Skills and Techniques

Today Verna and I were discussing what skills and techniques I have learned so far in this apprenticeship.  Basically I have and will continue to refine all aspects of my weaving skills. This includes sizing my material, changing overlay material to create pattern and design, drawing my sticks in more aggressively, not over soaking my material, and not being afraid to manipulate my sticks into the shape I want my basket.  I’m also getting more comfortable with being able to look at a design on a basket and replicate it on my own basket without having to draw it out on graph paper.

 

 

 

Spring is coming!

Today was a beautiful drive down the river to meet with my basketweaving teacher.  White, snow topped mountains, billowy white clouds and blue, blue sky! 58 degrees, which is warm compared to the past couple weeks. The River is full and rushing with the winter rains. It was good to see Verna and the other basketweavers. It’s been a month since I have made the drive due to icy roads.

 

My cap is coming along. My challenge at this point is to pull my sticks tight and bring the cap in so it will fit my head, not Bigfoot’s. Verna worked with me today on my weaving technique. I haven’t been using my left hand properly to support and manipulate the sticks into the shape I desire.  I had to focus on breaking some bad habits and learning to manipulate my materials in a new way. If I can keep that focus, I’ll conquer this new way and be happier with my results.

 

Spring is coming.  Gathering time is near!!

 

It was a good day of weaving. We had some fun taking pictures of my cap as seen below.
 

 

Remember, we are basket weavers... not videographers.

 

 

Basket Cap Progress

My progress may appear slow to an outsider, but I am so pleased in what I am learning, and how my weaving skills are improving. This cap is definitely pushing me to my skill limits.  I’m so grateful for this grant; for without it I may have given up and decided I would try something easier. But, pushing myself beyond what I think I can do is what helps me learn, grow and become a better weaver.

 

I am now comfortable with replacing sticks that are too small or have weak spots due to bug holes. Although, I realized today if I kept replacing sticks, I was going to end up with a cap for a giant.  The sticks need to get smaller toward the bottom of the cap so the weaving gets tighter and will fit my head. I confirmed this with Verna, and she said yes that was exactly right.

 

The pictures below will show the beginning of the pattern for the body of my cap. My job now is to keep pulling my sticks tight, so as to form the cap to my head.

 

 

 

 

 

Winter Weaving

Today I made it into the River to see my teacher. Due to the holidays, inclement weather and dangerous driving conditions, it’s been a month since I was last there.  It was good to see Verna and weave with her. The roads were clear with some icy patches. Lots of snow on the sides of the road. At one point at the California/Oregon border, my car thermometer read 7 degrees.  Brrrr!  There were lots of fallen rocks on the road, which I tried very hard to miss. I really hoped for no flat tires today. I did see a beautiful 3-foot tall Eagle perched in a tree right next to the road. Unfortunately she flew off before I could get a picture.  I also saw a huge heard of elk, which I’ve never seen before in all the years I’ve been making this trip.

 

OK. How’s my cap going?  Today I got my two rows of black completed, and I am excited to be moving into middle of the basket.  I’ve been told this part of the cap represents a woman’s middle years. The next few rows will be woodwardia red.  Woodwardia is much easier to work with than black fern. There will not be any design in these next 4-5 rows. I will however be adding sticks and replacing sticks that are getting to small.  So, although there may not appear to be much going on in this section once completed, this is an important place to be turning the cap down, but at the same time keeping its shape.  Not adding enough sticks at this point will make the cap go straight down.  Adding too many sticks will make the weaving bumpy. Adding just the right number of sticks gives the cap a nice rounded shape to [hopefully] fit just right on my head. It’s a delicate balance that comes with experience. Pictures of my cap progress to follow.

 

 

 

Refining My Technique

This section of my cap is difficult and slow going as every two sticks the pattern changes color  red to white, red to white etc. Also, some sticks are getting too small and need new sticks added to replace them so as to keep consistency in size.  Sometimes when I’m weaving on my own I might forget exactly how Verna has taught me to do things, so I figure out my own way.  Today, Verna reminded me of her technique for changing color.  It’s a very small difference to what I was doing, the end result is the same, but there is one less step in the process.  Over time this will help to make me a faster weaver.  When replacing sticks, I was weaving two sticks together, and on the next row breaking the smaller stick off.  Verna said not to weave the two sticks together, but to break the smaller stick off first, then place the new stick in its place and weave around it.  This seems more difficult as there seems to be nothing to secure the new stick to, but the end result is a smoother more consistent weave.

 

I only got half way around my basket today, which took several hours. But of course there was plenty of socializing that took place.

One week ago.

Today's progress

Taming Wild Horses

I once heard a basketweaver describing a basket she was making was like “taming a wild horse.”  That's how I have felt with my cap in this process of turning the top down to move into the body.  My teacher tells me you have to be the “boss” of your sticks and let them know what you want them to do.  Through experience one learns how to control and manage the sticks by applying just the right amount of pressure and pull without breaking the sticks, weavers and overlay material.  It is a delicate balancing act, with many trial and errors and mistakes.

 

I tore an entire row out (hours of weaving) so my teacher could help me tame my basket.  She helped me rein it in, turning the sticks down to form the body of the cap.  I learned so much today by watching my teacher with her years of basketweaving experience.

My beautiful teacher with the beatiful rosebud plant

outside our classroom.

 

I'm beginning to turn my cap down.

 

Completed the top of my cap

I finished the pattern to the top of my cap, which represents our “childhood” years.  At this part of the cap where it will now start to turn down, a stick is added which goes around the circumference of the cap.  It’s then wrapped with an overlay material.  I have chosen to wrap a willow stick with bear grass.  This technique adds strength to the basket as well as a 3-dimensional depth in the pattern.  I was very excited to get to this point in my cap, as now I’m moving into the next phase or a new section of my cap that traditionally represents adulthood.

 

Following are pictures of my progress.

 

This is the completed pattern for the top of the cap.

 

Adding and wrapping the "divider" stick, which

adds strength before turning the cap down.