Great Basin Basketmakers October 2016 Page 1

Newsletter October 2016

Volume 30 Number 10

Edited by

Karen Olson

www.greatbasinbasketmakers.org

Table of Contents

President’s Msg/Classes Page 2

Oct Classes Page 3

2017 Interest Survey/Spec Wrkp Page 4

Exhibits/Anniversary Page 5

Meeting Minutes Page 6

Officers/upcoming events Page 7

Upcoming Exhibits…

The Alpine County Library basket display will

run the months of November and Decem-

ber. The display shelves are 8" deep x 10

1/2” high and 37" long. Small baskets are

needed.

The case is secure. Please bring baskets to

the November Meeting.

Thanks, Paula

October 6, 2016—Meeting at Washoe Zephyr Gardens at 11:00 am

Hi Weavers…

Fall is here and so is our planning meeting. Some of you filled out a survey at the last meeting (brief results compilation on pg 4) indicating ideas for next years programs and classes. Thank you for your input; so now we can begin the process of putting next years’ schedule together. During the current year, we have tried some different classes and programs with some successes and some failures. The committee is developing a series of meeting programs (demo and/or hands-on ac-tivities) of different weaving techniques. Many of our past weaving instructors have retired from teaching classes which has left our guild rather short handed. One option for handling the shortage of teachers would be to reduce the number of classes per month. If this were to occur, maybe we could have more short mini-classes as after meeting programs. Something to think about…

I would like to see all of our classes fill-up during 2017, so be thinking about what you would like to learn or what you would like to teach. There are lots of other venues around for learning about weaving materials, which may not be native to the Great Basin. I’m always looking for travel buddies to accompany me to out of the area weaving classes; it’s a great way to learn about the culture of our country. Soapbox over, but check out some of the websites on Page 7 and bring ideas to the October meeting for next year’s plan.

Cheers, Karen Olson

Great Basin Basketmakers October 2016 Page 2

Message from the President

Happy October! The weather is cooling down and it is time to harvest. It has

definitely been a great year for the gardens. Our peaches and almonds are al-

most ready to harvest, I have already harvested most of the broom corn, a

small amount is still ready to go. The anticipation is great to see how many

gourds I get from the overgrowth of plants we have. I am still cutting new

flowers off. Enough about that it is also football season – Don is happy! Our

October meeting is the program planning meeting. For those who have not com-

pleted the questionnaire, please do! You can submit any suggestions to Susan

Lester at fordtraveler@gmail.com. We need your input! We want to plan our

next year to meet the needs of our members, without your input, how can we do

that? Thank you to everyone who completed the forms at the September meet-

ing. Speaking of the September meeting – a huge thank you to Melanie Smokey

and Allen and the great program they presented. I know there were quite a few

of our members who were not able to attend; perhaps another program in 2017?

Again, thank you for letting me be part of this marvelous group.

Bonnie

Pack Basket! October 14th & 15th 2016! Washoe Zephyr Gardens!

9:30 am to 3:00!

Cat Wahrenbrock will be teach this two day Pack Basket workshop. This is a large, sturdy and functional basket. With straps or without it will be a basket that serves you well. This basket is plaited; having experience with the plaiting technique will be very useful. It’s an intermediate/advanced basket due to the large material, but an ener-getic, brave beginner will be helped and encouraged along! Fees: $50 member $60 non-member. A material list and preparation instructions will be emailed to students prior to class. If you wish to have feet and a solid wood bottom; an additional $12 (material fee) is pay-able to Cat. Straps are not included, several ideas and op-tions will be discussed in class.

Great Basin Basketmakers October 2016 Page 3

4 Dancing Frogs

Thursday, October 20, 2016 1st Congregational Church

627 Sunnyside, Reno 9:00 am—3:30 pm

This is a bias plaited twill basket, original pattern was by Sosse Baker, basket dimensions: 10" x 10" x 2 3/4" high Skills needed: Twill experience is helpful, but not re-quired...beginners are welcome.

