Here are some snapshots from yet another pair of wonderful workshops with Martha Wetherbee we had here in St. Louis June 23-26, 2005. Martha offered two classes, the fourth in a series of Nantucket signature nesting baskets and the first in a series of Shaker confection baskets woven of brown ash.

Nantucket Signature Nesting Set

June 23-25, 2005

Martha explains the number of staves that will be used in the baskets.

Anne and Donna do a bit of light sanding on their staves before beginning the basket.

Martha helps Annette get started laying out the staves.

Alan helps Wanda by checking the first half of her stave placement.

Martha checks the staves on Lynanne's 6".

Cindy uses a "gap gauge" to get her staves perfectly spaced.

Here's my basket, after doing the 14" the 8" seems tiny.

Annette has almost all of her staves inserted.

Debbie is off and running on the weaving of her 8" basket.

Anne begins the weaving on her 8" basket while Annette is getting her 14" started.

Lynn and Wanda stand to weave the first few rows of their 8" baskets.

Robin, all the way from Milwaukee, is starting the first basket in her Signature Nesting set.

"Professor Alan" does his comic routine for a bit of relief from the intense weaving going on.

Wanda relaxes as she steadily weaves up the sides of her basket.

After a good day's work Robin's basket is banded for the evening. Mary just can't get enough, so continues weaving.

The second day Martha does a bit of show and tell. Here she is explaining the history of a new basket of mine woven by Ben Higgins of Massachusetts.

Martha points out some of the distinguishing features of Higgins' work present on this "automobile lunch" basket.

Martha brought a basket like this with her when she appeared on the Martha Stewart Living show a few years ago.

Another one of Martha and Alan's finds is this lovely Jose Formoso Reyes Nantucket friendship basket.

Reyes was the first of the Nantucket basket makers to add a lid and ivory decoration to the basket we now think of as a Nantucket purse.

A close up of the baskets rich patina.

Robin concentrates as she continues weaving up the sides of her basket.

Annette finds it easier to stand to weave on her huge 14" basket.

After making the 10", 12" and 14" baskets, Debbie and Jeana find the 8" a breeze.

After a full day of weaving Cindy has her basket off the mold and checks the level of the top.

After making short work of weaving their 8" baskets, Alan supervises as Jeana and Wanda fit the rims to their baskets.

Alan gives Wanda a quick refresher on pin placement before she begins nailing her rims.

Another one of Martha's handy tools makes quick work of crimping the rim covers for the baskets.

The last day of class begins with Alan giving another quick refresher on lashing. These ladies are getting so good they don't need much help on their baskets anymore.

Alan demonstrates starting the lashing on Robin's basket.

Anne quietly lashes her basket on an unusually relaxing third day.

Cindy proudly displays the third of her Nantucket Signature baskets while Robin couldn't be happier to have finished the first in her set.

Annette leaves another successful class and says goodbye to Alan for another year.

Shaker Candy Tray

June 26, 2005

Lynn measures her uprights from splint freshly run through the knives.

After a good night's rest Robin is ready to start her Shaker Candy Tray.

Carol came all the way from Florida to make this beautiful basket. Carol, along with Robin from Wisconsin and Jane from Texas all win the prize from traveling the farthest to come to Martha's workshop here in St. Louis, MO.

Martha demonstrates "up setting" the basket.

With the base woven, it is pinned to the mold.

Debbie thins the tips of her weavers before she begins weaving.

Anne gives her basket a "hair cut".

Lynn narrow her weaver before she begins chase weaving the basket.

Cindy cruises along weaving up the sides of her basket.

Lynanne is about to the top of her mold.

Donna is about finished with the weaving on her second basket ever!

Carol lashes the rim on her Candy Tray.

Debbie, holding Seuss, and Cindy can't believe that another incredible workshop is over.

Another great Shaker class with Lynanne, Debbie, Cindy, Alan, Martha, Mary, Donna and Anne (not pictured: Jeana, Lynn, Robin, Carol and Jane).