Willow Basket Making

 

 everyone!

Yesterday, my friend Kalyn came to my studio and we had a fun day of basket making. We had made the basket base last week, so the sides and top were on the days agenda.

Getting started-the stakes are in and working on the upset

 

I split some willow and experimented with using that for weaving. I like the idea of it and love splitting willow; something I have only ever done in the springtime with freshly harvested willow. I found it to be just as easy with rehydrated willow. And just as enjoyable.

While I have the opportunity, I think I will split a bit more so I can experiment more with that over the winter. You can sort of see it the split willow (looks white) on my basket on the left.

  

Beginning the rim...

Kalyn was pretty pleased with her results! 

As always with anything willow related is for me, it was an enjoyable day.

Growing up I remember going to 'the dump' with my Dad. That was the terminology used for what we refer to as 'transfer stations' where I live now... a place to bring trash and recycling. Only, way back then we just dumped it all in one big pile, no sorting, nothing. This meant that if someone had 'dumped' something that my Dad imagined he could use, repurpose or that might come in handy 'some day' it would come back home with us, thus making my Mom sputter a bit. These treasures generally found a home in my Dad's workshop in the basement and yes, sometimes re-emerged in the future in their repurposed form.

I am my fathers daughter. After the basketmaking cleanup was finished yesterday I sorted thru the 'discard' pile and ended up with several small bundles of willow... some that can be used for lantern making, all the fine little tips that I will experiment with to make a coil basket this winter and some larger diameter pieces I have some ideas for. Then there was a small pile of various sized pieces that I could not imagine a use for, so into the trash they went. 

Awhile later as I sat drinking a cup of tea at my drafting table and thinking about writing this post I had an idea so dug some of those willow pieces out of the trash (they were just sitting there right on top after all) for this...

and the 'HI' at the beginning...

I cannot promise they will go back in the trash... I will let you know.

What creative stuff have you been up to lately? I would love to hear from you, leave me a comment!

be well-

susie