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Note: All pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.

IMG_2394This is just a short post to show the progress of new ribbed baskets that I have been working on this week. The first two were started back when I had my studio at Afton, VA. The one was 3/4 of the way completed, the smaller basket with the brown yoke was 99% completed, now both are finished except for misting and final shaping as well as singeing the hairs off and staining, when the weather is a bit more cooperative, one nice sunny day will make the stain smell dissipate, however one day being in the 70’s and the next in the 40’s is not conducive to good drying. So the baskets will be in waiting to be finished that way until more stabile weather arrives.

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I am hoping to start market baskets in the next week or so with the handles I have on hand at this time. I also have handles for Shaker Cat Head baskets I can work on, these baskets can also be woven without handles. With this free time and no vehicle to drive I am taking full advantage of idle time on my hands, then should a show come my way and hopefully I have a vehicle by that time to get to the show with baskets I will be ready.

Below is the newest basket I started last week, this weekend I am planning on adding the final 6 ribs and then all that will be left is the weaving of the body of the basket. When competed this basket will have 56 ribs. The basket is being woven on round and oval Oak hoops. As always with all of my ribbed baskets the weavers closes to the gods eye (diamond lashing that binds the two hoops together) is of split 11/64ths flat reed, and the body of the basket is woven in 11/64ths flat reed. The Round hoop is 20” in diameter and the oval is 12” x 20”.

At the time these hoops were purchase there were no small wide oak hoops to be found due to a problem in manufacturing, the challenge for me is to see how many totally different baskets I can achieve from these sizes of hoops, thus far I am up to 8 different designs.

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