Newest Chapter in Pine Needle basket coiling

So girls and boys I am finally starting to feel a little better.  Definitely bored out of my mind.  Not necessarily good for the creativity.  

Anyway, when I could finally get out of bed again I decided to do some research/art.  I happened on a supply site for basket weaving and found that they sell the sheaths of new growth on Split Leaf Philodendron.  Just so happens I have a large one in my yard so I went out and harvested about $20.00 worth.  Pretty kewl huh!

Then since it is summer we have been eating a lot of corn on the cob.  So I decided to dry the husks and incorporate them, along with the split leaf sheaths, into my basket work.

Then I went to the front yard to try something of a brain storm I had.  I pried off some bark from a Pine tree...then got out the dremel...strategically placed some wholes and walah!!!! cente start for a new basket.  Now you should know that this is not the easiest thing to do.  Pine bark tends to flake.  So I started with a much larger piece than I ended up with.  But on the cool side it seemed only fitting that a "  Pine Needle"    basket have a "  Pine bark"   center.

At this point I have not spent $0.00 on my supplies except on different colored wire, along with the copper wire, from the 1st basket.

Also, if you have been following along you know that recently I tried a new stitch called the V-stitch.  Didn't care for it at first but I decided to give it another shot.  From all I have read the fancier stitches are supposed to create a firmer basket. 

I even found a big bundle of raffia and decided to try it.  BIG mistake, personally I love the way it looks, HATE working with it.  It shreds, breaks and definitely doesn't give enough tension (because it breaks).  So I went back to using my famous crochet thread.  My favorite is the #10 mercerized, but this time I am using #3 mercerized in red (all I had in #10 was the ecru, and I was tired of it).  

Pictures to follow.