Friday, October 11, 2013

What I have been up to lately

Well work has still been kicking my butt, so there hasn't been a lot of time for fun stuff like crafting and basket weaving (or cleaning the house for that matter). I did take a week long vacation last month for my birthday and that was really nice. I bought a number of projects to work on, a book (I had almost forgotten what those were) and a bunch of DVDs. Besides crafting, reading and watching movies I did get to do a bit of junks (I would say antiquing, but that would be a stretch for a lot of what I was digging through) and I actually found a nice antique white oak ribbed basket for a fairly good price. I need to photograph it (sorry).

One of the projects I did get to work on was a new waxed linen knotted basket. Knotted baskets are nice for taveling as they don't require water and the only tool you need is a pair of scissors.

Nothing like sitting out on a dock on a lake working on a basket.
This is about as far as I have gotten. It is hard to tell, but the blue section is flat. Also my finger tips are orange from dying some bottle brush trees orange for Halloween (OK, so I guess I have worked on a couple other things).
Unfortunately now that I am back at home and back to work I have hardly touched this basket. It is still sitting right in front of my chair, so I haven't completely forgotten about it.

I did get the itch for whatever reason to start and finish something, so decided to dig through the tubs of felted wool sweaters I seem to have accumulated and through the stack of ideas I have printed off the web. I ended up making a little mouse kitty toy. As you can see in the photo below, it was a success, or at least Grayson liked it.
It never even made it off the table, it was ready, set, play!
So, that's about the extent of my non-work creative output lately. One of these days I will get back to all the other projects I have started ...

7 comments:

  1. I just found your blog through Paul's and boy am I glad! You are quite the craftsman! WOW! I love your kitty also...I'm a sucker for a gray cat. What a lucky kitty to have such a awesome mouse!

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    1. Chrissy,

      Thanks. Grayson is quite the little stinker. He thinks most things are toys for him, so I am happy I have something to distract him with now. I had a make a second mouse for him as one always seems to be underneath some piece of furniture.

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  2. Hello! Just wonder if you have a tutorial or link to one that is available for this knotted basket? Ive googled it but no luck. Thanks so much either way! :)

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    1. There really isn't much out there specifically pertaining to baskets. The technique is the same as the "friendship bracelets" from the 90s. People keep asking me to write a book. One of these days I will have to get around to that.

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  3. Oh my gosh that mouse is adorable!! Thanks so much for sharing your link on my website - I'm so glad to have found this post!

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  4. So beautiful!!! How did you start your basket? Also, wanted to know....now that it is 2017 have you written that book??? If so, want to make a purchase

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    1. The baskets are started with a series of lark's head knots around a heavier core, with the last lark's head joining the core into a loop. That first picture is just starting the fist row of knots after the initial loop. Unfortunately I haven't started that book yet...

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