Materials used: dyed and natural 1/4" flat reed. If you are prepar-ing your own materials, and you have made twill baskets before,

you can use 1/4" flat oval. If you are providing your own material, cut 80 spokes 26" long. Dye 32 spokes the color of your choice, leave 48 natural. Because of Murphy, I'd dye a few extra, and cut ex-tra of the natural, too. Occasionally spokes break... Tools needed: usual basketry tools, soaking bucket, spray bottle. You will also need a heavy duty Weaverite Packing tool (this is the short stubby angled tool)...I use mine all the time. I have a couple to use in class, and have them for sale at cost if you want.

Cost: $25 members, $30 non-members Materials fee: $25.00

Sign-ups: At the guild meeting or contact Jane Milner at twillweaver@yahoo.com.

Hen Basket Class

Saturday, Nov 5 & Sunday, Nov 6, 2016 Washoe Zephyr Gardens, Old Washoe Valley

9:00 AM until 5:00 PM, both days This basket was brought from Scotland by early immigrants...theirs were made of willow. The basket was used to take a broody hen to market.

Basket dimensions: About 13 1/2" high, 14" wide and 11 1/2" deep. Size will vary

Experience needed: Rib style basket experience helpful, but not required. Beginners are welcome.

Materials used: The 4 primary hoops will be pre-formed from #10 round reed: 2 @ 10" diameter, 2 @ 12 1/2" diameter. Ribs will be #7 round reed, weavers are dyed and natural #3 round reed, with many color choices.

Tools needed: Your usual basketry tools, especially 1-2 Awls, and we will be shaping our ribs with the Stanley Sur-Form Shaver. I will have both tools to use in class and some for sale. A scrap of wood (1" x 2" x 12" or so) to protect the table top from the shaver. (I have some of these too.)

Cost: $50.00 guild members (2 days instruction), $60.00 non-guild members, Materials: $30.00 NOTE: if you feel you don't need the second day of instruction, I will refund the $25.00!

Sign-ups can be at our guild meetings or by contacting Jane Milner at twillweaver@yahoo.com

Great Basin Basketmakers October 2016 Page 4

2017 Classes and Programs Planning The Classes and Programs committee would like to thank all members who took the time to fill in a 2017 interest survey. We are sharing those results with you, so when you attend the Planning Meeting you can think about volunteering to teach a class or re-questing a particular class be taught. To save space we are focusing on classes and will wait until the meeting to discuss programs.

Listed in order of interest:

Q 1 What materials would like to learn more about? 1. Grasses 2. Wire and Bamboo 3. Willow, Pine Needles and Cedar Bark 4. Birch Bark and Gourds 5. Iris/daylily and Tule 6. Palm and Seagrass 7. Corn Husk, Seaweed, Paper and Hamburg

Cane

Q2 What techniques would like to learn more about? 1. Coiling 2. Loom Weaving 3. Rib Baskets, and Knotting 4. Plaiting, Square Work and Twining 5. Cordage and Random 6. Tablet Weaving, Free Form, Ply Split, Rand-

ing and Twill

Q3 What else are you interested in? 1. Recycled plastic bag Purse 2. 3 Rod Coiling 3. Natural Material Small Items 4. Natural Dyes 5. Non-traditional Materials 6. Mad Weave 7. Preparing Gathered Local Materials

Q4 Specific baskets you would like to make. 1. Trivets 2. Berry Basket 3. Picnic basket 4. Potluck Basket 5. Copper Basket with Don 6. Japanese 7. Tule 8. Local Native American 9. Nantucket Style 10. Birch and Cedar Bark Baskets

Special Workshops 2017

I'm pleased to announce we have Jill Robinson inter-ested in coming to Reno next year, July 14, 15 and 16, 2017 to teach 3 days of great workshops. Jill lives in Austin Texas, where she has been weaving baskets since 1987 and teaching basket weaving since 1991. Please check out her website at www.onebasket.net Jill has sent a description of quite a few baskets she would be willing to teach. These range from a one and half day class to half day classes. The workshops cover beginner to intermediate levels. She is trying to offer something for everyone. Based on interest by mem-bers attending previous meeting the baskets we will choose from are a 1 ½ day class Tapestry Antler, 3 one day workshops, Candidum, Sugar Plum, and Landscape, a ½ day class Snickerdoodle. Her prices are very rea-sonable and remember you can apply for a grant if needed. She requests 10 minimum/12 maximum stu-dents per class. We are just trying to get a feel for members interest. If you think you are interested in taking one of Jill's classes please let me know. You can contact me at fordtraveler@gmail.com or call 775-338-7910 Com-mitment to attend a workshop will need to be made by the December meeting. Deposit will be required by the February meeting. Taking a workshop from a visiting instructor is an ex-perience everyone should have, not to mention loads of fun. I hope you will take this opportunity to learn from a very talented teacher.

