Westfall Basket

My parents and I have been collecting these Missouri made baskets for 25 years now. They are made by the Westfall family and are on at least their 5th generation of white oak basket making. All of their baskets are constructed using a very unique style of ribbed construction. They use a combination of what they call "long spokes" and "short spokes". If you notice in the photo they do not use a typical Appalachian "ear" or god's eye where sharpened spokes are inserted at the junction of the rim and handle. They use long round spokes that are bound to the frame as the first rows of weaving are began. These oval baskets are relatively easy to find as are the round baskets they made all in different standardized sizes. This 12" x 18" x 14" tall basket would have been called a "1/2 bushel oblong".

2010 JoAnn Kelly Catsos Worshop

I am very excited to again be able to offer two exciting classes with JoAnn Kelly Catsos of Ashley Falls, MA. JoAnn has won numerous awards for her beautiful black ash baskets and in 1999 she was asked to weave an ornament for the White House Christmas Tree. She also was one of the first to receive the Certificate of Excellence Level I Basketmaking from the Handweavers Guild of America. JoAnn and her husband Steve produce all the weaving materials, hardwood rims and handles, and molds themselves. I hope you can join JoAnn and me for this exciting and fun workshop.

Saturday - Monday, October 16, 17, 18, 2010

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Half-Size Shaker Knife
4" long x 3" tall

The small Shaker knife basket is a half-size replica of JoAnn’s classic 8" knife basket. This classic Shaker icon will be a great additional to your collection.

Quadrafoil Tub
6" dia. x 2.5" deep

This Shaker quadrafoil tub is based upon an antique Shaker tub at the Shaker Museum in Chatham, NY.  The small stakes (3/32") and even smaller weavers (50/1000" and 1/16"), combined with the quadrafoil twill, makes this a challenging basket (but worth the effort).

Instructor: JoAnn Kelly Catsos
$280

PLEASE NOTE This is a three day advanced workshop with quadrafoil twill experience necessary. Both baskets are included in the workshop.

Contact: Tony Stubblefield
if you would like to receive registration information

Mystery Basket

 
13.75" dia. x 17.5" tall with handle

Does anyone know anything about this basket? It is one I have had in my collections for quite awhile now, but I know nothing of its origin. I have only ever seen one or two others like it or of the same construction style. It is woven of brow ash, but I am not sure what the rims, handles or base are made of. I have been told that the base is of basswood, but I am not sure if it is like a Nantucket base and had a groove in it for the staves or if it is two pieces of wood sandwiched together with the ribs in between.

It has a distinctive handle and ear attachment with the brass pin going all the way through the ear and side of the basket. The pin or rivet is peened over a washer on the inside. The handle is not really shaped much in profile, it is basically just a heavy split stick with the edges slightly knocked off, top and bottom.

The base has two channels cute a right-angles to accept "ribs" or "splines" that run up the sides of the basket. The ribs are tucked into the weaving and nailed in place. Again the pins go all the way through the body of the basket, but this time are just bent over on the inside. Notice too that the weaving is graduated in size with smaller weavers at the base and wider ones for the top half.

One of these days I am going to try my hand at making a reproduction of this basket in maybe a smaller size. As always, there are too many baskets to make and not enough time.

2009 JoAnn Kelly Catsos Worshop Photos

Well it only took me a year, but I finally have the photos from last year's workshop with JoAnn Kelly Catsos posted on my website. It is always so much fun to go through the photos and remember all the good times we had. I can't believe that was almost a year ago now. This year's workshop will be in October and I will post details about it in a few weeks. Until then you can relive some of the fun of past year's classes.