On one of our adventures in the Boundary Waters of MN, we stopped by the Ely Town Market where I purchased a beautiful kitchen towel and quickly tucked it away in a place so secret, I almost forgot where I put it. Then I asked myself, “Why buy something that brings you joy and then hide it?”. I found the towel, put it on the oven door and use it everyday. Every time I look at it, I am reminded of Ely and the beauty of the area. So use the special silverware, bring out your grandmother’s dishes, wear that silk scarf, and enjoy their practical beauty. Basketry is the world’s oldest craft and allows beauty and functionality to come together in woven practical art.

My basketry journey started back in the 1980s when I was a student at Clarkson.  I expressed a desire to take an “Underwater Basket Weaving” class instead of “Electromagnetic Fields and Waves”.  I still had to take the Electromagnetics class, but I received a basket weaving kit after graduation.  It was the best gift ever as it kept my hands busy and my brain engaged. 

I played with flat reed and made just about every basket in Lyn Siler’s “The Basket Book”.  And then I found Flo Hoppe’s “Contemporary Wicker Basketry” and discovered the wonder and excitement of round reed.  It’s supple behavior and flexibility allowed for endless possibilities.  I made a number of round reed baskets and soon our house was overflowing with baskets and yes…baby boys.  With 3 boys, it was more like lion taming than true parenting.  We had misadventures off the barn apron, we had oatmeal painted on carpet, there were sutures, and we ate a lot of macaroni and cheese together.  It was an amazing chapter. 

When our boys left the nest, I could not keep myself busy enough. I decided that a pond with a waterfall feature would be just the ticket. After hauling tons of rocks, wrestling with EPDM and dealing with pumps, skimmers and filters, I got to create the surrounding garden. Fast forward 3 years and we rarely run the waterfall because we live within the limitations of our well system. The pond is beyond the help of chlorine and has become a brothel for frogs. I needed something to sustain my interest and this garden just was not cutting the mustard. 

Enter Facebook. I discovered the Facebook Basket Weavers group and watched this seemingly endless parade of beautiful baskets. I gathered my courage and started hitting the like button. Then came the day I decided to create my own basket after a hiatus that spanned the 20 years required to grow boys into men. I took a picture of the basket, stiffened my spine, and created a post within the FBWG group that described my latest basket as "Startup Jitters".  The basket received an amazing amount of positive support and encouragement.  To say that I found my purpose would be a little precocious, but I was one step closer.

I kept making baskets, and discovered that housework became optional when you have a clear goal.  And my goals kept pushing me further and further out of my comfort zone.  My first pattern “Stripes and Circles” was inspired by my first-born who enlisted in the Air Force.  I listed the pattern on Etsy and quickly found out that the quantity button is of major importance.  The response was overwhelming and incredibly encouraging.  The comments and kind words of fellow weavers filled a very special place in my heart.  Some of these weavers now encouraged me to teach.   A stretch goal to be sure as the only time I had taught basket weaving was to our 4H group and to say it was slightly organized chaos would be a gracious compliment. 

My re-introduction to weaving instruction was an unmitigated disaster.  Fourteen people trapped in a small art studio when the air conditioning decided to quit leaving not only the room, but tempers a bit hotter than normal.  The AC was quickly fixed, spokes were smashed back into bases and our little 2-hour “Tenney” class ended after 4-5 hours of agony.  I firmly believe that one learns more from failure than success, but there are not enough superlatives to describe that episode as a simple failure.  Our next class went much better, but I still feel like I learn more from our students than they learn from me. My weaving journey continues, in what direction I am not sure but I know it will be full of fun and friends. And yes, the housework is still optional.