May 2016 ⋆ PrairieWood Basketry

Dyeing Reed 101 – Part I

May 26, 2016/7 Comments/in Basket Weaving Tutorials & Techniques, Resources for Basket Weaving /by Annetta K

I don’t claim to be an expert on dyeing, however over the years I have dyed a lot of stuff (basket related and not), I have used a lot of different dyes – natural, all purpose, direct and reactive, I have dyed natural (protein and cellulose) materials and synthetics, trial and error (failure and success) have been good teachers and I have also done a lot of research. Dyeing is a science; so while there are different ways to dye reed, understanding the science of dyeing will help you have better results.

Whether you use an all purpose dye, direct dye, reactive dye or even a natural dye, I hope you find this article helpful.

Studio Notes

May 18, 2016/0 Comments/in In the Studio /by Annetta K

Clean!

Yes, that is just a picture of the floor. The floor in my studio. Please note that it is clean. It is reed free. I even dusted! I actually just stood here and took it all in – it looks kind of impressive. This week our children come home and this will become living space – this week it won’t be reed strewn, but it may be covered in craft supplies and toys and little bodies. It will be a special kind of messy 🙂 Read more

Tea Staining Baskets

May 4, 2016/22 Comments/in Basket Weaving Tutorials & Techniques /by Annetta K

When I started weaving someone told me about using tea to stain baskets. It is still one of my favorite ways to finish basket, I love the rich color and I like the smell of the tea brewing. I especially like that this is a non-toxic way to finish a basket.

There are a couple of different methods, here’s how I do it.
Read more