Large serving tray with pink highlights

At yesterday's tray-basket-making class, I demonstrated how to make trays by making the tray shown here. The base of this tray measures 15" by 11". For each class member I provided a choice of bases, some this large and others perhaps 12" by 12".
The tray bases were ready for weaving. Holes were drilled around the circumferences at 1" intervals, the trays were sanded to a fine finish and a coating of food-safe beeswax added.




Each participant was given a bundle of stakes to soak and then push through the up to 50 pre-drilled holes. Each then locked these stakes in position as shown on this photograph. On the top side of the tray the class members were taught how to do twining weave, stop and go weave for the flat cane, and how to put pony beads on for the handle ends. There was a choice of colours for the flat weavers and for the pony beads. For finishing, I showed the students how to make a rolled border

When I remember, I "sign" the bases as JTB and the year.

My "new" studio

At last I was able to move all my baskets down to my basement studio and set them up there. They were piled up in the upstairs living room pretty well immediately after the July 24th flood. 99% of the renovation work is completed. A cupboard still needs to be installed to box in the water meter and clean outs in my storage room. But that's about it.




As you can see from the photographs, the basement is newly painted in three shades of yellow. It is bright and sparkling. My baskets make a colourful display and I can now find a particular item easily. Any new sales from my Etsy shop will entail a short search rather than a long one.

Visitors to the studio are welcome. I could even teach students in this warm and inviting area.

Assembling material for my tray-making class

On Sunday November 15th I will be teaching four or more students how to make this tray or a similar one. At last night's Guild meeting I was told I have four students registered, with openings for two more to my maximum of six.





Today I began to assemble the material I will take to the Guild's classroom/weaving room in downtown Ottawa. Along with the verbal instruction and the demonstration as I show the students how to make the tray, I will also give each student a generic set of written instructions as shown here. Some students learn by seeing, others by doing, and others by reading.



Each student will have the materials and tools supplied. They will be able to choose the colour or colours they wish to weave with in the flat cane segments of the weaving. Choice may also be made as to the colour of the pony beads some may choose for added embellishment.





Students may also choose the size of the tray base. Some bases are square and others are rectangular. All have been pre-drilled, sanded and finished with a light coat of beeswax.

I look forward to a constructive afternoon of three hours or so in length where beautiful finished products will be made. I hope to show off the finished trays in my blog on the 15th or 16th.

For those of you unable to take part in my class, similar trays can be purchased through my Etsy shop. Alternatively, you could purchase a Tray Kit from me. Such kits include all the materails you need, written instructions as well as visual tutorials showing the various steps in the making of trays. These tutorials can be seen on the June 9th blog.

Introducing Judy Kavanagh: hand spinning and knitting

One of the things that is good about belonging to a Guild such as the Ottawa Valley Weavers and Spinners Guild is that you meet such interesting people. Judy Kavanagh is one such person. Judy is shown here with the Handy Basket she purchased from me today at the Guild's Exhibition and Sale.

Judy's business card reads, "Judy Kavanagh: hand spinning and knitting." It really does not do her justice. When I looked at the display of her work, I saw hand spun wools made from a wide variety of sources. And her finished items included scarves made from these exotic sources. A very finely woven scarf, for example, was labelled as being made from the wool (?) of Husky dogs. Other products were from fibres provided from Persian cats. And no, she does not shave them! She collects the wool as she combs the dogs and cats (and has others collecting the fibres too.)

Judy also gave me a small tubful of wallnuts so I can use these in the future as a natural dye for my cane. She sent me to another Guild member, Elizabeth Watt, to learn how to process these nuts so as to produce the dye. There I was told to put these in a bucket of water and to store them in an outside shed over the winter. There the freeze-thaw process will do the preparation. The bucket must also have a lid to prevent the squirrels from stealing them.

I am to contact Elizabeth in the spring to learn step two. At least two other Guild members stressed that I MUST wear rubber gloves in the dyeing process, and also mentioned a stink. What a task to look forward to in the spring. Thanks, Judy!

At the Ottawa Valley Weavers and Spinners Guild 60th Anniversary Exhibition and Sale

My booth at the Exhibition and Sale had three tables, so I was able to arrange my baskets in categories rather than massing them all in a disarray.







The rib baskets, with the sign, were all placed together. This made for better organisation.







Similarly, I was able to cluster all the trays, tray kits and trivets on the one table.







My seven sewing baskets could all be placed together, with a sign describing the upcoming classes to make such baskets.








There was even space to set up my line of Greeting Cards.







And the coffee cup sleeves has a place to themselves.

Renovations have a down side!

On Monday of last week, the renovations to clean up the flood damage began. This was two months after the July 24th flood. But our house is well ahead of many others in the community!



My storage area shown here was the first to have the dry wall replaced and mudding begin. The subfloor was also insatlled. A 5' by 5" area of that subfloor will have to be removed so a plumber can jack-hammer the concrete floor to install anti-flood valves on the sewer and storm water drains.






This is where our eldest son sleeps. It is not the most salubrious of areas at the moment. Still, he does have access by 4 30 pm. He works an early morning shift loading trucks for UPS and so leaves for work at 2 00 am each day.












His bathrom area is not functional. The toilet was removed from its wax ring so the dry wall behind could be installed and mudded. While the tub and shower are fuctional, they are not usable. The 20l flush toilet will be replaced with a low flush dual toilet.













The downstairs living room is a mass of piled up material. Somewhere in there is Anne's piano. No practicing! When I search for basketry supplies and tools, I sometimes despair at finding what I need.












The laundry room and downstairs kitchen leaves a lot to be desired. Anne did manage to do some laundry this weekend, but it was a struggle.











