ADDICTION OF THE WEEK

a tisket a tasket

my first attempt stuffed full of harvest scraps

So the basket making workshop on the weekend was a heady combination of awesome components including free harvest printed scraps, Maryann's great laugh and skills, a lovely spread of baked goods and discussions of craft, family, materials, food, The Rock and mutually agreed nu-soul hottie Maxwell. (yeah I just said 'hottie')

close up inside view of my very first basket, pretty chuffed with the results

One of the best things about this kind of workshop is getting to know people through making, the walls come down pretty easily when you have a common topic in your hands, and as Maryann noted the tradition of weaving stories and people together in this practice is time old. It was a great luxury to spend a whole day making, and a timely reminder that as with so many hand crafts the sharing of skills and lives during the process is easily as important an the end product - something so often overlooked in the rush to make  'product' for sale. The coiling technique we learnt is completely addictive, the perfect pick up and put down craft for busy mothers and a great way to use up old fabric scraps and upcycle old clothes into useful vessels - pretty much a perfect fit for an old greenie anarcho-feminist like me. 

I'm already stocking up on binding supplies, going through the rag bag, working through ideas for new material options and well into my next project above. It's turning out a treat and definately destined for the Christmas present pile although i'm keeping mum about the recipient for now - in case I love it so much I can't bear to part with it.  So thanks Maryann BUT NOW I'M COMPLETELY ADDICTED! BECK