Pine Needle Basket coming right along.

April 6, 2011

I went to the Green Cove Springs, FL, Clay County Fair yesterday.  I went with my friend Max and her daughter to do demonstrations.  They did bead weaving and I did Pine Needle basket coiling.  A fun time was had by all and I was pleasantly surprised to find so many people interested in the basket work.  Unfortunately I didn't think to take my camera...

I took several examples of my work.  Two that I made last year or so, the red and black one and the one I did with copper wire and Ivy vine.  Max brought along 3 pieces that I had done for her and her family.  The 'fruit bowl' blue and green, the little purple and blue one I made for her daughter and my only waxed piece a trivet.

I took examples of different types of Pine needles, I even collected some the day before on a nice long bicycle ride.  I also took my books and lots of different center pieces along with examples of threads and cards in case anyone wanted to find me.

The weather was gorgeous and I took my 'triangle basket' to work on.  So I thought you might like to see what I have so far.

This shot is from the top. The green stripe is some grass my room mate pulled for me.  I believe it is Muly grass, also know as sweet grass.

Here it is from an angle so that you can see how deep it is so far.  It is a little over 2 in. and I am shooting for 3...I think.  I have incorporated green Long Leaf Pine needle's that Dana sent me from Georgia.  Wish I had some more.

This one is the bottom so you can see how much my stitching has improved.  :-))))

As you can see it is around 9 in. at it's widest.

I have another center like this one with the holes already drilled.  My intentions, always subject to modification ya know, is to make another just like it, only a little bit larger diameter.  Then I will turn it upside down and place it over this one and it will serve as a top.  That way I have to independent baskets or one with a nice tight lid.  We'll see how it goes.

I am using waxed linen on this one and I must tell you it is much easier to work with than the unwaxed threads, even when I drag them over the was they are not as nice as this is.  Unfortunately this is the only color I can get her locally and I am getting a bit tired of brown.  It also comes in very small pkgs.  20 yards for $1.99 at Hobby Lobby, I am already on the 4th pkg at this point.  I may have to break down and order some from off line.  I am just not sure whether I want to order alot in the same color or lots of colors????

Decisions, decisions, decisions.