2020 & Zoom Gatherings to Come

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Covid Life

We have been at this new life style since March. At first it was just weird – we hunted for toilet paper, dug sewing machines out of dark places and made face masks. Spring and warm weather arrived, so we moved outdoors and social distanced in parks and on our decks. We’ve worked on adjusting, but nothing seems normal and we wonder when normal will return.

This whole thing is hard isn’t it? So much change and loss and uncertainty.

The Covid-19 science information is overwhelming and I think we are all tired of crazy Covid-19 conspiracy theories. I long for things that I used to take for granted – Facebook posts of a friend’s restaurant meal, family reunions and weddings and crowded airports.

Now here we are in the beginning of October, and the end of Covid life is — well who knows. Cooler weather means life on the deck is going to get COLD! (I’m hoping for a mild winter however, given 2020’s track record I’m preparing for the opposite.) So, I am working on ways to meet up with friends and family and looking at ways I can volunteer – so many nonprofits are struggling right now. I plan to keep my sourdough alive. And I have made a lonnnnggggg list of things I want to weave!

Weaving with Annetta

I am also working on ways to meet up virtually with people, my students and fellow weavers, I can’t see in person. So I have decide to host some Zoom gatherings – I hope you can join me for ‘Weaving with Annetta’. The hope is to host a meet up the second and fourth week of each month, but for now let’s just start with October 🙂 If the first few work out I’ll start working on the next few months.

Each week will feature a different weaving technique and two different gathering times will be offered each of those weeks. It will be a time to gather with other weavers, enjoy conversation and work on perfecting a weaving technique. During each gathering I will demo and offer assistance as you practice the technique. These Zoom gatherings will

  • be limited to 8 people
  • last 60-75 minutes
  • have a $6 participation fee per gathering

Materials will not be provided, you can bring a basket to practice the technique on, or you can come just to watch the demo and enjoy the company. I will provide information on how to prepare for the gatherings, including materials, what kind of basket you should have in process for the technique and any special tools you might need.

I have posted the October Zoom Meet Ups in my store. You can find the information and reserve your spot by clicking on this link: Weaving with Annetta. After you have reserved your spot at the meeting a reciept and a ‘join the meeting’ link will be sent to you. If spaces are not filled 3-4 days before the gatherings, I will post the information on Facebook. If you have any questions or problems email me at thebasketteacher@gmail.com

This is a work in process, and will be a test of my limited tech skills! So, please be patient with me. I am hoping we can all laugh when we encounter glitches!

Weaving with Annetta … hope you can join me 🙂

Baskets to watch for in 2019

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Well I haven’t done a lot of blogging lately, but I have kept busy.

Last week I taught five classes at the Association of Michigan Basketmakers convention, my last event of 2018.  It was a wonderful time, beautiful scenery, amazing baskets and great people.  Join us in 2019!

And now that I am home and back in the studio…

Here’s what I have been doing:

  • weaving
  • painting paper
  • writing patterns updating my teaching schedule
  • weaving (my happy place)
  • writing proposals
  • cutting kits
  • taking pictures of baskets
  • weaving

I figured it was time to post some of my new work. These are some of the baskets I have been proposing to teach at events in 2019.

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September Adventures

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September was a month of travel … I left home on August 31; my itinerary included places, friends, family and the Columbia Basin Basketry Guild – Tidal Twining Retreat. September 26 and 6000+ miles later, I made it home to find Billy Owens and my husband grilling steaks. Billy taught for my guild the next day. That in a nutshell was the whirlwind of my September. I wasn’t sure how much of my adventure I’d share with all of you. After sorting through pictures, I wanted to share everything, but when I started writing the blog it quickly got wordy and long. So I put it on the backburner. Today I decided to post lots of pictures and a few words about my adventure.

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Weavin’ on Route 66

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Weavin’ on Route 66, the 2018 Missouri Basketweavers Guild Convention, was a huge success. The event was held at the Route 66 Holiday Inn Southwest in St. Louis, Missouri August 2 – 5. Basketweavers filled the hotel with laughter, great conversation and, of course, beautiful baskets.I taught four basket classes, vended and exhibited, so it was a busy weekend. 🙂 But, oh, So.Much.Fun!

  

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Spring (??) Basket Classes

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My March was filled with traveling and teaching basket classes- I put on over 3200 miles, traveled through nine states and taught 18 basket classes. It was busy. It was fun. I am tired. Since all of my miles brought me south of Wisconsin, I was hoping to experience spring. There were signs … wild daffodils in Kentucky, redbud in North Carolina. And I was able to enjoy coffee outside with a dear friend. However, winter was also evident – two days of snow in North Carolina and at least six inches of that white stuff on the ground in the Virginia mountains. All the while my husband kept reporting signs of spring at home.  So I came home 🙂

I’ve been home a few days – now that I am settled in, I thought I would share some pictures (well, okay, a lot of pictures – I did teach a lot). Then I plan retreat to the studio to weave 🙂 the best kind of therapy.

My first event was Woven Together in Western Kentucky

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New Basket Patterns

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Well, I am packed and ready to hit the road in the morning. Woven Together in Western Kentucky – here I come.

It was wonderful to have four months at home and in the studio. I didn’t do everything on my ever growing list, but I did cross off a fair number of items – including a much needed winter vacation to a warmer part of the world!

