Basket Gallery

This is Jeanne C. Stauss' Noteworthy Basket created from a pattern by Eva Snyder of Union Station Studio. This basket was made as a Christmas present for the organist at Jeanne's church. She adds, "We put a little package in it as a gift, and put in two pretty red poinsettias. A few greens finished it off, and he was pleased.

At right is Donna Crispin's Micmac Triangular Wall Pocket. The Micmacs made this basket for storage, while early pioneers made a rectangular basket similar to this, for holding loom spools. For info about a detailed pattern for this basket, contact Donna.

Pictured here are rainsticks by Martha Bremer of Otego, NY. They are approximately 42" long with an inner sounding core, then an outer woven core. They are usually muticolored. When played the sticks sound like rain or running water. If you contact Martha, she'll be happy to give you more information. (8/5/98)

Decoys woven from round reed by Diana Macomber of Alexandria, VA Here is what Diana writes about them: I have made about 170 geese in various sizes. I have given many workshops in goose making and have issued printed instructions, but am now re-writing them with much more care, including their history as decoys, so that they can become an official pattern. The pattern is being tested and should come out in final form and be available late summer 1998. Even with a pattern they seem to have a will have their own and grow humps and sags in strange places!. I used to make them with round reed, but now use vine rattan as it is so much more flexible. Yes, they are for sale in three sizes, people can e-mail me after May 27 if interested.

The Above baskets are by Sharle Osborne. On the left is a Lummi basket made at a workshop on Whidbey Island and taught by Lummi tribal member Anna Jefferson. It is made of western red cedar bark, Alaskan yellow cedar bark, sweet grass-a coastal relative of the bulrush, and bear grass - the shiny white. Pictured on the right is a twill purse made of western red and Alaskan yellow cedar and western red cedar dyed black by being buried in black mud, a tip Sharle learend from Hillary Stewarts Cedar. The shiny white row is bear grass and the strap is braided leather.

Above are unique baskets by Rae Hunter of Sundogs and Northern Lights Studios in Tofield Alberta Canada. On the left is "Wood Moth" made of dried timber, willow, dogwood, rushes, and grass. This baskets is approximately 2 1/2 feet long. The basket on the right is made of garlic stems and cloves.

Coiled Alaskan Yupik Eskimo baskets by James Hunter of Concord, CA. On the left is a purple basket and plate with tessalation pattern made with raffia and grass. On right is black and white "upside-down" basket and plate set with triangle pattern. The narrow section on top is not a lid, it is all one piece. The plate is convex so that the basket is raised up in the middle.

This double-bottomed egg basket woven with smoked reed was Shelby Ceffaratti's first attempt at an egg basket, but was the one that hooked her on ribbed baskets.

Above are baskets that Joan Moore of Highland, MI, brought back from her trip to Germany last summer. Joan says it is regretable that the craftsmanship required to produce baskets such as these is a dying art maintained only by older weavers.

Here are Bonnie Breivogel's snowshoes made at a workshop in Treehaven, WI. After completion of the construction these "baskets for your feet" are finished with four coats of marine varnish. Looking on is Bonnie's daughter's Bascat "Ashes."

This basket was designed and made by Jayne L. Fritz of Sarasota, FL. The fluffy-looking basket features a God's eye and is made with dyed reed and embellished with similarly dyed, frayed fibers.

Pictured at left are two variations of the pineapple basket as done by Denise Smallidge of Lakeland, FL.

Any color would compliment these cute Spoolin' Around Baskets. They are 8 1/2" long x 6" wide x 4" deep. Contact BasketPatterns.com for information on the pattern designed by Kim Renich which includes detailed instructions on how to coordinate the colors, wind the spools, and cut and insert the fabric liner.

These two baskets were designed and made by Lisha Kimball of New Hampshire. On the right is her large Garden Basket that holds cuttings or harvested flowers as well as gardening tools. On the left is her comfy cradle. For these patterns or a catalog of all Lisha's patterns, contact her by snail mail at her walk-in only Basketmaker's Shop, 45 Mutton Road, Webster, NH 03303, or phone her at (603) 648-2268 or e-mail her here.

This is Gail Johnson's version of the Pueblo Vase from Lyn Siler's Handmade Baskets Book. Gail writes: "By not adding the curls that are in the pattern, I thought it would be more durable."

Here is an Autumn Harvest basket from Gail Johnson. The base is 14" x 8.5". Gail made this from smoked reed from a pattern by Theresa Barbala of Lafayette, IN.

This beautiful twill basket by Chris Lamb also has an equally beautiful name: "Flight of the Butterflies". Contact Chris for information on the pattern or the kit for this basket adapted from an Indonesian motif.

This "East-West" basket has a broken twill base with a Japanese/Choctaw twill to prepare the base for bias plaiting. The border is Mexican. You may contact designer Chris Lamb for the pattern or the kit. Other patterns by Chris may be seen at BasketPatterns.com.

Of the Swirling Star basket, Cheri says, "It was a very satisfying basket to weave and not as hard is it looks. Just be sure to cut and dye the reed ahead of time and let it dry for several days so it won't bleed." Cheri Branca wove this basket using a pattern designed by Joan Moore that appears in Lyn Siler's Handmade Baskets published by Lark Books.

Here at last for those who have been asking -- a great step basket. Tote everything upstairs in one trip! This generous basket will carry it all. For pattern contact Royalwood, your favorite supplier, or Designer Jeanette Kandray.

While other folks were cleaning debris from their lawns after Hurricane Opal, this Florida basketmaker, Barb Booth was bringing stray vines into hers. She turned them into this wonderful big basket 3' in diameter and 15" deep.

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