Classes I am Teaching at NCBA 2013: The Case for Baskets

I love teaching at NCBA Convention! This year, it is called "The Case for Baskets" (coordinated by Katie Lake,) and will run March 21-24.  I am teaching 3 classes...but only if someone signs up for them! Is it too late to sign up??? Not at all!
DEADLINE EXTENSION >>>>Sign up for classes until December 28!  
Yay!
Find the full course offerings and register online on the NCBA Website for the greatest ease of class selection!

Here are some more photos and descriptions of the classes I am offering!  Hope to see you there!

Random Weave Garden Basket

Class #1  Random Weave Garden Basket 
 I have taught this basket for the past two years at convention, and my class has been full both times. We have so much fun in this class, i am so looking forward to teaching it again!  

Random Weave Garden Basket

 See some of the photos posted last year on Facebook of weavers and their work in this class!

Random Weave Garden Basket

 As you can see, there are LOTS Of variations in this free form weaving class. And for most people, here is an opportunity to work with a completely new material!  Fun for all!

Random Weave Garden Basket

Page 19 (Low-Odd Pages)
Friday 8-12am
FR464
Random Weave Garden Basket 
4 hours
All levels
$30
13” x 16” x 13” w/o handle varies

Random weave is so much fun! Make a great wall pocket for a plant, or a handled basket, or use your imagination to make your own shape.  These baskets are fabulous accents in the garden or on a porch, and function beautifully as planters.  Lovely bamboo-like pullet vine is novel and wonderful to handle!  Some people weave more than one basket in this class.

Painted Tapestry Window

 Class #2  Painted Tapestry Window
 This is a beautiful wearable piece, completely one of a kind! Very personalizable and creative, can be made almost any color you like, as we will be painting it!

Painted Tapestry Window

  I can't wait for this one!  Additional weaving windows are available in my MakeABasket.etsy.com shop, and of course will be available in class.

Painted Tapestry Window

Page 27 (high-odd pages)
Saturday, 9am - 4pm
SA666
Painted Tapestry Window
6 hours
All Levels 
$35
approx. 2”, will vary

Weave a great tapestry style necklace, supported on a hand formed stoneware frame, using 4-ply waxed linen. Add variety to your weaving by painting the waxed linen, and choosing to add your own special pattern of stripes, checkers or tapestry sections.  Each person’s weaving will be unique, both in color and shape.   Recommended tools: personal light, magnifier, tiny clips and sharp scissors.

Elegantly Simple Heart Necklace

Class #3 Elegantly Simple Heart Necklace

Elegantly Simple Heart Necklace

Here is a beautiful heart necklace that is both easy to learn and teaches a great skill - that of capturing an irregular object in free form weaving.  Yes, I will have additional pottery hearts for you, if you like them.  I make them myself!

Elegantly Simple Heart Necklace

Page 33 (high-odd pages)
Sunday, 8am - 10 am
MB10 This is a mini-bonus class, so it does not count towards your 16 hours of class!
Elegantly Simple Heart Necklace
2 hours
Beginner
$20
1 ½” x 2 ¼” without neck cord

Elegantly Simple Heart Necklace

Weave beautifully understated waxed linen knotless netting over a hand crafted, wonderfully irregular pottery heart. Results in an exquisitely simple and elegant necklace, perfect for Valentine’s Day, bridal, and gift giving. Color choices.






So there you have it!  I would love to weave one (or all!) of these with you.  And, to other NCBA teachers: I am happy to publish your photos and descriptions of your classes in my blog, just send them to me at basketsbypamela@gmail.com .

See you there !  Pamela

Contemporary Work in Fiber Night On the Town in Fredericksburg, VA

I hope i will see some of you at the Fiber Arts happenings in Fredericksburg, VA tomorrow evening. This Preview Reception is presented in conjunction with “Celebrating Fiber Art” and concurrent receptions at the Fredericksburg Area Museum and LibertyTown Arts Workshop. The Fredericksburg Trolley will circulate continuously to all three venues during the evening, allowing patrons to view four different fiber exhibitions.  Wow! Sounds so fun! I would love to see you there!

Contemporary Work In Fiber Exhibition at Mary Washington University Galleries!

