My Introduction Video

 Hi Friends, 

My so much has changed over the years.  I made this very first video back in 2009.  I'm trying to revitalize this blog a bit so I'm going to reintroduce you to the videos.  Yes, I know they are not the best quality.  I was learning back then.  But please enjoy this blast from the past.

Make it a great day everyone!

Nancy

Weave a basket for Easter

 

With Easter just around the corner, keep your eyes open for some small bunnies.  This is a blast from the past that I wove for my kitchen counter.  I had found this bunny, probably at Hobby Lobby or Michaels and then used a small bit of wire to attach it to the basket.  You could take off the bunny after Easter and replace it with other embellishments for other holidays.

Slanted baskets are fun to make.  Just don't weave the full way around the basket.  One tip, the best size of weavers to use are 1/4" or smaller.  The smaller the weaver, the more gradual the slant.  You can see in my basket that there is a gap between the weavers and the rim.  The smaller the weaver, the smaller the gap.

I hope you are all getting ready for Easter and enjoying the season.

Make it a great day everyone!

Nancy

Square Napkin Basket

This is my favorite square basket measuring 7" x 7" x 4".  It is a napkin basket made using 1/2" reed for the stakes and 3/8" flat reed for the natural weavers and 11/64" flat reed in brown for the chain link design and the lashing.  The rim uses 1/2" flat oval dyed brown.  Seagrass is used for the filler along the rim.

Here is a list of the supplies needed for the above basket.  To help you out, I will link where to find these items on Amazon.    By purchasing through the Amazon links I earn a small commission at no cost to you.

• 1/2" flat reed for the stakes
• 3/8" flat reed for the base filler and weaving up the sides
• #2 round reed for twining around the base 
• 3/16 flat or flat oval reed dyed in color of choice
• 1/2" flat oval reed for the rim
• 3/16" flat oval reed for the lashing
• Seagrass

I hope this brings you a bit of weaving inspiration!

Nancy

Basket Weaving Update and Mini Market Basket

Dear Friends,

My how the time has passed.  Let me fill you in on the changes that have occurred.

• We are living in Michigan
• We are in good health!
• Mike and I are owners of Apple Spice which is a box lunch and catering business
• Our two oldest, the girls, are both married
• We are new grandparents of twins
• One of the twins has a cleft lip and palate
• Our son is engaged
• I play the handbells at our church
• Mike and I are starting an internet venture Living Phase 2
• I continue to run and operate Embroidery It and the Embroidery It Etsy shop
• Our days are full
• Most importantly, God is good - always

I'm in the process of regenerating some of the content here as although the years have passed, I continue to get questions regarding basket weaving emailed to me.  Through the years things have naturally changed.  Links I've given in the past no longer work.  Businesses I've referred to are sadly no longer around.  So I'm going through the content I've produced and am updating the information to make it current.

The above photo is a mini market basket.  Although I don't have patterns available for all my basket photos, by following my YouTube videos, or following the free patterns I have on this website - see the home page - you will be able to recreate this basket.

Here is a list of the supplies needed for the above basket.  To help you out, I will link where to find these items on Amazon.  Everything except the handle can be found on Amazon.  By purchasing through the Amazon links I earn a small commission at no cost to you.

• 4 x 6 D handle find the handle HERE
• 1/2" flat reed for the stakes
• 3/8" flat reed for the base filler and weaving up the sides
• #2 round reed for twining around the base 
• 3/16 flat or flat oval reed dyed in color of choice
• 3/8" flat oval reed for the rim
• 3/16" flat oval reed for the lashing
• Seagrass

The basket dimensions are 4" wide x 6" long x 3" high not including handle height.

So, please friends, enjoy this revamped Basketmaster Weavings with some new photos thrown in and Happy Weaving to you all!

Make it a great day,

Nancy

 

Embroidery Library's New Christmas Lookbook

Dear Friends,

I love to look at great inspiration on the web and yes, it is time to be thinking of our Christmas embroidery projects. This week Embroidery Library released a free Christmas Lookbook that I am happy to share it with you here. If you didn't get a chance to see it or missed it in your mail, you can look at it right here on my blog. Just click the "Click to Read" button on the photo.

Yes they have some beautiful designs, but also take note in how they use them. The designs are on pillows, tote bags, tags, turned into ornaments and much more. Let this lookbook also be an inspiration to use your current designs in your stash in some new and fun ways. And of course, it is also fun to get a few new updated designs each year for the holidays.

Enjoy!

Nancy

be creative daily and live life beautifully

Machine Embroidery Let's Celebrate Pennant Banner Alphabet Starts Today

Dear Friends, Banners are so much fun and bring a smile to everyone's face. They are a perfect decoration for any season or event. So I'm excited to share with you my newest alphabet design titled "Let's Celebrate". "Let's Celebrate" is an applique pennant banner alphabet designed for the 5 x 7 hoop. I have created a fun and whimsical alphabet that will be ideal for birthdays, baby and bridal showers, holidays, and other celebrations. Each letter has just a touch of applique that retain a raggy edge.

