I couldn’t resist. Although I usually dry my willow before using it, I just had to make a basket with the fresh willow I harvested last week.
The other day my in-laws joined us for lunch and Elise asked me if I had a basket to serve the garlic bread in. My mom-in-law laughed. “Does Trina have a basket?” She repeated the sentence, giving all of us the chance to appreciate the humor in such a ridiculous question. 🙂 Of course I have a basket! But wait! – I realized that I did not yet have a nice bowl-shaped serving basket. That was all the excuse I needed…
I started weaving when the kids went down for their afternoon naps on Monday, and got both baskets nearly complete by dinner. I finished the decorative edge on the second one while dinner was cooking last night. My thumbs are rather sore, as they always are after I spend a day weaving, but it is a good pain. 🙂
They will experience some shrinkage as they dry, but the weave should be tight enough for the basket to remain sturdy. They fit perfectly inside each other, and are calling for me to bake some muffins to nestle inside of them.
Jesse demonstrated how well they will work for serving baskets by pretending to eat something yummy out of them while I took pictures.
we so need to be friends.
Trina,I got together with some friends the other day for a basket-making class. I told them how you harvest your own willow, and we all agreed that that is pretty amazing.I’m going to give your web-site to my friend who taught the class. She was especially impressed. =)
They are beautiful! Absolutely perfect sizes, too! Basketweaving is definitely something I would like to learn to do.
wow, those are amazing!! I wish I knew how to do stuff like that!
I think I have basket envy.. I wish I could have gone to Anja’s last class. I think I was working that day and I bought a kit from her for an Easter basket for Vivi and still haven’t actually taken the time to make it.
You are AMAZING!!! I think you trump Martha Stewart 110%. 😀
Wow they are soo nice.I have always wanted to learn how to weave baskets and wouldn’t even know where to start.How fun to get everything that you needed from outdoors.Great job Trina!!
Ooh, those are beautiful baskets, Trina! What do you use them for? They look like they would make great bread baskets! Someday, I would love to learn how to do this…I just need some willow. 🙂