Southwestern Ontario Basketry Guild

January 15: AGM Shaker Cheese Style Oval Bread Basket Instructors - Janice Tennant & Frances Thorn February 19: Grab & Go Basket Instructor - Wanda Haydt March 19: Pine Needle Coiling  Instructor - Catherine Devine Cracker Basket Kit from Prim Pines April 16: 8th Anniversary Meeting Wine Basket with Divider Instructor - Nancy Flickinger May 21: Stair Basket Instructor - Wanda Haydt June 18: Pinwheel Basket Instructor - Wanda Haydt July 16: Adirondack Style Purse Instructor - Linda Dobinson August 20: Willow Bird Feeder Instructors - Lene Rasmussen, Frances Thorn September 17: Twill Waste Basket Instructor - Leslie Songer Terry October 15: Algonquin Sewing Basket with Lid Instructor - Linda Dobinson  November 19: Open Weave to finish Algonquin Sewing Basket and other Projects Potluck Meal at Noon

Instructor Dale Adamson provided a mountain of weaving material in every shade and texture for our driftwood baskets.  There were 15 in her class and 4 more members were there working on their own projects. From placing the ribs to weaving  to the finished basket, it was a great day.  Thank you, Dale.

An attractive and useful basket, a challenge for our members First steps with the wooden base Teacher Linda demonstrating a technique to student Lorna This was a large class of experienced basketweavers Some members bring their own projects - willow skein work in progress Show and tell, here with a summer's willow weaving Proud teacher Linda with some of her students

Four classes of rib construction – willow baskets – turned into a big success thanks to Frances who put it all together. Not only did she arrange to have Jo Campbell- Amsler , a renowned rib-style willow weaver and teacher from Iowa, come to teach the classes, she also donated the majority of the willow for the baskets. To prepare for the classes she made and dried frames and cut lengths for ribs and soaked all the weavers for the 48 baskets – a huge job, so a BIG THANK YOU goes to you, Frances! Jo had brought a selection of her beautiful baskets and guild members had picked four designs for the workshops. Photos of the basket designs selected for the workshops are at the blog post about the 2010 program . The fun started on Saturday when we made The Gypsy Melon Basket. Some of us had never worked with willow before, for others the rib-style weaving was a new experience, but we all had fun and helped along by Jo’s instructions we each created our own unique basket. Sunday’s Wist...

I joyously participated in Cherilyn Fontana’s Melon Basket workshop on April 17th.  She led us so smoothly and painlessly through the basket steps, it was hard to imagine coming home with anything less than a flawless result.  I wasn’t the only one who appreciated the continuously calm and patient approach of Cherilyn and the equally skilled Gina Zientara, who assisted.  A bonus opportunity was being able to try out some unfamiliar but very useful tools which were available for purchase.  I particularily love my new scissors and shaver.  It was a fun day and I wouldn’t hesitate to take a workshop with Cherilyn again if I got the chance.  Janice T. Everyone celebrated the guild's 7th anniversary with a piece of luscious chocolate cake!

What a great day!  Thanks to Catherine for all of her hard work in putting together this workshop.  So many options to choose...so little time.  I had a great time doing this workshop.  As always, everyone had chosen colours and textures that I wish I had done.  I was really pleased with the way the open coiling was more freestyle and allowed for a variety of placements.  Add in some beading and some textured yarn and Voila!...coiling masterpieces!  I did have some issues with breaking my needles but three was the charm and completion was a success.  There was a lot of giggling followed by ooohs and aaahs that day that makes these workshops priceless.  Edy M. Photos by Linda I.

A what?!  Yes, a basket weaving cruise from chilly Port Canaveral to Nassau to beautiful and warm St. Thomas and San Marteen and back.  I'm not a foodie or a night owl, but Dolores vonRosen convinced me to sign up with news of the basket activities and wonderful description of her friend, Jane, for my cabin mate. The trip was like a basket conference but on a giant ship holding almost 4000 guests and 1400 staff waiting on you with a smile.  It was complete with top notch teachers, a beautiful weaving room just for us, and about a hundred down to earth, creative, friendly weaver-types.  We had 3 days of weaving and 3 days of port tours, beaches, and sailboats.  Jane and I enjoyed a balcony room, which I highly recommend for people like me who get a bit claustrophobic.  The views of dolphins, birds, sunrise/set and islands from the balcony big enough to weave on, if desired, was worth the extra cost. Our assigned dinner table of 10 had 6 weaving addict...