I've stitched my alphabet here on felt but fabric or burlap would also look great. Each week I will release a new letter and then the previous letter will be for sale in my Etsy shop.

Visit my website at www.embroideryit.com and scroll down to the bottom to get to get the letter A.  Instant download in PES, VIP, VP3, JEF, HUS, and DST formats.

Please be sure to tell your embroidery friends to hop on over here so they can get started with this set here at the beginning.

Enjoy the letter A this week.

Blessings,
Nancy
be creative daily and live life beautifully

New Free Rick Rack Alphabet starts on Wednesday

Hi Friends,
Hope you are all staying warm.  I just wanted to post about my new FREE alphabet set which starts on Wednesday. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to stay in-the-loop. Each letter will be available for free for approximately 1 week. Leaf file will be included as an option as well as instructions on making the yo-yo flower. www.embroideryit.com
Blessings,
Nancy

Machine Embroidery Free Design Banner Alphabet A

 
Dear Friends,

I've left this site quiet for a long time.  I don't expect it to regain it's activity but I do want to let you know where I'm at and what I'm doing these days. 

I've been deep into machine embroidery as well as digitizing embroidery designs.  That is my latest passion.  Being creative is how God made me so I'm truly enjoying this.  If you do machine embroidery or know someone who does, I want to let you know I'm releasing a free alphabet letter each week.  The letter A has been available for a few days and will be removed tomorrow, Wednesday night and will be replaced with the next letter.

Even though this site has been quiet, I'm still getting comments and e-mails from this blog so I guess I will post a rare notice here in hopes to direct any of you to my current website www.embroideryit.com  Embroidery It is where I am blogging and where you will get all the latest information on what is happening in the studio, aka spare room in the basement.  There is no basket weaving on that site though :-(

For a limited time I am offering the Banner Alphabet "A" as a free embroidery design. It will be available for about 1 week and then I will replace it with a new letter.  Here on this blog site, I'm letting you know it will be available only until Wednesday night, tomorrow night so grab it quick!  Follow the directions below on how to get it as well as the rest of the free alphabet letters as they come out.  This will be your only notice on this blog about the banner alphabet.  My newsletter or website will keep you up-to-date with the remainder of the letters.

I am doing this instead of having sales as I feel this is a fair way to offer quality designs to everyone. Quite frankly, I hate purchasing something and then it go on sale a week later. That grates me. So, I want you to know to grab it free at the beginning and once it is removed from the free section, it will be offered for sale. For those of you who receive my newsletter, you learned of this several days ago. If you haven't signed up for my newsletter, consider doing so. It will keep you up-to-date when I have new and noteworthy information to share. The newsletter subscription is on my Embroidery It website. Now, for the banner alphabet...You will need a 5 x 7 hoop for most of the letters that will be offered. There are a few letters that will fit into a 4 x 4 hoop, but most extend beyond the edges so a 5 x 7 hoop is needed. It is available in PES format. The final stitches are the buttonholes. Your machine will automatically stop before stitching them so you may use these letters as an applique and just leave the buttonholes off.


To download the design, go to the "Home" page and scroll to the bottom. There you will see the link. Click on the link and then save the ZIP file. I hope you all enjoy!!!

Embroidery Blessings and for those of you who e-mail me and send me pictures of your baskets, Happy Weaving,
Nancy

Almost Finished! - Handwoven rug and a Give Away!

 

Dear Friends,

 

Remember this?

Well it is almost finished!  Yippee!!  Just a few more rows and I'm ready to remove it from the loom.
The project wouldn't have taken nearly as long if I'd have just sat down and done it.
I'm doing the happy dance because I'm finishing it today.

Here is the give-away part.  I know I will not be weaving anymore rugs.  This size is approx 2' x 3'.  I like quicker projects :-)

If you would like the loom, and you are in the Albuquerque area, shoot me an e-mail to: basketmaster_nancy (at) yahoo (dot) com and I will be happy to meet you at a nearby McDonalds and give it to you.  You have until Feb. 1st to e-mail me.  I will not ship this, you have to be able to pick it up.  First one to e-mail me gets it.

If no one e-mails me, I'm going to contact my instructor and give it to her.  The cost of the loom was included in my class.  I'm sure she can use it for another student, but I would love to give it to one of you.

Hugs and blessings,

Nancy

 

My Garden Seed Packet Basket Deconstructed

Hi Friends and Happy January.  Brrr.....it is so cold here.  Bitter cold but no snow.  I live in the high desert outside of Albuquerque so we don't get too much moisture in my neck of the woods.

Today I'm showing you my garden seed basket and show you how it was made.

Enjoy and please stay warm,
Blessings and Happy Weaving,
Nancy