Sharing a Book--Between Friends, Craft Projects to Share

I checked out this book at the library, "Between Friends, Craft Projects to Share" by Charlotte Lyons. Let me tell you, it is just lovely. I know this isn't basket weaving related, but many of us weavers have a strong gene for crafting that runs in our blood. This book is more than just craft projects. It is some beautiful reading that speaks of the bond between women as friends and the bond that increases through doing crafts together. It does have projects that are divided into sections: projects that can be done in an hour, half day, all day, weekend long, and longer. The projects in the book are just my taste and style. They are cozy, warm and inviting crafts, not too over-the-top artsy, although I'm sure if that is your style, you could put your own spin on the crafts mentioned in this book. I've just done some searching and have found that Charlotte Lyons has a website HERE. She has a blog HERE. Now, I've just found those sites, so I haven't spent time on her blog and website, but believe me I will be reading it over the summer. By the way, if you go to Amazon.com, you can look through several of the pages in her book.
I know for myself, weaving and scrapbooking are so much more fun when I get together with friends. I have found however that the crocheting I've been doing recently, I quite enjoy going on my back patio all alone and crocheting on the outdoor sofa listening to the birds, enjoying my garden and the breeze through the trees. I've decided that the repetition of crocheting is just what I've needed to relax from the stress of two teenage daughters and a pre-teen son. (Should my children be stressful? Learning to drive, interested in boys. Yikes!)
Do you do crafts or hobbies other that basket weaving? If so, I'd love to hear about them.
Have a wonderful day. I hope the weather is just as pretty in your neck of the woods as it is here in New Mexico this morning. The sky is blue and there is just a slight breeze. I have the windows and patio door wide open. I've watered the rosemary that's out the back door so the smell is simply yummy.
Blessings,
Nancy

Technique/Tip Tuesday--In need of Basketry Clipart?

If you are ever looking for basket weaving related clip art, be sure to visit Susi Nuss's website for clip art HERE. Much is free. Some of it requires permission to use or has terms of usage.

Enjoy and Baskets of Blessings,

Nancy

Video #12 Staining Your Basket

In this video I demonstrate how to stain your basket with liquid Minwax.

Enjoy and Baskets of Blessings,

Nancy

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