Showing Off

I just love to see how my baskets are used!

  Carole purchased a custom Cherokee Comb Basket with paint to match her hand dyed floss.  She mounted the stitchery to the neck portion of the basket.  

Looks Great Carole - Thanks for sharing.  

New to Etsy

Just added today - 

Primitive Market Basket with high sides

 Wool Drying Basket

New this past week - 

Cherokee Comb Basket 

Wool Storage Basket

More Rug Hooking Tote Baskets coming soon - I am waiting on a shipment of Shaker Tape.

~Ann

Questions, Questions.....

If you have followed my blog for sometime, you may know that for 13 years I worked for Ohio's largest living history museum. I wore an 1860's day dress to work complete with petticoats and lace up boots. I did not work for the museum this past summer.  It was a hard decision, as I truly enjoyed every hour of working there.  I figure in 4 more years I can go back to - when my youngest is 16 and can drive himself to baseball practice!

I thought I'd share some of the questions that I was asked every day when I was working.  

Favorite Question #1 - 

"How long does it take you to weave a basket?"  

Answer -    

Depending on the basket, it might take me 45 minutes and it might take me 12 hours.  I didn't make many 12 hour baskets to sell in the museum shop!

Many people are familiar with a very famous basket factory that is also located here in Ohio.  Which leads to 

Favorite Question #2 

"I bet you wish you could work for ****** basket factory"

Answer - 

Not really - work in a factory where someone tells me what I'll be weaving, weaving as fast as possible, having no artistic input at all?

I got to thinking about Question #2 this weekend while I was weaving.  If I have several of the same basket to make, it is much easier to work assembly line style.  

Shhh....don't tell anyone I was working in MY factory!

And Favorite Question #3

"Is that your real name?"

  Prompted by reading my museum nametag

Answer - 

Yes it is my real name and I've never hidden in an attic.

(only 1 guest ever confused me with Helen Keller!).

Have a great week!

~Ann

Etsy Update

New on Etsy - Cherokee Comb Basket

9" Shaker Cheese Basket

 A smaller version of the popular Long & Skinny.  This one is slightly narrower and not as long.  19" long x 5 1/2" wide x 3" high to rim. 

And a Rugger's Tote basket with a natural rim 

A few new baskets

I've been busy weaving this past week, catching up on orders.  I did manage to squeeze in some weaving time for new baskets for my Etsy shop.  

Gathering Basket - I'm really loving the prim colors on this one. 

 Market Basket with Wool Label

Rugger's Tote Basket with Wool Label

Rugger's Tote Basket with recycled denim jean pocket and hand dyed denim colored reed. 

Medium Market Basket - in a great color called Dark Cavern.  This one will be listed tomorrow. (Unless you call dibs on it before that!)

Are you ready for Fall?  I'm really having a hard time not digging out my fall "stuff".  

~Ann 

Today's Pumpkin

I didn't have to run around after any children today, which translates into weaving time. I've been thinking about this design for sometime now - a twist on the Wool Drying Basket

and a smaller version of yesterday's pumpkin.

Both are listed in my Etsy Shop.

Have a great weekend.

~Ann

The pumpkins are coming...

My fingers are orange - I've been dying Ash for a bushel basket full of these autumn pumpkins.  The first one is one my Etsy site right now.  I'll be listing more over the next couple of days.

The leaves are cut from some of my wool stash, the stem is a twig from the back yard and the pumpkin sits on an antique button from my Grandmother's stash.

~Ann