Southwestern Ontario Basketry Guild

JANUARY & FEBRUARY - Twill Tote in two tone reed. Hannah’s Marriage Basket from Lyn Siler’s “The Basket Book” Guild Workshop leaders Germaine Osborn & Nancy Hager FEBRUARY - Willow Tension Tray Guild Workshop leader Frances Thorn MARCH - Free-Form Coiling on a Gourd Guild Workshop leader Catherine Devine APRIL - Rib Construction, basic technique - 10" Melon basket Guest instructor Cherilyn Braun MAY - Connie’s Carrier in flat reed - a great basket for your vehicle Guild Workshop leader Wanda Haydt JUNE - Rib Construction - Four 8-hour workshops in willow Guest Instructor Jo Campbell-Amsler Gypsy Melon Basket & Wisteria Bowl - Chatham Willow Ridge Herb Basket and Charm Basket - Strathroy JULY - Garden Harvest pattern by Debbie Richards, flat oval & round reed on a wooden base Guild Workshop leader Linda Dobinson AUGUST - Morning - Modified Gretchen rim on Garden Harvest basket, Afternoon - open weave and instruction on gat...

Two mini-workshops were featured simultaneously so the large group was divided into 2 classes of 8. Some students made a pretty star of willow taught by Frances Thorn and some created a plaited box of paper, either brown wrapping paper or Christmas gift wrap, taught by Nancy Hager. People loved their little star and the paper patterns were amazing.

Two days with guest instructor, Dolores von Rosen and learning to create her own hexagonal overlay weave market basket, what could be better? A class of 14 students set to work adding stakes to a large oval wooden base. As members worked through the process, a unique basket emerged. A few of the students with their finished baskets. Since there was a limit of 14 for Dolores' class, an additional one day workshop was offered to accommodate other guild members. They wove a large market basket in gorgeous colours hand dyed by instructor, Linda Dobinson. Some had finished their basket by the end of the day, quite an accomplishment. Here is an excerpt from an account written by member Ruth Ann Wilhelm and published in the guild newsletter, WeaveScape. As I was working at weaving the hexagonal outer wall of the basket that Dolores von Rosen, our friend from South Carolina, had been teaching, I felt joy in seeing the coming together, the understanding of how the spoke-weavers intermin...