Another Pine needle basket!

January 11, 2011

This one only took me 3 days.  

The center is my own hand cut and hand drilled slice of an Aspen tree branch.  It is an odd center, it is totally white, I see absolutely no grain to the wood, strange.  The base is 6 in. across and it flares to 8 in. total.  I used Russet #10 mercerized cotton thread doubled, and Copper mist #3 mercerized cotton single strand, for the threads.  I drag each piece of thread repeatedly across a piece of wax before threading and sewing.  (I use cotton because I have it in abundance.)  I used a random mix of green and brown pine needles.  The ones that are green were dried in the dark under my bed to preserve their color.  They will, of course eventually turn brown very slowly (especially if direct sunlight is avoided).  

I used the V stitch for most of the body, and for the first time the Fern stitch as a trim and decoration.  I concentrated on technique and consistency of the stitches.  Both of these stitches were chose because I wanted a very firm basket.  It seems the more legs on the stitches the firmer the basket. 

 I wrapped the little handles also.  When the basket was complete I popped it into the microwave for 45 seconds to melt the wax off of the thread as it tends to look chalky if I don't.  It was just enough wax to make this basket hold its form without any kind of wobble or sloppiness at all.

I have not done any baskets in almost a year, so these two have been like relearning the techniques.  I have very nice tools and such in storage, but had to use what was on hand as I couldn't get to them.  I always just try to keep in mind that most of the arts/crafts we do today, were originally done hundreds of years ago without the modern conveniences we have access to.

Even though I absolutely love the blue and green basket, this one is probably my best to date.  The stitches are remarkably symmetrical (very difficult for me as I am certainly no seamstress) and very firm.  

I am keeping this one!  I am even thinking of somehow incorporating a small pin cushion into it.

A little update...this one was gifted to Kraftymax's hubby for his birthday.  I think they make great places for anyone to empty out their pockets at the end of the day.  He seemed adequately impressed with the fact that it is made from pine needles.  Happy Birthday Daddy K.

Creative mojo definitely broken...except for the pine needle coiling!

December 13, 2011

I am so bored, nothing creative is working AT ALL!!!!

UPDATE:  Well some of it is working...sort of...the socks are coming along nicely, except I am bored with them.  I have one heel turned and now for the next one.  I promise to post pictures soon.

The shoulder injury gets a little less painful each day, Thank goodness, but the weaving still hurts me and sooooooo...I have picked up my pine needle basket weaving again!  This I can do sitting in my recliner with very little physical pain.

I went to Jacksonville to spend a day or so with my friend Max and took my newly started basket with me.  I weaseled her into taking me to look for pine needles too.  We actually found some fallen branches and so the gathering was actually pretty easy.  ALOT easier than picking them up one at a time from the ground for sure.

Then as we sat amiably, she beading and me coiling my pine needles, I wondered aloud who would like a basket made of green stitches.  Of course she said "I would" and it began.

She bought a couple of my baskets in the past, and I didn't realize that she liked them that much.  hmmmmm!!! So in the course of the conversation we decided on a centerpiece, maybe like a fruit bowl.  It would have an 8" base and it went from there.

So I have taken a few pictures for you. 

It starts of with pine branch slice and myrtle green #10 mercerized cotton crochet thread (I already had it on hand).  Later I will be adding in some Royal blue.  Here is a peek.

First de-capped pine needles.  These are shorter pine needles than the ones I used to get in GA.  But they work o.k.  These are ready to go.  I am using them dry as they didn't need to bend overly far to accommodate the pine limb slice, my friend Buzzy did the slices and the holes for me.

Here you get to see the entire set up.  One container for the pine needles themselves...this is because there are times when they have to be damp.  The other is for things like my needles, thread, scissors and such. 

A little tip for any of you who are going to do pine needle basket coiling.  As you stitch, you have to tug the stitches nice and firmly tight, or you will have a soft/sloppy basket.  In doing so you hands tend to get sore, sometimes the thread will cut you, and of course the needles do poke you at times.  Both can be quite painful. 

