Some weeks …
aren’t what you plan …
I got home from the Texas Basket Weavers Association convention late on January 23rd. It was a great event, but that’s a lot of miles and I was hoping for a quiet eight days at home before heading out again. No such luck. It wasn’t a bad week – just a little crazy. Well, maybe a lot crazy! My short list of ‘must do’ grew and grew and grew. Here’s a peak: Read more
2017 Basketpalooza !!
I am home and sorta unpacked – the Texas Basket Weavers Association 2017 
conference has come and gone. It was a great event a great line up of teachers and a wonderful group of students! As well as, wonderful baskets, both being woven and exhibited. I was honored to have won first place in the professional category – thank you Texas!
My only complaint was that it rained a lot and then when it finally cleared I was to busy to get outside to enjoy it – but hey, it was warmer than Wisconsin! Read more
Annetta’s Basket ABCs
Here goes my ABC of baskets – how many have you made?
A is for Arrows
B is for Braid Obsession
C is for Carats
Weavin’ in Winona with Deb Mather
Weavin’ in Winona with Deb Mather
Crafting was part of life for Deb Mather, who grew up on a farm in northern Illinois, so when her sister invited her to join her at a basket class in 1992, she said yes. After work Deb drove to Morrison, Illinois, a one and a half hour drive away, and made a Primitive style Double Jar Basket. Deb was still pretty excited after the hour drive home – she couldn’t wait to show her husband what she had made. Fred says that one look at her face and he knew he was in trouble!
Well, that was the beginning, basket weaving soon became a part of Deb’s life. For the next two and a half years Deb drove to Morrison to take many basket classes. Her house started to fill with baskets and basket supplies and she started teaching some coworkers how to make baskets.
Read more
Oliebollen – a New Year tradition
Along the same vein as last week, being the child of Dutch immigrant’s meant that New Years the house was full of relatives and we made Oliebollen. Translated that means Oil Ball. I know I know, it doesn’t sound very tasty, but trust me they are. An Oliebollen is basically a donut with fruit in it. Read more
Almond Bars for Christmas
Holiday Happenings
It’s the Christmas Season – so our guild just had it’s annual Christmas party. In addition to delicious food and planning our 2017 calendar, we also returned our traveling baskets to their owners. We always have so much fun with this project. Curious? Check out my post from last year about how the Traveling Basket Project works here. Here’s a peak at some of this year’s baskets: Read more
How to use Clips – Weaving the First Rows of a Basket
Today I am going to talk about one of our favorite tools and using them effectively. Clips.
When I tell students to get out their clips, some pull out their old faithful wooden clothes pins and others pull out a wide array of clips and ask which ones are best. 🙂 Like many of you, I have a variety of clips, wooden clothes pins work for almost anything, but sometimes you need something smaller.
And when you are a basket teacher you accumulate all kinds of clips – this is what was on my weaving table today! The bottom line is, almost any clip can be used, the important thing is to learn to use them effectively. Read more
Happy Thanksgiving
We all have our favorite Thanksgiving recipes – here’s one of ours:
Cranberry Orange Relish
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, halved
- 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
- 1 orange, peeled, sliced and quartered
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
November Weaving
When I spend most of my time in the studio, ignoring my computer, blogging becomes a reflection of that. Not always exciting, but it is my life. So here’s what I’ve been doing:
Tiny Stuff
We had our first real frost over the weekend and the air finally has a hint of winter in it. I’m not quite ready to decorate for Christmas, but it did remind me that I wanted to share my trees with you.
Home
Coming home from the Association of Michigan Basketmakers Convention marked the end of my 2016 travels. I am home for a few months – it really is a wonderful thought! I have so many pictures in my head to weave!
Unfortunately, I started my season of home with a severe case of laryngitis – imagine ten days of me with no voice. 🙂 Now that the fever and chills are past and my voice has returned, I am back to having more things I want to do, then time to do them in! I already have three new baskets in process and … but yesterday was a glorious autumn day and I just couldn’t stay inside. So I moved my ‘studio’ to the deck.
I brought some freshly dyed reed outside to play with Read more
A Weaver’s Wonderland
I just got home from the Association of Michigan Basketmakers Annual Conference in Lansing, Michigan. This year’s event, A Weaver’s Wonderland, was inspired by Alice in Wonderland – complete with a mad tea party! I taught five classes, had great students and found time to enjoy the exhibit hall, luncheons, vendors and friends.
Last week I posted a photo of my basket, Beachcomber, which was raffled off at the convention. I have had several positive comments on that piece, but I wish you could have seen all the beautiful pieces they raffled off. Five other attending teachers had pieces in the raffle, however the real stars of the raffle were two pieces from Fred Ely’s collection:
One of Theresa Ohno’s beautiful baskets Read more
Kits!!
This is my last week of teaching away from home for the year. I have traveled across the country – north to south and east to west! I have enjoyed attending so many basket events and guild meetings, and I really loved seeing so many of you! But it will be good to spend a couple of months at home – I have patterns to write and baskets to weave!
And right now I have a lot of basket kits – so I have added them to the website. I will add a few more when I return from Michigan, but quantities are limited. When they are gone – they are gone. You can find these kits in The Store. Read more
I love your Beaded Ring Basket. They make wonderful gifts. I am having trouible finding the 5/32″ black ash (FO) for rimming. Any suggestions on where I can go to find this?
Hmm that’s a good question. Try Red Valley Splint.
What is the name of the basket you have on your email post – the diagonal plaited basket with two handles??? Love it.
The basket is called ‘Zoe’ I am weaving it and writing the pattern right now 🙂
I finished the four strand braid basket with beads . A bit of a challenge to figure out, the video was great. Live the way the beads went in. A fun little basket.
Great!! Glad the video helped!
Beautiful baskets! Especially love the miniatures on the trees! Thanks for sharing.
I notice the comment about the 4 strand brad basket with beads. I am looking for a basket pattern that uses beads in the basket. What do you suggest? Thank you for the help.
Shirley, I have one basket that incorporates beading in the weave: Beaded Ring Basket
I also know that Susan Coyle has some beautiful basket patterns with beads. I am not sure if she has a web site, but you may be able to find her patterns on basketpatterns.com
I hope this is a good start for you.
Hi Annette,
I’m making your Twines and Braids pattern, and am in need of more beads for this basket. May I ask where you purchased
them, so I can order more?
Thank you!!!
Betty G