What were you going to do with all those long flexible pine needles anyway after your first weeks of spring clean up? Please come and be inspired by Melissa Woodburn on Monday, April 18, 2011, 7pm, Tamalpais Weavers’ Guild meeting at the Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Ross, Francis Young Gallery on the right. In her own words:
Demonstration – Making Pine Needle Baskets
I started making pine needle baskets in 1996, as the result of living under some messy long needled pine trees. These’s something intrinsically grounding and meditative about using this recycled medium to make a coiled vessel. I feel like I am joining with artists
past, as I am working on this contemplative art form. In this demo I will discuss some of the history of the pine needle basket, show how and what needles are gathered and what they may be stitched with. I will demonstrate how to make the Start and how to keep the wall even. I will demonstrate the two main stitches used in coiled baskets and will also show some of the non-traditional materials and shapes that I use. I’ll also bring a lot of finished products for you to see.
Reflections of Earth and Sky, Melissa Woodburn