I made an Oshkosh basket.  Well, it’s not really an Oshkosh basket.  But I was in Oshkosh when I made it.  Does that count?  What a fun time I had!
 

Isn’t it cute?  And not hard at all.  This is my completed basket.  And it only took about 3 1/2 hours in a class to complete the whole thing.

But I’ve gotten ahead of myself.  You need to see all the steps involved, now don’t you?

This is Ginger, Basket Teacher Extraordinaire!  She and her hubby, Marvin (The Wood Guy), were such fun as we learned the fine craft of basket making.

When I arrived for class this spidery thing awaited me. 

And these are Ginger’s hands – showing us how to do the first round!

Here’s my progress – after completing the first rounds.

The next step was to bend the spokes up over your finger or thumb to train them to go up on the sides.

Ginger showing us how to weave the reeds around for each row.  Clothespins are a big help when you need more hands.

Here’s my personal basket after the first seven rounds of weaving.  It’s taking shape!

Next two rows of color!

Ginger then showed us how to add the beads.

This is mine after the beads are added, as well as two more rows of color.  I need color in my life.

The gals in class.  They were heads down working.

The rest of the class.  They were all intent on their baskets!

Marvin helped with our rim pieces.

Ginger told us we would all whine with this next step.  We had to fold every other spoke piece up and over and trim the ones in between to be flush with the top. We didn’t whine at all!  And she even offered to serve cheese if we did.   Then it was time to add the rim pieces.

Adding the rim pieces and the rope along the top.

The completed basket.  One last trim off that wrapping piece and it was all done!  I love my basket.  Ginger said she sprayed hers with Minwax to give it a golden glow.  I’m going to do that too.  Just as soon as I find the time.

Marvin and Ginger.  What a fun time we had!

And as soon as they get home and email me, I’m ordering a kit to do another one!  It was just loads of fun.  And here’s another plus for me.  I was almost all finished with the whole process, when I realized that I’d done the whole thing without my reading glasses.  Advantageous when eyes are tired from the close work involved in stitchin’/quiltin’.

And now I’m all ready for the old folks home when I get “of age.”  Basket making here I come!

Weaving away…. but only in my mind,
Barb