Have you checked out the NBO’s website? The organization has a new look after celebrating ten years as a non-profit promoting basketry. The website has been updated and one of the features is an extensive calendar of events. Susi Nuss of Basketmakers.com is a new board member of the NBO and she has been bringing her extensive internet networking to work on the events listing. The group states its mission as promoting the art, skill, heritage, and education of traditional and contemporary basketry. Members receive the quarterly newsletter which always profiles artisans working in basketry. Katherine recently renewed her membership. But anyone can visit the website and keep up to date on workshops, conferences and basketry events across the country; as well as enjoy the gallery of basket photos.
Posted in basketry | Tagged arts & crafts, National Basketry Organization | Leave a Comment »
February 1 is celebrated as Saint Brigid’s Day in Ireland. It is also the Celtic celebration of Imbolc, the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Some people consider it the beginning of spring. Like many holidays, the Pagan and Christian myths have mixed over the years. Brigid was a goddess of the Pagans who considered her the goddess of healing, inspiration, and craftsmanship. It is said that Saint Brigid was named after her. Brigid of Kildare became one of Ireland’s patron saints.
There is a legend that she made a cross from rushes she found on the ground to convert a dying man to Christianity. Some say that the cross represents the cycles of nature, and was a way for the Celts to keep the traditions of their ancestors alive while being forced to convert to the new religion. Regardless of the truth, these Saint Brigid’s crosses woven from rushes or straw became a popular symbol in homes. Each year on February 1, people would weave a new cross to hang in their house above the door or in the rafters to protect the home from fire and disease. The ritual also involved burning the previous year’s cross.
Katherine made the Saint Brigid’s cross in the photo for our house today with some small willow pieces. I found a youtube video of an Irish woman demonstrating how to make one from rushes here.
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It’s the end of January and I should be ordering seeds for the garden. I have a pile of catalogs on my desk to sort through, but there are a few that I go back to each year. Here are some of my favorite retail seed companies:
- Johnny’s Selected Seeds in Winslow, Maine – Johnny’s has been my favorite seed catalog for quite a few years. Their catalog is informative without resorting to hyperbolic descriptions of new varieties. They offer varieties that grow well in our northern latitudes and seed is always of good quality. They are actively involved in breeding and trialing of seeds. To top it off that they are becoming an employee owned business.
- Wild Garden Seed in Philomath, Oregon – WGS is a great catalog for salad and leafy greens. I like the great selection of organic lettuce seeds. They also have the best Delicata squash variety I have grown. Best bet is to order on-line because they don’t usually send out their print catalog until spring since they are mostly wholesale. One of the interesting aspects of WGS is that they grow their seed crops as part of a working organic vegetable farm in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.
- Territorial Seed Co. in Cottage Grove, Oregon – Territorial has made a name for themselves catering to the needs of Pacific Northwest gardeners. Lately it seems they have expanded their reach, so you have to use discretion when choosing seeds from their catalog.
- High Mowing Organic Seeds in Wolcott, Vermont – This is a growing company with a commitment to organic agriculture. They only offer seeds grown organically, but they offer a wide selection from open pollinated to newer hybrids. Good service and a nice website, too. High Mowing is one of the companies that is starting to ask if you would prefer to view their catalog on-line rather than automatically sending you a print copy.
- Seeds from Italy in Winchester, Mass. – This catalog is run by a gentleman who imports mostly seeds from the Italian seed company Franchi. There are some good vegetables to be found here. If you like vegetables like broccoli raab, escarole, radicchio, romano beans there are quite a few varieties to choose from. Also, Italian seed packets tend to be quite large.
- Fedco Seeds in Waterville, Maine – Fedco is a cooperative seed company that offers seeds for colder northern climates. Good prices because of the wide range of packet sizes, lots of organic, open pollinated, and heirloom choices. There is a great DIY quality to this business.
Posted in gardening | Tagged garden, seeds | Leave a Comment »
We have posted a new schedule of willow basket making classes by Katherine Lewis for the first half of 2010. You can view all the info on the basket classes page on the Dunbar Gardens website. She is offering a variety of baskets and techniques, as well as trying to accommodate weavers with different levels of willow experience in most classes.
