopi Basket Weaving

Photo taken in 1901 by A.C. Vroman

Photo by J.H. McGibbney taken in 1968

I guess I've had an interest in coiled baskets lately. I've been reading some very interesting articles on Hopi basket weaving. I'll pass on what little I know and I hope you enjoy the pictures.

The Hopi weavers are making a coiled style of basket which is the typical style for them. In the top picture, you can see the Hopis also used some 'standard' twill weaving techniques. Bright primary colors covering broad areas make up the decoration. The quality of this type of basket, resulting from the size of the coil foundation and the use of large areas of color, sets it apart from other native weaving. Designs, often done in bold bright colors, are either geometric or depictions of ceremonial Kachina figures.

Over time, the coiled baskets have improved in technique, but their design has not changed over the years. As in many instances with weaving, originally baskets were created to serve a function. Now many of the Hopi baskets are created strictly for art.

Baskets of Blessings,
Nancy

You Know You're Addicted to Basket Weaving If...

This has been circulating around the internet. The best I can determine is the original author is Kim Renich, weaver, basket designer and pattern writer. Enjoy this bit of basket humor.

Baskets of Blessings,

Nancy

You know you're addicted to basket weaving if... by Kim Renich
(Nancy's comments are in parenthesis)

• You have patterns you bought 2 years ago that you've never made!


• You've bought the same pattern twice without realizing you already had it!


• You have more than one tape measure! (and you've snipped a tape measure while cutting stakes)


• You've snipped a "V" in the tip of your finger while cutting a stake! (I've done this! Yikes it hurt!)


• You have half finished baskets that you know you'll never finish but can't bear to throw out!


• You weave until you discover a problem and then go back and read the directions!


• Your basket supplies get the biggest closet in the house!


• Your shirts have dye splatters on them!


• You have so many patterns that you've alphabetized them!


• You've cut up at least one basket


• You hope your husband doesn't ask you how much you spent in class that night! (or online at the basket shop)


• And...You know you're addicted to baskets if every room in your house has a basket in it!

Tip Technique Tuesday--Handle Substitutions

Here is a photo of a swing handle and two small ears that go with the swing handle. The small ears get woven down into the basket and the loops of them go through the holes in the big handle. The loops are just above the basket so this enables the handle to swing back and forth. If you've broken an ear, it is possible to just buy a single "U" handle to replace it. You might have to sand the new small "U" handle to make it thinner to fit in the hole of the swing handle. If you've broken your swing handle, heaven forbid, you can use the small ears as handles themselves, as a handle on the back of a wall basket or use both at the ends of a bread basket or smaller muffin basket.
Happy Weaving,
Nancy

Video #8 is up--Splicing reed and Finishing the sides

In today's lesson we cover splicing a weaver. There are times when you run out of a weaver before weaving around the sides of your basket. The key when that happens and you have to splice is just make sure all your ends are hidden within your weaving. You will see in my video how I do just that.

Happy Weaving and Baskets of Blessings,

Nancy

Share a Basket Sunday

I love this basket. I taught this basket years ago as an intermediate/advanced class. It has so many beautiful techniques to it. The title of it is, "Sampler Basket Indiana State Fair Basket 1988". The author of this pattern is Suzanne Hickey. It uses an 8" x 12" D handle. Believe me, if you weave this one you will receive lots of Ohhh's.... and Ahhh's.....
Happy Weaving,
Nancy

Around the House

This is a non-basket weaving post but just some fun things going on around our house.

I continue to take cake decorating classes with Emily. Here are pictures of Emily's cake that she last made. She made it for the nursery at church. It is all the babies she takes care of at the top of the cake and all the helpers at the bottom.

My garden is going in. I planted 11 tomato plants 1 eggplant and 5 pumpkin plants that I started indoors from seed. I have many more plants still inside but I just think they are too fragile to move outdoors yet. Take a look here at my rhubarb! (by the way, I'm waiting for my rhubarb to turn pink. Do you think it should have by now?)My front door has brought so many smiles to our faces. You see, the plant just to the left of it I swapped out artificial Christmas poinsettias and replaced them with pink roses and other flowers. A small finch built a nest in those artificial flowers and layed 4 eggs. I now have four little birds.

Can you see those tiny baby birds in the nest above?

My best frugal find of the week is "Home Comforts" by Cheryl Mendelson. I found this at the thrift store for $1.99 and retail price is $35.00. It has been on my list of books to watch for, for over a year.

This book has not disappointed me. It seems to be an invaluable treasure trove of information regarding comforts of the home through house keeping.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and that you find many things to smile about.
Baskets of blessings,
Nancy