Don't forget to poke the photos to enlarge!

Monday, December 16, 2013

Having Fun Now...?

OK.  I went after the basket shop this morning.

I usually just show the whole shop.  No close ups.

This time, I decided to get a little closer.  If you poke the photos, you can get even closer.

In the first photo, the top shelf, over the door has only one basket that I didn't make.  That's the Chinese basket third from the left.  It is hard to see the first one....Doesn't matter.  It's a small crocheted basket...Yes you can crochet baskets as well as weave them. There's a better view of it in the second photo. Top right.

Still the first photo. The blue lined basket, second from the right is the one and only shaker bent wood basket that I have left.  I used to sell those at shows.  They were made out of the very thin wooden calendars.  Maybe one of these days, I will make some to show you how it's done.  It involves ammonia.  Very smelly.

The left wall has all kinds.  There are woven, of several types. The light one on the second shelf from the top was molded around the bottom of a bottle with needlepoint canvas.  A couple were simply needlepoint canvas with embroidery thread running through the mesh, fastened to a woodsie.

The coiled wall piece above is over dyed thread on covered wire, like I do my coiled baskets.

This is the work area.  I tried to show some of the baskets in progress so that you can see how they are done.

A friend made the metal egg basket under the wicker planter.  It is made of hardware cloth, simply bent into shape and the eggs are small white beans.

I consider the wicker a form of basket weaving.  The same techniques are used to do these pieces.


 
Here on the right wall, there is even a hat that is woven.  I didn't do it.  Twenty five years ago, you could buy these at a quarter a piece.  They were woven in Mexico.  I painted them and added silk flowers.  Again, I think that this is about the only one I have left of these.

The herringbone woven nest of baskets in the right hand corner are also from Mexico.  The smallest one is less than a half inch across.  And yes, It is in the herringbone weave also.

The dirty green sewing basket is one that I made a long time ago.  Sewing thread and wire.
As usual, Tessie showed up after I finished cleaning and straightening.

She plopped down in the chair.  Put her feet up on an over turned basket and relaxed, saying, "It's so nice to have a clean workspace."

Mind you, she hasn't stepped foot in here for months.  Because it was, to quote her, "Much too messy to get anything done."

I didn't make the mess....Why do I get to clean it up?

It happens every year about this time.  I clean it.  She messes it up again.

I am going back to see what else needs cleaning and straightening.  Whilst I am doing that, you can go get caught up on basket making.  I discovered that there are now 6 pages of basket related entries.  The last page(earliest dates) has a couple of good tutorials...Hang in there. http://caseymini.blogspot.com/search/label/baskets

See you tomorrow.

4 comments:

Phyllisa said...

Hi Casey. The Basket Shop looks great! There will be more time to do crafting after Christmas, won't there? I would like to try some new basket techniques. My favorite right now are the needlepoint ones, which I have made a few of. So quick and easy! Also, a great way to use up needlepoint canvas that I no longer stitch.
Phyllisa

elizabeth s said...

Hi Casey! I love the basket shop and the assorted wares that you have incorporated into the display especially the ones with the lids! The works in progress on the table look wonderful and the chair that Tessie is so comfortable in, is a wonderful compliment to the whole space!

elizabeth

Sara said...

Me encanta,maravilloso,estupendo.

claude said...

pretty baskets