- February 27-28: Scallomed projects – oval shopper, magazine basket, square shopper
- April 10-11: Stake and strand projects – round gathering basket, oval shopper, oval garden basket
- May 1-2: Irish potato basket and fruit basket
- June 26-27: stake and strand projects – gathering basket, round laundry with roped handles, oval laundry
- mid August (specific dates to be announced): repeat of scallomed class from February
Katherine is also organizing an in depth four day class for July. This class will be for a smaller number of weavers looking for a more extensive experience. Possible projects will include square work and fitching. Some students have been asking for more in depth work with Katherine, and this will be the chance. People interested can contact Katherine for more details. (Need I say weavers with the necessary hand strength to go four days?)
We have also listed a couple of classes that she is teaching in other locations. She is offering an “Intro to fitching class” at the Northwest Basket Weavers Guild Spring Retreat March 25-26. The project is a lovely oval market basket. Katherine will also be traveling to Portland, Oregon May 20-24 to give a presentation and class to members of the Columbia Basin Basketry Guild.
Visit our website for more details, registration form, and photos of the baskets and past classes.
Posted in basket classes | Tagged basketry, classes, Columbia Basin Basketry Guild, Dunbar Gardens, Katherine Lewis, Northwest Basket Weavers Guild, willow baskets | 2 Comments »
The prevalence of digital photography has made it easy to make all kinds of nifty printed gifts. I took advantage of a nice offer at one of the local printers to make a calendar for Dunbar Gardens of Katherine’s willow baskets. The easy part is finding photos of some of the wonderful baskets Katherine has made throughout the year. The hard part is finding good photos that I would like others to be looking at for a month. Most of the baskets have been sold, so there are no second chances for a better shot. Here’s what I came up for this year (click on the thumbnails for a larger view:
Posted in Dunbar Gardens | Tagged basketmaker, baskets, calendar, Katherine Lewis, photography, willow baskets | 1 Comment »
Dunbar Gardens is a favorite place on Google. Well, at least that is what they told us when they mailed us this decal. Quite a few people did click on our business listing when searching Google maps, but I suspect that they sent these to pretty much any business with a listing. That special bar code in the lower right corner can be scanned with a cell phone camera so that customers can check out our listing, write a review, or add us as a favorite. Of course, if somebody makes out to our farm, I don’t imagine they will be looking at their phone to get the details! Despite my cynicism about many of these internet tools, I like the opportunity presented by Google with these business listings. We’re able to create a listing for free that includes our location, hours, products, and even some photos. Find Dunbar Gardens on Google maps. Have a business? Sign up through a Google account at the “local business center.”
Posted in Dunbar Gardens | Tagged favorite place, google, maps | Leave a Comment »
his basket
“Well I wished you could have been here when I opened up my present after he had opened mine. We laughed and laughed. Thanks for making our presents this year. We will be so coordinated and organized!” Katherine and I had already had a good laugh about this couple that had each arranged a basket to be made for a Christmas gift. She had come by several weeks before the holidays to ask Katherine to weave a small square basket for her husband. A basket for him to toss his keys, wallet, and stuff. She picked her gift up three weeks before Christmas.
her basket
Then on Dec. 18 her husband stopped by looking for a basket. He wanted to get her a rectangular basket for use in the kitchen to contain oil, vinegar and spice bottles. The red and green willow combination was appealing to both of them as it turned out. Lucky for him, and her, Katherine had willow ready to weave that weekend and she made his gift.
For the kitchen basket, Katherine used wood slats in the base to get a flat bottom. She covered them with a greenish willow bark to match the base weavers, as you can see in the photo above.
kitchen willow basket
They were both shopping for a locally made, handcrafted gift; they just never guessed they would pick the same place. Here’s a big thank you to everyone that bought a handcrafted gift this year.
Posted in baskets | Tagged basketmaker, gifts, handcrafted, Katherine Lewis, willow baskets | Leave a Comment »
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