Here are some snapshots from the wonderful basketry workshops with Eric Talor we had here in St. Louis July 28-31, 2012. Eric offered three classes in his Cottage Series of baskets plus a few lucky weavers got to make a Shaker apple basket. This was the second workshop I have hosted with Eric and another great time was had by all.

Cottage Purse

The Cottage Handbag.

After brief introductions everyone sits down to business.

Becky, my basket bud from back in the day, joined us this year.

The class starts out quiet.

Becky will have none of that and breaks the silence.

Anne and Wanda bevel and sand their uprights.

Eric brought a great selection of molds, kits and tools.

Some of Eric's cute "smalls".

Eric's incredible fishing creel.

I start inserting the uprights into my base.

The uprights are inserted a quandrant at a time.

Eric checks Annette's upright spacing.

Sandy adds in her uprights.

I have all of my uprights inserted and banded to drive (don't count them though I had too many and had to take some out).

Becky and Anne start the weaving.

Marcia and Annette settle into weaving.

The pattern is beginning to appear.

Before too long there are two repeats of the pattern.

Wanda works on her basket.

Becky is tickled pink weaving.

Annette has two pattern repeats complete.

Before long I am starting on the forth repeat.

Robin is about to the top of her mold.

Almost done!

Becky takes a break from a long day of weaving.

The uprights are marked level with the top of the mold..

With the basket off the mold it can be dried.

The dried baskets are packed.

Eric demonstrates timming the uprights.

Becky sands her rims.

Eric makes sure all the excess spaces is squeezed out of the rims.

After sanding and oiling the rims are clamped to the basket.

Eric shows Marcia where the rim pin holes will be drilled.

Eric drills the first four rim pin holes.

Eric inserts the pins.

Becky peens the rim pins.

Cottage Dresser Tote

The Cottage Dresser Tote.

Everyone is ready to get started.

Like all of Eric's baskets the uprights are inserted in 4 even quadrants.

Sharon carefully eases over the uprights and bands them to the mold.

Eric demonstrates to Martha Kay how to begin the weaving.

Lynn starts the weaving.

Wanda works her way around the basket.

Deb fits her rims to the basket.

Eric sets the first four pins.

Cottage Jewelry

Apparently I didn't take many pictures on the last day of class!

Inserting the uprights in my Cotage Jewelry basket.

Pat starts the weaving.

I proudly display my completed basket.

Shaker Apple Basket

Shaker Apple Basket.

Eric's big apple basket molds.

Tina and Cindy start laying out the bases of their baskets.

Eric helps Cindy get started.

Cindy lays up her base.

Cindy sets the rivets on the cherry runners.

Testing the fit of the base.

The runners are set and the base attached to the mold.

Cindy starts the weaving.

Tina is weaving away.

After one day of weaving the baskets are almost to the top of the mold.

Tina starts the morning of the second day of weaving.

Soon the baskets are woven to the top of the mold.

Eric helps Cindy remove the basket from the mold.

Eric inspects the weaving.

Tina sands her handle and rims.

The baskets are packed after drying.

Eric demonstrates folding over the uprights.

Tina trims and tucks the uprights.

Eric helps Cindy start her lashing.

Tina asks Eric a lashing question.

Anne checks her base to the mold.

Lynanne adds the last of the uprights to the base.

Anne begins the first rows of weaving.

Lynanne is about to the top of her mold.

Anne packs her basket.

Anne starts the lashing.

Extra Baskets

Special projects people worked on during the workshop.

Wine Tote from the Smalls Collection.

The miniature wine tote doesn't look that small...

...until you see it in comparison to the weaving stand.

The weaving is delicate, but goes fairly fast.

With the basket woven the rims and handle are sanded and oiled.

Becky starts the weaving on her Presentation Bowl.

Robin begins one of many minis.

Robin starts a mini wine tote.

Robin pins a mini French bread basket.

Becky has her Presentation Bowl woven to the top of the mold.

Robin pins her minis.

Three of Robin's complete baskets..