Recently a member here Ganchik posted some baskets, and other crafts his wife had done. I mentioned my wife also did baskets, and crafts, mostly jewelry, but an assortment of many things. I have often said I live with baskets, and in our home one cannot look around, and not see 5 to 30 baskets in cabinets, on top of cabinets, on walls, shelves, they are everywhere. It's a comfort thing for me.
My wife has been making baskets for 45 or 46 years now, sewing for far longer than that, and dabbling in making things for a long time. I think the baskets are her biggest thrill, and she has become a fine basket maker. I also think of her as a woodworker, as her prep for many of the baskets are made of wood, shaved with hand planes, and drawknives. Cut with all manner of knives, and chisels. She has almost as many hand tools, as a cabinet maker might posses to do their work. Just before I got sick, she and I planned to start working together back in the woodworking shop, she wanted to learn all of the stationary tools. This is on course to happen soon, as I am much more able to get back in the shop full time.
Ok, pic time. I shot a few of the many baskets in the house, this only represents maybe 1/2 of 1% of what she has. Basket supplies are in the basement, and almost in as much dissaray as the woodworking shop. LOTTA weavable material, and bottoms, handles, whatever.
First is "HER purse" made several for friends, this is the equivalent of a shopping bag, like those at Ikea, HUGE.
Inside is her biggest purse, for reference, she can slip in 6 bottles of wine, easily around the purse, and some groceries to snack on.
lotta color, doesn't matter of it's reed. ash, oak, vine, rope, or whatever, colors are always a dye.
Plus it's a lot shallower than it looks
Nice depth on this one, great for large fruit.
Some in our entertainment cabinet
Just below, the 2 on the top. The one on the right is my contribution to our baskets. Wife and I spent a weekend at Shaker Village in Lexington Ky. They brought in the foremost teacher of ash baskets, and the person who Shaker Villages called their basket person, she was really nice, and extremely knowledgeable, but her Hubby was a master woodworker with hand tools, and prepped all of her Ash stock. We spent half a day riving off ash strips, and working them down to the reed we used to make these. Note they are sitting on runners, and are mini models of a "firewood truck" at all of the Shaker villages in New England, Ohio, and KY they used these (FULL SIZED, and without a handle, but a huge metal turnbuckle) in the Winter, when snow was on the ground, or just if the ground was frozen, and drug them behind mules to each dwelling to deliver the firewood for the day. It was, and still is one of the coolest classes I have ever taken, and from a strict woodworking POV I have taken classes from a lot of real, modern day, Masters, of the craft.
Grapevine
Another she has gifted to friends, and others a lot of times. I love this basket. The colors and the weave are a Nantucket basket, but it says Homey Ky. :-)
Reminding me I need to go around and clean up my baskets, hers are cleaner.
Another she gifts to people all the time. Our Wednesday night group of friends is called the Wednesday Night Winos. I'm usually the dedicated driver, as my wine intake would embarrass Duckie, anyhow they do drink some wine. The basket is made to carry 2 bottles, and uses 2 wine corks inside to separate the bottles from clanking, and God forbid breaking in transit.
Next one has what is called a "Cats Head bottom" it's kinda hard to see it, but it has four corners that peak outward, turned to the correct angle it looks like a 4 ear cat. In color it also makes a striking pattern.
Nice weave, also very colorful
This one has lived near our front door of the last 2 houses. It has a nice weave, new to my wife when she made this one, she was happy because she nailed it first try. I guess it's a basket box.
Top on
Top off
It has changed many times through the years, but at present i believe this to be my wifes favorite basket she has woven. The weave is called a diagonal weave, and it changes with the angle of the weave as it goes up bottom to top. I forget the name of the material it's made of, but it has no roughness like with most wood, reed, or vine would have. To touch it, it feels like silk.
She has been at a 3 day basket crafting "thing" mostly taking classes from some well known weavers, hanging out with the chicks, and overall having a good time. These are a couple she is mid make on from that experience.
The first one is woven pretty complete, but she estimates an hour trimming weavers, and touching it up, than a spray finish to protect the weavers.
Bottom inside is same wood as bottom outside, with a overspray of colors, and then a glaze that gives the crackle effect. Wife says is too fussy and prefers the curly maple, or BE maple ones, Mo natural....
Bottom outside, plain looking Maple
This one she is excited about. It's also got a wooden bottom to start the weavers, but inside it has a cheeeep plastic tub, for garden use, or anything where otherwise the weavers get dirty, it's great protection, plus with the strength from the weave, any solid matter inside of that gives you super strength. Looks like a bad birds nest right now. Whenever she gets around to finishing it, I'll get a done pic, and add it.
I did a flash and no flash because no matter how I shot it it NEEDS natural light to get the colors correct. You can see the inner tub inside the bottom looking between the weavers.
They are beautiful and so functional plus last for years. In my last year of primary school in the mid/1960’s we did basket weaving as a class program/project; but nothing as elaborate as your wife’s craft.