And now before my travel schedule takes over my life, I thought I would release my six newest patterns. Read more

Summer in the Studio

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I have spent most of the last several weeks in the studio, avoiding our wet, cool summer and the mosquito filled woods. It’s fine with me, the studio is my happy place. I have been weaving, writing proposals and patterns, filling kit orders, working on a tutorial, finishing baskets, playing with paper and dyeing reed. Last week, I updated my Teaching Schedule, adding in the beginnings of my 2018 class schedule. So much to do and so many baskets to weave.

Here’s a peak at some of the new baskets I have been weaving and will be teaching soon:

Faded Dreams Read more

Weavin’ in Winona 2017

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Winona, Minnesota is located in eastern Minnesota, sandwiched between the Mississippi River and the river bluffs. It is a beautiful city. Weavin’ in Winona happens in a window lined conference room on the Winona State University Campus. A picturesque location and a great facility – and those are just the first impressions of a wonderful basket weaving event!

Three days of beautiful baskets, weaving, laughing and hanging out together!

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A Week of Weaving

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After I unpacked and reorganized after Stateline Friends Weaving Retreat, I spent a few days putting my class materials for Weavin’ Up North together, shipped my materials for the Conference of Northern California Handweavers and then I wove!

Ahhh, my hands were happy.

I needed to weave up some class samples- Read more

Basket Bases

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Yesterday, I was working on a set of baskets for my daughter. I love the base on these baskets and it got me to thinking about basket bases.  So you know me, I got my camera and wondered around the studio taking pictures. I love the variety in basketry…

This is the set I made for Melody.

It’s a variation of one of my brand new baskets, T Tray. Read more

Mid Winter Get Away

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Home from another retreat -the Crossroads Weavers Guild’s  24th Annual Mid Winter Get Away in Okemos, Michigan.  I was a little apprehensive about going through Chicago, under Lake Michigan and across Michigan in February – but the weather was amazing.  With temperatures in the 60s, it was more like spring!

And the event wonderful.  Basket classes and mini classes of all kinds kept the weaving room buzzing from early til late. Meals were catered in and delicious. And the weekend provided lots of opportunities to visit with new friends and old.  With everything under one roof, there was no reason to leave the hotel and conference center until the event was over. If you have never attended the Mid Winter Get Away, put it on your bucket list! Read more

2017 Basketpalooza !!

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I am home and sorta unpacked – the Texas Basket Weavers Association 2017 conference has come and gone.  It was a great event a great line up of teachers and a wonderful group of students! As well as, wonderful baskets, both being woven and exhibited. I was honored to have won first place in the professional category – thank you Texas!

My only complaint was that it rained a lot and then when it finally cleared I was to busy to get outside to enjoy it – but hey, it was warmer than Wisconsin! Read more

Kits!!

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This is my last week of teaching away from home for the year.  I have traveled across the country – north to south and east to west! I have enjoyed attending so many basket events and guild  meetings, and I really loved seeing so many of you!  But it will be good to spend a couple of months at home – I have patterns to write and baskets to weave!

And right now I have a lot of basket kits – so I have added them to the website. I will add a few more when I return from Michigan, but quantities are limited. When they are gone  – they are gone. You can find these kits in The Store. Read more

The Four Strand Braid Weave

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Today I am releasing my new basket pattern, Twines and Braids.

Twines and Braids

This little basket is a technique basket, it has a fun beaded rim and it’s great for practicing the step up, (you will find my tutorial for step ups here) but the main point of this little basket is learning how to weave a four strand braid. So, in addition to releasing the basket pattern, I am going to post a woven four strand braid weaving tutorial.  I will go through it step by step, like I did with my three strand braid weave tutorial, and at the end you will find a link to my YouTube video tutorial. Read more

Painted Paper Trays

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Last week, after I posted and got unpacked from teaching at the Heritage Weavers Fall Event, I realized I hadn’t released the pattern for Painted Paper Trays.  Typically, after I begin teaching a new basket I release the pattern. This time I am a week late, but here it is, the pattern for the Painted Paper Trays.

Painted Paper Trays

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Summer Studio Notes

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In the Studio

Usually July in Wisconsin is hot and muggy, so I spend my days in the studio. I like working in the studio and I have accomplished a lot. Pounds and pounds of cane and reed have been dyed beautiful colors. I even have it bundled and ready for basket kits! Summer Studio TimeI love the dyeing part of kit prep; sometimes when I’m done for the day I will wander back down just to look at the color. Read more

Paper Nesting Baskets

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This week I will be teaching one of my new basket patterns, Recursion, at Stateline Friends Weaving Retreat in Richmond, Indiana for the first time.

Recursion

So I am releasing the pattern!

Recursion is a set of 5 or 7 nesting baskets, made with 1/8″ or 1/4″ strips of painted paper.  These bias weave baskets range in size from  3 ¾” x 3 ¾” x  2” down to  5/8” x 5/8” x ¾”.  So much fun to make!

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Baskets, Baskets, Baskets

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Today was a good day to do a little website upkeep. I added items to my gallery (see below) and I added a few miniature basket kits to my store. Shipping is a flat rate of $5, however if you buy 3 or more kits, shipping is free. You can check it out here. All of my patterns are available for instant download and no shipping cost.

Here’s what I added to my gallery… Read more

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