Here are some snapshots from my first pair of wonderful basketry workshops with JoAnn Kelly Catsos we had here in St. Louis July 28-29, 2007. JoAnn offered two classes, a Shaker fancy tray and a beautiful quadrafoil tub, both woven of brown ash (or black ash which it is also known by) which she and her husband Steve prepare themselves. Everyone had such a fantastic time I hope to have JoAnn back in the very near future.

Shaker Fancy Tray Basket

July 28-29, 2007

JoAnn explains the layout of the staves.

She demonstrates how she likes to start weaving the base.

Robin begins weaving the base.

JoAnn checks on everyone's progress pointing out the importance of keeping all the holes perfectly square.

With the bases woven and the size checked it is time to dampen the edges and upset all the staves.

This basket has nice sharp corners so every stave is sharply bent.

The bases are pinned to the mold and banned so that they can dry.

Once the baskets are dried, Martha Kay begins the weaving.

Cindy settles into the rhythm of the weaving.

Mary pays special attention to the spacing of the uprights on the corners.

Lynn makes sure each row is packed tightly against the previous row.

These baskets are shallow, so aren't woven all the way to the top of the mold.

It doesn't take long and everyone is woven up the sides.

Debbie has only a few more over/unders and she is finished.

Jeana finishes the weaving and clips the end of her weaver.

With the baskets dried, packed and leveled, a false rim is woven and the uprights dampened.

Every other upright is folded to the inside of the basket.

The tiny side handles are sanded to satin smooth finish.

The equally delicate rims are sanded and oiled before being fit to the basket.

The rims are more challenging than they appear to wrestle onto the basket.

JoAnn demonstrates to Mary how the cable ties can be used to help get the rims in place.

The long rectangular rims need to be on nice and straight.

Once both rims fitted the cable ties can be tightened.

And more cable ties added.

The basket is now ready to be lashed.

Cindy uses a small weaverite tool to open up some space so she can start the lashing.

Special attention always has to be paid when going around handles to make sure the lashing lays where you want it.

Martha Kay relaxes as she is on the home stretch to finishing her basket.

The baskets are double lashed so you have to go around the entire basket twice.

Robin proudly displaces her completed Shaker Fancy Tray.

Everyone's basket looks beautiful.

JoAnn brings plenty of kits, molds and supplies. But, by the end of class we have pretty much cleaned her out.

She also brings samples of all the basket kits she sells. It is fun to see all the different styles you can make with only a few molds.

Elegance and Ebony Elegance Basket

July 29-30, 2007

JoAnn demonstrates laying out the quadrafoil base.

She shows the center of the base and how the student will use that as a reference point throughout the weaving of the basket.

While the base looks complicated it is basically over two/under two with exceptions.

JoAnn shows an assembled base.

After the base is woven all the space between the spokes is removed with packing. Note the wonderful visual diagram JoAnn provides.

With the base packed tight it is fit to the mold.

After banding the uprights are given a "hair cut".

Participants had the option of weaving a basket with either black or natural heart wood uprights.

JoAnn provides both pictorial and written instructions for both visual and verbal learners. Here Cindy checks the row-by-row instructions.

It is hard to see the pattern until a few rows are woven.

Even with the contrast between the weavers and the black uprights the pattern isn't obvious at first.

But after a few rows the distinctive quadrafoil pattern emerges.

The "clover leaf" design of the quadrafoil is starting to form on the corners.

On the natural baskets the pattern is more subtle.

JoAnn helps out Martha Kay as everyone begins to get out of the pattern and into normal over/under weaving.

Almost out of the pattern.

Lynn is almost to the top of the mold.

Robin is almost to the top of her mold as well.

Lynanne is out of the pattern and only has a few more rows to be at the top of her basket.

The transition to plain weaving really makes the quadrafoil pattern stand out.

The baskets are leveled and the staves folded over and trimmed.

The natural baskets get natural rims and the ebony black stained rims.

Participants are given the choice of lashing with either waxed linen or splint.

Most of the Ebony Elegance weavers decide to go with waxed linen lashing.

Most of the Elegance weavers go with traditional splint lashing.

Jane and Cindy proudly show off their completed basket for JoAnn.

Robin proudly shows off her two baskets with Tony and her daughter Lydia (holding Seuss) at her side.

Special Basket Projects

July 28-30, 2007

I started this basket the January before class at the John C. Campbell Folk School. I made the mold myself.

JoAnn made me a beautiful handle.

And rims for my basket.

Laurie wanted to make a miniature (4") version of JoAnn's lidded knife basket.

She has incredible patience.

But, before I know it she is lashing the woven basket.

I shape and sand the handle in preparation for notching it for the rims.

The handles and rims are fitted and cable tied to the basket.

The basket is lashed and the stretcher bar for the lids is fitted.

Laurie starts laying out her first lid.

Slowly building the "base".

With the "base" for the lid half woven she is ready to begin weaving.

Laurie weaves a tiny quadrafoil pattern into the lid using 1/64" ash splint.

She checks the fit of the lid to the basket.

The first of two lid halves is woven.

Now to make another one to match for the other side.

As I start my lid it looks huge in comparison to Laurie's baby version.

One lid woven and one more to go.

With both lids woven I do some adjustments to make them fit perfectly.

A thick piece of splint acts as a rim.

The rims are clipped to the lids and one more check of fit is made.

Laurie has finished the saw-tooth edge to her lids and all she has left to do is to trim the lid bars and attach them to the stretcher.

Tony, JoAnn and Laurie proudly show off their lidded knife baskets, 12", 8" and 4" respectively.

I am all smiles after finishing a basket I have wanted to make since I first saw a photo of one back in the 80s.

Random Photos

July 28-30, 2007

A table of beautiful baskets JoAnn has made.

Two of JoAnn's incredible creations. The larger of the two is only about 8" tall and the small one maybe 3.5". They are very inspirational.

One of the highlights of JoAnn's visit is that our mutual friend Becky happened to be passing through St. Louis. We all went to the Hill for a great Italian dinner.

JoAnn's "migraine" basket, named so because she got one weaving this less than 1.5" tall backpack.

Lynanne found this beautiful miniature oval Nantucket basket when she visited the island. It features ivory handles, rims and base.

Now I know how all those splint shavings get all over the house including my bed!