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

Go Through the Bible in One Year as a New Year's Resolution

Happy Happy New Year to You!!!

Dear Friends,
I hope today, wherever in the world you are that it is a BEAUTIFUL day!  Happy New Year!

I'm talking today about the Daily Audio Bible as this is my third year to go through the Bible in audio form.  It NEVER gets old.  Since I was a little girl, I've had Christ in my life, but going through the Bible has changed my life forever and I'm truly blessed. 

Brian Hardin reads a passage in the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs each day.  Then he applies it to our lives today and finally callers who have called in with prayer requests or praise reports previously on a recorded line have their requests and praises played.  It is a privilege to get to pray for them, who I consider my Daily Audio Bible family, and they have prayed for me too.  What a blessing to know that hundreds of thousands of people are praying and joining together.

If you've thought you would like to go through the Bible in a year as a New Year's resolution, consider listening to it.  Brian's voice is comforting and he is so knowledgeable.  On occasion his family is on the air as well.  His wife Jill helps him and two of his children record Daily Audio Bible Kids.  It is precious.

So Friends, during 2013 and beyond:

May the Good Lord bless you and keep you,

May He make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you,

May He lift up his countenance on you and give you peace,

May the strength of God go with you,

May the wisdom of God instruct you,

May the hand of God protect you,

May the word of God direct you,

May you be sealed in Christ this day and forever more.

Amen.

 

With Love,

Nancy

Snowflakes for Sandy Hook Elementary

The tragedy in Newtown, CT has been on my heart as I'm sure it has been on yours. One of the children who passed away used to live in my town here in New Mexico.  I'm joining in on the Snowflakes for Sandy Hook Elementary movement to help welcome the children back to school.  Below is a quote from the North Canton Patch.

“Snowflakes for Sandy Hook” is one of several nationwide assistance movements spearheaded by the Connecticut PTSA on behalf of the Sandy Hook Elementary PTA. The National PTA joined in, sending out emails inviting PTA members across the U.S. to start crafting.
“When school resumes for Sandy Hook, it will be in a new building. Parent-volunteers are working to ensure that the students are welcomed back by a winter wonderland with the entire school decorated with as many unique snowflakes as possible,” the National PTA posted on its website.
 

Many crafters are making snowflakes from various media.  A number of machine embroidery designers have offered free snowflake patterns for enthusiasts like myself to stitch out.  I personally chose this free design offered by Lindee G. Embroidery.   I thought the design with the hearts in it truly spoke to me.


I love the music by Donna Cori Gibson. Here she sings the Chaplet of Divine Mercy or the 3:00pm prayer. Jesus is our rock even in times of sorrow such as this. Jesus I trust in you.

If you would like to make snowflakes for Sandy Hook Elementary, you are asked to get them in the mail by Jan. 12th.  The address is below.

Want to make snowflakes for Sandy Hook Elementary students? If so, have them in the mail by Jan. 12 addressed to: Connecticut PTSA, 60 Connolly Parkway, Building 12, Suite 103, Hamden, CT 06514
 

Warm winter blessings from my house to yours,
~Nancy

 

Merry Christmas from Basketmaster's Weavings

Dear Friends,
I want to wish each of you a very Merry and Blessed Christmas.  Like the wise men, may we too follow the star, follow the light, live in the light that leads us to our Lord and Savior.
With Love,
Nancy

ps.  Friends, if you would like to see what I have been doing lately, hop over to Embroidery It.  Machine Embroidery has become a new passion of mine and I'm fortunate that it is turning into a business.  The Christmas ornament above is one of my creations.