Basket Week 2019
Overview
This page is for a past event. For up-to-date details for the next Basket Week, see the current event page. Feel free to browse the past event details below to get a sense of what's to come!
Join us for a gathering of basket-makers, both advanced and aspiring! Basketry embodies the soul of traditional craft: simple tools, natural materials and skilled hands result in purposeful, beautiful items. An offering of a dozen courses explores a wealth of materials from the northern landscape: birch, willow, pine needles, ash and spruce root. This year we welcome three new instructors, Jo Campbell-Amsler, Greg Johnson, and Clyde Estey, as well as returning favorites. In addition to taking a multi-day course focused on a specific project, all students and other interested folks are invited to participate in the day-long Basket Gathering on Friday, October 25. The day will include skill shares, mini courses, presentations, demonstrations and community gatherings, including a wood-fired pizza bake. Come early or stay late, and don’t miss Basket Gathering!
Registration in a course during Basket Week includes participation in the Basket Gathering. Individual registration for the Basket Gathering will be available to non-enrolled students at a later date. Subscribe to our enews to stay up to date!
Event Details
Film Nights: Selections from Hands
Wednesday October 23rd and Saturday October 26th at 7pm
Enjoy a cozy evening watching basketry-related selections from the documentary series Hands on the big screen. The Hands documentaries were filmed during the 1970’s and 1980’s in Ireland as an effort by filmmakers David and Sally Shaw-Smith to document Irish heritage handcrafts before they were lost to modernization.
Basket Gathering Day
Friday, October 25th
Basket Gathering Day consists of community gatherings, workshops, presentations, and mini courses. Registration in a course during Basket Week includes participation in the Basket Gathering. Individual registration for the Basket Gathering will be available to non-enrolled students at a later date. Full schedule below.
Open Basketry Workspace
Friday | All day
Want to work on a basket surrounded by fellow basket makers and friends? We’ll have a classroom open all day, students are welcome to bring materials to work on at your leisure. No instruction provided but ample sharing and good cheer.
Presentations and Demonstrations
Demonstration and Presentation on Ash Basketry with Clyde Estey
Friday | 9 - 10 am
Clyde will share about his basketry process and gathering techniques while demonstrating how to put a basket together in his distinctive style.
Birch Bark Basketry Panel hosted by Beth Homa Kraus
Friday | 10 - 11am
Join our birch bark basketry instructors for a panel discussion on their craft. Bring your birch bark questions or just come to listen.
Willow Weaving Demonstration: Willow in Words with Lindsay Lee and Lee Zieke Lee
Friday | 11am - 12pm
Join Lindsay and Lee to explore the language of willow baskets. There will be no need to puzzle over all of the strange terms and tools after this informative presentation.
Baskets Along the Way Presentation with Jo Campbell-Amsler
Friday | 1 - 2pm
Learn about the baskets and weavers Jo has visited with in Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Wales, England, Spain and France. An international basket smorgasbord, a feast for the eyes!
Braided/Twined Bark and Grass Handles and Rim Fill Demonstration with Dennis Chilcoate
Friday | 2 - 3pm
Dennis will demonstrate techniques for creating handles and rims for a variety of baskets using braided and twined bark and grass.
Basket Market
Friday | 3 - 5pm
Bring your pocket book and get ready to drool over amazing baskets! Our basketry instructors will have their wares displayed and available to the public in a rare basket marketplace experience. Ash, birch, willow and more — find a treasure to take home!
Brown Bag Lunch and Basket Show & Tell
Friday | 12 - 1pm
Hosted by Cathryn Peters
Bring a basket and your lunch and we’ll have a classic show and tell! All students and instructors are invited to bring a basket to show. We’ll go around and share an interesting tid-bit or story about our baskets while we eat our lunches.
Student Pizza Potluck
Friday | 5 - 7pm
A North House favorite! Join your fellow students for wood-fired pizza and fun. You are invited to bring a pizza topping to share, we’ll provide the dough, sauce and cheese. Toppings range from comfort food to the wildly adventurous- be creative as you’d like! BYOB, partners/families welcome.
Evening Presentation with featured guest instructor Greg Johnson
Friday | 7pm
The Four Seasons of the Ojibwe Harvest
Greg Johnson, basket maker and cultural educator, will share about the significance of a seasonal lifestyle in Ojibwe culture through the context of basketry
Latest Update:
View recent changes →Course Offerings
Day 1: 5-8pm, Days 2 & 3: 9am-5pm
Willow Ridge Herb Basket
9am-5pm
Birch Bark Containers: North American and Scandinavian
9am-5pm
9am-4pm
9am-5pm
Woven Birch Bark Backpack
9am-5pm