I discovered when I did coiling the last time that gloves can be very difficult to work in, so the hunt was on.  I couldn't find anything that worked like I wanted it to and let me still feel what I was doing.  So I improvised, I got a pair of 'Playtex' cleaning gloves and cut off the long arm part, and the tips of the fingers. WALA!  Perfect!  I can feel what I am doing, the gloves don't slip (I actually found them in size small for my LEETLE hands) they protect beautifully, they are reasonably priced, and easily found.  Can't beat that right!  I don't have pictures for this post, but will have some up for you of the glove very soon.

I am not sure if you remember, but I actually made the pin cushion also.  It is steel wool covered with burlap and placed in an old cheese tin.  Large and tough and stable!

Here I am at almost 8" and I am started off with double strands of thread, one blue and one green.  I found that I kept popping/breaking the single stranded green.  #10 is a little to fine I guess, even though I have used it successfully in the past.  I do run it along an old piece of vanilla scented candle wax to help with this.  I also have some nylon and hemp to try for the next basket. 

I have used #3 also and I definitely like it better than the #10.  If I am going to work so hard to make nice neat evenly spaced stitches I want them to show a little more than these do. ;-}

And here you can see I have started the side walls...you may even be able to see the royal blue in with the green.

It is now 8 1/2 in. wide and 1 1/2 in. tall.

So this is what I am up to for now folks.  Stay tuned, as the basket progresses I will post pics, and I will definitely be finishing the socks.  Especially since the first one fits so well. 

What's on the Loom????

Here is a picture of the completed weaving before I made it into a "tote".  I still have to make the strap and take pictures and then I will post it.

I have also decided that I will do one small pot holder loom weaving between each of whatever other projects I am working on.  Here is a picture of the current one.   

I am also working on the large Gecko project.  No pics yet but they will be coming soon.

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.

Newest Pine Needle Coiled basket

Here is my newest Artfire listing.  It is a Coiled Pine Needle basket...a little smaller than the first one.  Have a look and tell me what you think.

 

Pine Needle Basket opinions

I tend to like a very natural woodsy look, but I am curious as to what you guys like.

Would you like to see dyed pine needles?  or beads i the work?  or fabric instead of thread?  maybe some metal rings?

Please leave a comment and let me know.

Shots of the new Pine needle basket saga

So I have started a new pine needle basket.  This one is done with off white mercerized cotton crochet thread #10 instead of wire.   I want to see which fiber/wire I like the best...so there will be some test pieces. 

All feed back is welcomed.  

You see, having done extensive reading and picture looking (i.e. research)  I have discovered that in my opinion a lot of the homemade baskets are way too pricey for my pocketbook.  Soooooo, I am thinking that maybe they are for your pocketbook as well.

That being said I have decided that I will be making very utilitarian baskets.  They will be a decent size without being so small as to just be dust catchers, or so large that it is a fight to find a place to put them.

They will be tough as they are meant to be used, not just to look at.  I think that is what I have been missing in my art drawings.  They are just for looking at, pretties, a luxury.

As a textile artist my greatest satisfaction came when I saw someone using my things in their home.  (Just walk through Kraftymax's house.  LOL)  So I have decided to take this approach with my baskets.  

It is still a form of fiber art and I think the average person can afford a piece of handmade art that ranges around $50.00.

Here are some progress shots to ponder...

These are called buttons.  They are what I use for the start in the middle of the basket.  They are made from vine that comes from my back yard and they are twined.

This is the bigger one.  The smaller one came out better.

 This is the smaller one.

This is the start.  Here I anchor the vines and also start coiling the pine straw around the button.

 Here I have a close up of the first few rows.

This is how much I got done before I went to bed at 2 a.m.  Right now it is 5"    across.

I try to let the pine needles tell me where to go.  As a result I am never sure what shape or size my piece will be.  So keep watching and we can discover it together.

Newest Pine Needle project

I went by a field the other day where I saw some pine limbs on the ground.  Soooo.....I went 'sploring yesterday and got some needles.  Actually they are even longer than the ones I have been using.  Well worth the heat and bugs.  LOL

 

Here are a few pics.

Then I went home and started my new project.  This one is done with copper wire.  A little harder to work with.  I also started it in the middle with a button made out of Ivy vine out of my yard.  I really am not sure what this one will be.  Maybe a little basket?

 

Newest pine needle basket pics

Okay guys its time to take a guess!  

I am almost done with this brainstorm and I am curious to know if you can figure out what it is.