Susan Lester

Great Basin Basketmakers October 2016 Page 5

2017 GBB’s 30th Anniversary

Did you realize that next year GBB will be celebrating

their 30th anniversary? During our October planning

meeting

everyone needs to put on their thinking caps and come

up

with ways we can celebrate and promote our wonderful

organization. I can’t believe I’ve been a member for 16

years now – how time flies!! We need a slogan/motto for

next year that we can put on t-shirts, aprons, tote bags,

or what have you. Therefore, I am proposing a contest to come up with the most ap-

propriate slogan for our 30th.

Please submit your entries to me prior to the October meeting. We will list the en-

tries on the board and have the attending membership select the best one that

meets our needs. The winning entry will receive a special GBB prize. You may sub-

mit your entries to my email: zoerware@sbcglobal.net, phone me at (775) 786-2165,

or submit to me in writing at next month’s meeting. Get those entries in now and

thanks for any of your great suggestions. Sandy Zoerner

September Sparks Library Exhibit

HAS

ANYONE

VISITED

THE

CARSON

RIVER

PROJECT

THIS

YEAR???

Great Basin Basketmakers October 2016 Page 6

Sept 1st, 2016 GBB General Meeting

Minutes submitted by Diane Rienstra. Meeting held at 1st Congregational Church, Reno, NV, called to order by Bonnie Kennedy @ 11:11am, August meeting minutes were approved. Treasurers Report: Julia was absent to give report. Bonnie reported there was $5,718.90 in checking and $5,630.00 in Savings Membership report: Bonnie reported no new members. Meetings Program report: Susan reported that Melanie Smokey will give a talk about native plants and their medicinal purposes this afternoon. Next month we will have a programs and planning meeting. Monthly Classes report: Susan reported that on Sat., Sept.24th, Judy Magiera will be teaching how to make a Viking Bracelet (knitted wire), from 9am-3pm. On Sat. and Sun., Oct.14th and 15th. Cat Wahrenbrock will be teaching how to make a Pack Basket at Washoe Zephyr Gar-dens, from 9:30am-3pm each day. On Oct.30th, Jane Milner will be teaching how to make a “4 dancing frogs” basket, from 9am, at the 1st Congregational Church, Sunnyside, Reno. She will also be teaching how to make a Hen Basket on Nov. 5th and 6th at Washoe Zephyr Gardens from 9:am-5pm both days. Special Workshops report: Susan reported that the GBNBA, or Great Basin Native Basket Weavers Association is gathering for a 3 day event Sept. 9th-11th, @ the Reno/Sparks Indian Colony Gym. They will have daily Basket demos, displays, native basket and arts sales. Info regarding tables or classes call Leah Brady, Ph#(775)340-2833 or online at www.gbnba.org Exhibits/Shows report: Nancy reported Exhibits for the Sparks Library till Sept.30th. Carson City Library Oct. 1st-31st. Alpine Library Nov/Dec. Possible Exhibits at the Art Museum and airport. Special Projects/Events report: Susan reported that Jill Roberson wants to teach a 3-day workshop in Reno in July of next year (2017). Maybe the 14th, 15th, and 17th. Raffle by Lorrie was a beautiful beaded pin, a Pottery vase, hand turned, and a Basket book. Library report: Pam pointed out that the library was housed at Zephyr Gardens, so she would take any books that people wanted to return. Nobody had anything to return. She reported that 30 copies of a cordage book were due to arrive for the Library and to sell. Announcements: Bonnie reported about the Shasta County/Redding Mini Makers Faire Sat., Nov. 12th. Contact website: www.makerfaireshasta.com/ or Ada Rappeport @ (530) 604-8377. They now have weekend only booth rentals at the Great Western Marketplace avail-able. Contact # for a booth is (775) 624-1800. Molly proposed a booth at Southside @ the Methodist Church in Sparks, Oct. 22nd and 23rd, for $55.00 a booth. She suggested selling Books, and giving out info about the club to gain new members. Deadline to sign up for booth is Sept.15th. After that, booths go up to $75.00. Old Business: Nancy reminded us that next year is the clubs 30th Anniversary. We want the club members to have a contest to pick out a motto or slogan to put on T-shirts or aprons. The winner would get a free apron with the motto or slogan on it. Send your idea to Sandy on a piece of paper before the Oct. meeting or email your selection to her. New Business: Next meeting @ Washoe Zephyr Gardens on Oct. 6th. 22 people attended. Adj. time 12

