(Part 3) How I began Basket Weaving and then some....

Today I finish my story about how I began basket weaving. You can read part one HERE and part two HERE. I'm also going to mention where I think basket weaving is going to go in the future.


Just before this last Christmas I started developing my own website, http://www.basketmasterweavings.com/ . I have some ideas on where I want to take the website but I'm having trouble actually implementing them. Quite frankly the website has been stagnant and I'm not happy about that. I genuinely feel that God is calling me to reach out to others with His word. Over quite some time but the past year in particular, I've been so saddened with things I see, lack of human respect, the divorce rate, child abuse, the list goes on. It is nothing new, but these are things that have touched me greatly lately. (Perhaps I'm thinking more of these things as my own children are getting older. I pray my kiddos find good spouses and then I pray for the welfare of my future grandchildren.) I know my marriage and home life are far from perfect, but it is good and it is stable. I'm feeling a tugging that's hard to explain in that God wants me to use what I know to teach others. I know there are a lot of women (and men) out there who are just clueless about some of the important aspects of life. Back when I was working in the hospital I helped two 12 year old girls give birth to babies, yes 12 year olds. I had a handful of 13 and 14 year olds and more 15, 16, and 17 year old patients than I can count. Many of these girls were addicted to drugs, cocaine, methadone, heroin, etc. and then I had to take care of drug addicted babies. You can only imagine what their family situation was like. I'm a believer that things can change.

Like I said, I know my household is not perfect but I'm feeling that in some small way God is calling me to reach out to others and teach them. I don't know that my website is the way to do it, but it will be a start. I don't know how others will even find me and if they do will they be interested in what I have to write and say? I want to include my baskets and my crafting and homemaking skills on it as well. I'm just having trouble visualizing how I really want the website to turn out. It's a process. Then there is the question of if I should have a website AND a blog or just move everything over to the website? I guess time will tell with that.


I'd also like to sell some of my work on my website as well as some of my patterns. I've just been so timid to take the plunge. When I teach and had taught all those basket classes, I would write all my own patterns so I've got a notebook full of about 75 or so. I'd like to learn the process of running my own business. I'd like to sell other things I create besides basket related items. I'd like to try my hand at an Etsy shop. I'd like...I'd like....I'd like.... Every time I think I'm ready to take the plunge I present myself with all kinds of objections. And then I wonder how can I incorporate what I feel God calling me to do with my crafts?

So where do I think basket weaving is going to go in the future? I'm glad you asked. In the last 365 days I've seen a considerable leap forward in the handmade industry. I think handmade and homemade has been growing over the last 4 years or so, but in this past year the bell curve has skyrocketed upward. I see people more interested in crafting now than ever. I see people more interested in cooking at home. People want to make it themselves. They want to grow it themselves. I'm here to teach them what I can.

As one added side, people want to be green. They want to use what they have on hand or have access to. Every week for the past several months I've had questions asked to me about working with willow, grapevine, grasses and other locally grown materials. I know a few of you out there use these materials and I have you listed on my blog sidebar. I always direct the readers with these questions to your websites as it is an area that I have no expertise in at all. The sheer number of these questions leads me to believe that this style of weaving will be increasing immensely. I'll leave that teaching up to you.

So, if you've continued reading this far over these last three days you now know my story. If you get a chance on your blog, perhaps you will write your story. I'd love to read yours. Let me know with a comment you are out there and what you are up to and creating these days.

Please know that I pray for my readers every day. I am thankful for each and every one of you that you are a part of my life.
With love and blessings,
Nancy