This is the area of my "Studio" in which I normally work. Lately I have worked on baskets and my new line of cards upstairs in the dining area.











All my finished baskets are stored temporarily in the upstairs dining area. I hope to be able to sort out baskets I need for next weekends West Carleton Arts Society's Exhibition and Show from this assortment.

Market Basket

I added another Market Basket to my Etsy shop today. It will also accompany me to the Carp Fairgrounds on the Thanksgiving weekend (Canadian) and to the Glebe on Halloween weekend. There I will be taking part in exhibitions and shows.






The Carp show is hosted by the West Carleton Arts Society and features the work of artists and artisans from the western suburbs and the countryside to the west of Ottawa. On Saturday the 10th the Exhibition coincides with the Carp Farmers Market and opens from 8 00 am to 4 oo pm.




The Ottawa Valley Weavers and Spinners Guild 60th Anniversary Exhibition and Show will feature a variety of spinners, weavers and makers of hand-made textile goods. Its title. "More than just cloth" does not really do justice to the quality and range of items for sale their. High end goodies!

Centre piece - mini wheelbarrow

The wheelbarrow- Centre piece is now completed and posted on my Etsy shop. It came out quite well. It can serve as a centre-piece for all seasons. The dried flower arrangement could be used with it at any time of the year.

The photograh here shows the underside of the barrow. The axels are made from cedar. It smells lovely

The front of the barrow is finished with wooden beads of various shades of brown ro complement the weavers of flat and round cane that are brown too.

The tomatoes, green pepper, and zuccini are from my garden, freshly picked.

Check out "Storque" at Etsy

Today, at 1 00 pm Eastern Time, the Storque online magazine of Etsy published an article I wrote about the challenges of retirement. You can view this report by going to my Etsy shop (click on one of my images adjacent to this blog). From there click on "Community" and then "The Storque."

Read and enjoy.

Wicked weaves

On our last visit to the local public library, Anne selected the book, "Wicked Weaves" as one I might find interesting. For relaxation we both read mystery novels. As you can see, the title and the cover photograph of the book infer that this mystery is set around basket-making.

The story is set in the Carolinas, in Myrtle Beah, a favourite haunt of many Canadians, particularly those who golf. We spent two weeks in Myrtle Beach a couple of years ago and enjoyed it very much even with the latter part of the second week coinciding with biker week.

The story centres around the local basket-making there at a Renaissnce Fair big business resort featuring jousting, renaissence crafts, castles and kings and queens. When we were in the area we did not go to such a site, but we did check out the local basket-makers. The coiled baskets, as shown in the photo are made from braided sweet grass, pine needles and palm leaves. A very different basket-making craft than mine.

The novel has not grabbed me as yet, but details follow if you wish to obtain it:

Wicked Weaves, by Joyce and Jim Laverne, published by Berkley of New York, September 2008.

A "Balanced" approach to tray making.

A few weeks ago I made my first "trade" through Etsy. Anne selected two sets of ear rings made by Etsian "Balanced" and in return I sent Balanced a tray-making kit. Anne loves the ear rings!



Balanced lives in Dublin, Ireland so it took a while for the kit to arrive there. It did arrive a couple of days ago, and Balanced's blog shows her beautiful, new tray with basket edging.



You can see the tray and the flattering comments about my tutorials at http://balancedcrafts.com/blog/ and visit her Etsy shop at http://www.balanced.etsy.com//

Featured Etsian: AudreysCountryCrafts

A few weeks ago, Audrey of AudreysCountryCrafts contacted me to ask if I was willing to be featured in her blog:(http://audreyscountrycrafts.blogspot.com/) In her blog, Audrey fetures Canadian artists and artisans. I agreed and became one of her featured artists. I am now reciprocating that offer and featuring Audrey here.

Audrey lives on a farm near Altona, Manitoba. This community is south of Winnipeg. When we lived in Red Lake in N.W. Ontario, Altona would be described as only six or seven hours away by car, a short drive for a weekend.

Audrey, like me, came up with the name for her business by combining her name with a description of what she does. As you can see from the three examples here, she does specialise in a variety of country crafts. "After being on Etsy, my shop name is kind of boring. There are so many out there with much cooler names."

Audrey started her crafting when she was very young. "My Mom sewed a lot of our clothes when we were younger. And so I started sewing and playing with the sewing machine then. I sewed a lot of my boys clothes when they were young for boys clothes are pretty easy. Then I saw an article in the local paper. Someone was giving beginner folk art painting classes. It looked interesting and Brad (hubby) was all for it. I was a stay-at-home mom and he thought it would be a good way for me to get out of the house one evening a week. He would take care of the boys. I think he's sorry now. He didn't realize it would get out of hand and take up a whole room in the house. Too late now."

There are many other crafts she would like to try, but comments from Brad such as, "You're not going to start doing that too," are a little inhibiting. Audrey may (maybe) stick to the many crafts she enjoys now.

Her inspirations come from a group of friends she meets with regularly on Wednesday evenings. But the greatest inspiration comes from her 93.5 year-old Grandmother who, despite losing her eyesight, still knits everyday, making scarves, mittens and slippers for her grandchildren. "I hope I can still craft when I am 93."

Audrey works part-time as a school bus driver. "Its a wonderful job for a mom. I have holidays when the boys do and summers off!"

Audrey most enjoys making items such as the painted jean blamket. ""I enjoy making them because they encompass sewing and painting, my two favourite things to do." And like all crafters she adds, "There are definately items I will never do again. I loved the way they turned out, but they were too much work and you can only charge so much."

Visit her etsy shop at www.AudreysCountryCrafts.etsy.com/