Here are some snapshots from yet another pair of wonderful basketry workshops with Martha Wetherbee we had here in St. Louis June 19-22, 2008. Martha offered two classes, the seventh in a series of Nantucket signature nesting baskets and a reproduction Bushwhacker baskets woven of brown ash. This marks the 9th year Martha and Alan have come to St. Louis.

Nantucket Signature Nesting Baskets

June 19-21, 2008

Alan introduces the class and explains the process of setting up the basket.

Euline sorts her staves into four piles.

Old friends have a chance to reacquainted.

Anne sands each stave of her huge 16" basket.

Martha demonstrates how to sand the tips of the staves for a perfect fit.

Fern begins inserting the staves into her 14" basket.

Robin keeps adding staves, quadrant by quadrant.

Lynanne's tiny #0 basket.

Martha checks out the stave spacing before weaving can begin.

The first few rows of weaving are done with all the staves splayed. The baskets are then banded and dried.

We have baskets of all sizes going from small to large.

Robin discovers that her mouth can work as an extra hand when needed.

Deb settles into a relaxing afternoon of weaving.

Alan gives Wanda some help splicing in a new weaver.

Euline works on the second of her nesting set.

Martha does more spot checks as the class proceeds.

Fern continues weaving.

Lynanne's #0 starts taking shape.

As you come around the "corner" of the basket one must pay special attention that the staves remain tight against the mold.

Lynn works her way around the corner and up the straight sides of the basket.

Mary stops to admire the beautiful weaving.

Jeana thins the end of a weaver.

Weaving continues throughout the day.

Anne discovers that the #16 (16" dia.) basket is a challenge.

At the end of the day I am almost to the top of the mold and have inserted the ears as "place holders" into the weaving.

Robin has banded her basket for the night and is satisfied with what she accomplished on day one.

Robin's daughter Lydia keeps Seuss entertained while we worked.

Since I have my basket almost woven I begin my #2.

This basket is little so I can't imagine the #0.

But, after some work the basket is set up and banded for the night.

The second day is all weaving.

After a full day of work behind her she is finally working up the sides of the basket.

Anne is just behind her and is weaving away.

Fern is about to the top of her mold.

Jane stops to laugh as she approaches the top of her mold.

Deb finishes up the last few rows of weaving.

Beth is starting to see progress in her basket.

After a late start the day before, Lynn is on her way.

Day three finds the baskets off the molds. Deb has her basket level and is weaving in the false rim.

Fern does some sanding on her handle.

Martha whittles some excess material off the overlap of the rims.

Lynanne delicately holds her basket. One rim down, one to go.

Mary drills pilot holes in her rim.

Deb pins the rims on.

Robin gives her basket a quick haircut.

Ny two baskets have the rims in place and I am ready to pin.

Anne sees light at the end of the tunnel as she approaches the top of her basket.

Beth has her basket off the mold and does some packing.

Martha admires Fern's nearly completed basket.

Beth and Anne bond over the experience of the #16.

With the rims pinned to the basket Wanda finishes the basket by lashing it.

Anne shows her battered hands.

...but her basket is beautiful.

...as are everyone's baskets.

My #4 is completed...

...and nests perfectly with the #2.

Beth and Euline show off their baskets after another successful workshop.

Speedy Robin has some time and extra energy to make a "bonus" basket.

She is making a miniature Maine potato basket.

Jane also has some extra time and works on a project of her own.

Bushwhacker Basket

June 21-22, 2008

Martha demonstrates setting up the base of the basket.

She demonstrates marking the uprights so they can be tapered.

Robin and Mary get to work.

Lynanne carefully tapers each upright.

Leanne joins us for the second class.

This basket has a round start.

Martha demonstrates thinning the tips of the weaver so the overlaps are invisible.

Lynn starts weaving her base.

Gabe has also joined us and gets to work on her basket.

Another new student, Ann, begins her basket.

This is a continuous weave basket so one upright has been split.

Lynanne shapes her basket base to a handy form Martha has made.

Anne packs each row of weaving as tightly as possible.

With the bases woven, they are flipped and attached to the molds.

The baskets are banded and left to dry for the night.

The next morning Martha shows an antique Bushwhacker basket to Gabe, Ann and Anne.

Martha demonstrates starting the weaving of the body of the basket.

Robin begins weaving.

Carol joins us again from Florida and is making short work of this basket.

Deb works her way up the sides of the basket.

Ann thins the tips of her next weaver.

Jane packs and levels her basket.

Leanne begins lashing her basket.

Robin proudly displays her baskets.

Anne proudly displays her hard four days of work.

The Bushwhacker we made next to its big brother.

Lynanne takes possession of her Martha Wetherbee wood chip basket.

Martha brought a beautiful tiny antique Bushwhacker basket.

The basket is only a couple of inches in size, but is made just like the big ones.

The basket is perfectly proportioned.