Great Basin Basketmakers October 2016 Page 7

Great Basin Basketmakers Membership Application/Renewal Annual Membership Dues: $25year ($10 additional per yr. for family membership)

Date Amount: $________New _____ Renewal _____

Name Address

City State Zip

Telephone Email

Send this completed form and check payable to Great Basin Basketmakers and mail to: Great Basin Basketmakers * P. O. Box 11844 * Reno, NV 89510-1844

If you signup to take a class, and you are unable to attend, PLEASE let the teacher know in advance. Teachers spend a lot of time preparing for classes and it is very disappointing when there are unexpected no-shows.

2016 Officers and Committee Members

President: Bonnie Kennedy Board Co-chair: Trisha Work

Vice President : Gloria Gayton-Robles Board Co-chair: Catherine Wahrenbrock

Guild Secretary: Diane Rienstra Board At Large: Pam Wilcox

Treasurer/Mem : Julia Richardson Board At Large: Anne Bacon

Board At Large: Nancy Strickland

Board Secretary: Julia Richardson

Committees: Programs & Classes: Kristy Dial, Susan Lester, Karen Olson; Library: Pam Wilcox,

Special Workshops: Lorrie Moore, Susan Lester , Outreach: Nancy Strickland, Don Kennedy, Re-

treat: Gloria Gaytan-Robles, Kaylee Mayne, Nancy Strickland , Grants: Julia Richardson, Betty

Hulse, Carol Thomas, Raffle: Lorrie Moore, Website: Karen Olson, Newsletter Editors: Susan Lester,

Karen Olson, Kristy Dial

Next Month’s

Newsletter Editor is: Susan Lester

fordtraveler@gmail.com

Please submit articles for

November

newsletter by Oct 12.

2017 Upcoming Events...around the country Texas Baskets Weavers, 2017 “Basketpalooza” Conference in

Houston, TX; Jan 19-22, 2017; texasbasketweavers.com

NCBA Convention 2017, “Weaving Mania,” March 16-19,

2017, Durham, North Carolina. ncbasketmakers.com

Misti Washington, Gourd & Basket Guild’s, 13th Gourd and

Basket Weekend in the Garden; May 6-7, 2017; San Diego

Botanical Garden. baskets-gourds.com

Great Basin Basketmakers October 2016 Page 8

Our Mission Statement

The main focus of the Great Basin Basketmakers

is to make baskets, to learn everything possible about the tradition and techniques of basketry

and to pass this knowledge along

to others.

Great Basin Basketmakers Post Office Box 11844

Reno, Nevada 89510-1844

Great Basin Basketmakers Established January 1987

Meetings the first Thursday of each month alternating between First Congregational Church of Reno, located at 627 Sunnyside Dr Reno and Washoe Zephyr Gardens, Washoe Valley Open business meeting at 11:00 AM. All are welcome. Bring a sack lunch. Show & Tell/Lunch 12-1 PM. Program starts at 1:00 PM. Membership dues for Great Basin Basketmakers are $25/yr, $10 extra per household member per yr. Dues are to be paid annually in January. Membership includes monthly newsletter, access to large library and reduced workshop rates. Please direct address, email changes, membership dues, and requests for membership to PO Box 11844, Reno, NV 89510-1844. Questions regarding workshops, events, etc. may be directed to GBB president, Bonnie Kennedy at bbkennedy@charter.net or check our website at: www.greatbasinbasketmakers.org. Information to be exchanged among GBB members may be directed to: gbbreno@gmail.com