Southwestern Ontario Basketry Guild

January workshop with Amy Jorgensen Guild member Amy Jorgensen taught us the lovely Hugs & Kisses basket--perfect gift for Valentine's Day! We had a choice of weaving a heart-shaped basket or a more traditional round one. The reed basket was ornamented with X patterns and incorporated an oak handle that we wrapped with natural and dyed caning creating heart shapes. The Guild's Saturday workshop was well-taught and fun.

2018  Guild workshop  program The Southwestern Ontario Basketry Guild is proud to present the basketry workshops for 2018. The year promises to be filled with new and challenging baskets and techniques. January 20, 2018 Amy Jorgensen -  Hugs and Kisses basket  - all skill levels Perfect for Valentine's Day! Guild member Amy Jorgensen will teach this heart-shaped basket. Learn to create this special shape using flat and round reed, learn to embellish the basket and learn to cover and ornament the inserted handle. ***Workshop start time changed to 8:30 am.*** Learn to create this special heart-shaped basket. Lovely ornament decorate the basket's handle. February 17, 2018 Mavis Kiyoshk - Sweetgrass Coil Basket  - all skill levels Basketmakers will create a small lidded basket sewn in coils. The lid will have a beaded felt centre and the bowl a felt centre. The sweetgrass basket will be created using a traditional First Nation method taught by a ...

November workshop with Karen Kotecki Guild member Karen Kotecki taught students how to make a six-sided basket! This lovely hanging basket is woven on a mold (which we learned how to make) and we all made multiple hexahedrons. Karen provided a variety of coloured reed, wooden beads and waxed linen, so we could customize our ornaments. Guild member shared a learning weaving experience and a special potluck lunch. Thanks to everyone who came to the workshop on Saturday.

September workshop with Nancy Hager Guild member Nancy Hager taught a beautiful six-pointed star basket using dyed reed donated by the Elizabeth Evans family. The base of the basket, with a hexagonal pattern, was a learning experience for many students but we all went home with a unique basket.

July workshop with Martina Obersat Guild member Martina Obersat taught an introductory random weave basket. After the ribbed melon basket structure was completed, the bowl of the basket was woven randomly--with a variety of reed widths, sizes and colours available. Every basket was different and many students enjoyed working randomly, without a pattern. Thank you so much to the family of Elizabeth Evans for donating their mother's reed to the Guild--we used her beautifully dyed reeds for these baskets and will use more in the upcoming six-point star basket taught by Nancy Hager in September . Beautifully dyed reed by Elizabeth Evans.

June workshop with Dale Adamson Gourd specialist Dale Adamson taught us to decorate a gourd using alcohol inks--every vessel was different. Creating a kumihimo braid was new to many and added a unique finishing element to the painted gourds.  

May workshop with Karen Kotecki Guild member Karen Kotecki taught us to weave a basket our a mirror! We used the round reed to twine, wale and create a lovely braid. When completed, the mirror is ready to hang.