Contemporary Work in Fiber
University of Mary Washington Galleries
Ridderhof Martin Gallery
October 26 – December 7, 2012

I am very excited to be a part of this invitational exhibition!  Two of my works in it were commissioned especially by Mary Washington University Galleries. 

I would love to see you at the opening reception!

Opening Reception for Exhibition
October 26, 2012
5pm - 7 pm

Make A Cornucopia for Autumn!

Pamela with giant wild cornucopia

This is not the first time I have posted about cornucopias.  

For the past several years, the approach of Autumn has signaled the weaving of a great number of cone-shaped, wild based forms, and I suppose I will have to admit, it has become something of an obsession with me.   Here is a little cross-section of the many takes I have made on the traditional horn of plenty!

It all started with that free pattern that Susi Nuss posted on her website. Of course the pattern uses reed, and not something I use enough to have just what I need for it laying around.
So I had to take a trek to the woods to find something suitable.

 I quickly realized what a great form this was for experimentation.

Wild gathered materials sometimes do not have the flexibility and easy conformity of reed.

wisteria and grapevine, mostly

So I learned to cope and embellish and make it happen!

mostly wisteria, some split

Handles are alot of fun, and really make the pieces unique.

another mostly wisteria with split vines...so beautifully flexible!

inflexible, large gauge honeysuckle was added to this finished cornucopia as a handle.

one of my favorite wild weaving materials are the English Ivy and Virginia Creeper found in almost any garden!

I found that it is very fun and easy to make a mini cornucopia.

tiny gauge, natural honeysuckle

And they are great ring bearer or flower girl baskets for Autumn weddings, and kids are quite intrigued with them.

vinca (periwinkle)

natural honeysuckle

They work well for bridesmaids, also

Carolina Jasmine

A cornucopia does not always have to be pointed, they can take a pod shape.

It was a wonderful discovery that cornucopias often make great wild hats.

My first truly weird form made the most fabulous swamp witch hat, it sold in less than 10 minutes as a Halloween costume.

Swamp Witch's Hat

So I made more, "convertable" or dual-purpose hat/cornucopias :)

Swamp Witches hat with wisteria, grapevine, carolina jasmine, virginia creeper, honeysuckle, autumn olive, and others...

And some , using my cornucopia "skills" that are "just" hats, as well.

Even a gnomish helmet.

gnome helmet of grapevine, Autumn Olive, and assorted vines

People say they decorate with cornucopias through Autumn, into the Christmas season...well, i decided to make a convertable cornucopia/Christmas tree decoration!

I have made really really tiny cornucopias for dollhouse or doll hats.

And enormous ones to put on the lawn, or display at a Farmer's Market!

A bunch of tips and tricks for weaving wild cornucopias are given  in my latest contribution to the Natural Fibers Group newsletter, perhaps you will read them there.

I would love to see what you have done with the cornucopia form!

Join Me At NCBA Seminar Nov 2-3, 2012

Here it comes, NCBA Seminar, "Catch a Weave!"
Hosted by Port City Basket Guild
Coastline Convention Center
501 Nutt St
Wilmington, NC

There will be vendors, and food is provided! Find all the information on the NCBA Website.

There are still spaces in the two classes I am teaching, I would love to have you join me!  Both are on Saturday, November 3.  

From 8-noon, I will teach "A Face For The Seasons,"

a randomly woven piece that looks great in your garden or hung indoors, that also doubles for seasonal decoration like a wreath!

After lunch, from 1-5pm, my class will weave my "Hummingbird Locket," another random weave mini. We will weave with craft wire around three pearls to simulate a little bird nest, and then nestle it in moss for a fun wearable. Locket is included.

Check out the online class brochure, with color photos and full class descriptions.
Register online for your classes.  *Yes, you must be an NCBA member, but you can also join online!

See you there!

Indian Pipe In the Woods

Walking though the woods every day as I do, looking for stuff to weave, you would think I have seen just about everything I could see back there. But this Autumn, I came upon some amazing little "flowers" that I have never seen before.

This year has been very wet. Have you ever seen Indian Pipe?

Also called Corpse Flower, it is a fungus, and I was amazed at the variety of colors, sometimes growing in close proximity to each other.

 They range from white to pink to red and even purplish tones!

 These are just a few that I was able to snap photos of, in the growing light...