Want to learn how to twine, coil, or plait using natural, manufactured, or recycled fibers?
For folks that want to learn basketry skills for a nominal cost, you have a fabulous opportunity with the Bay Area Basket Makers afternoon workshops, presented after first-Saturday-of-the-month guild business meeting. You can attend an initial workshop for only $25–the cost of joining BABM–plus nominal material fees, usually no more than $5 a session. Thereafter, your only cost is for materials. The workshops are usually about 2 hours in length, and begin about noon, after a light lunch.
At our January, 2014 workshop, we learned how to twine a simple hanging garlic basket. On February 1st, the subject will be paper plaiting, creating a box sculpture with painted watercolor paper. March 1st will have us creating nest baskets (random weave) for the Easter Eggs we will dye the following month.
On June 7th, member teachers will offer basic and intermediate twining. The basic workshop is perfect for folks who have never made a basket; the simultaneous intermediate workshop will focus on more advanced subjects like alternate color twining techiques, and basket beginnings and endings.
After our annual weaving summer weaving retreat in the Sierras, our September 6th meeting will offer an unusual technique called neolithic braiding, a kind of twining where the your spokes become weavers. On October 4th, lattice twining–also called ti-twining–will be taught in preparation for a three day workshop to be given by master weaving instructor, Sally Anaya in November, 2014. (The Anaya workshops will be open only to BABM members, unless vacancies arise).
Our meetings and workshops are normally held either at the Chatham School in Oakland, or the Caning Shop in Berkeley. For further information, contact Jill Stanton, at jillstanton9@gmail.com , or go directly to the BABM website, at www.bayareabasketmakers.wordpress.com/