Editorial
Front Page - Friday, February 12, 2010
Weekly Indulgence
Stephanie Coward
Stick figures. That is both the beginning and end of my artistic talent – and even they are often oddly misshapen. Suffice to say, I was quite nervous as I headed to the basket weaving class, sponsored by Outdoor Chattanooga, last week.
Basket weaving is as old as the dawn of our species; baskets have been uncovered in ancient Egyptian tombs, among other archeological sites. Who knows who wove the first, but according to basketweaving.com, explorers arriving in new lands traded goods that were in baskets, and in turn, the recipients would mimic the weaving and also put their own twist on it, thus diversifying both patterns and styles.
When I arrived at Outdoor Chattanooga’s 200 River St. location, Bill Haley, who works at the Tennessee Aquarium, and his wife, Candy, greeted me. There were approximately 11 of us in the class, and the Haley’s patience guided us though what can only be described as an arduous journey. I am a writer. I relish words. But words would not help me, as it was visual, something I can never seem to wrap my brain around.
All the necessary materials were neatly placed at our individual seats. There was kudzu (for weaving the body), wisteria (the handle) and privet hedge (the ribs). Haley walked us all through weaving the first bit of kudzu around the handle. Make an X sounds like a simple instruction, but it was at least 20 minutes before we all had a sufficient X on either side. Then we wove – over and under, over and under – before pausing to insert a few ribs. The ribs give the basket its shape, so it was crucial that we made sure both sides were proportional. The Haleys walked the room, checking all the rib placements before we moved on. Thank goodness they were there; I thought mine were even, but Bill showed me I was off on several by at least a half an inch. (See? No visual skills.)
Once the ribs were in place, the weaving grew more tedious – and more nerve wracking. Over and under through several ribs barely an inch apart is difficult, especially with my chubby fingers. And then, the real fun began … more ribs. At final count, I had eight on one side and nine on the other. But this was also the time that the basket began taking shape, and I became excited because I saw the shape emerging, but my fingers hurt, so I walked away for a few minutes – I didn’t want aching fingers to lead to mistakes.
Feeling refreshed from a burst of caffeine, I sat, promising myself I would not get up until the basket was finished. Once the majority of ribs are in place, you really notice the tiny knots that are part of the kudzu. Bill explained to the class that the knots are where new kudzu would have emerged this spring. There were a lot of knots, which explains the rapid growth ability of kudzu.
Three hours later, I finished my Appalachian egg basket. As I showed it to Bill, I quickly explained that it had a good side and a bad side. He was sweet to tell me that both sides looked nice, but I disagree, and the picture accompanying this column is of the good side. I am happy with the basket, not necessarily for its aesthetic appeal, but because I made it. The basket will hold stuff and that counts for something as well.
My classmates all made nice looking baskets, though every single one of us struggled – especially at the start. But we were all chatting and laughing the duration of the class; that and the Haleys patience and guidance made the entire experience a lot of fun. There’s something to be said for leaving your comfort zone and trying something foreign to you, which is why several in the class said they signed up. Barbara, a lady who sat next me, said that 2010 was the year she was trying as many new things as she could. I think the world would be a really neat place if we all set goals like that.
When I got home, Joe told me that he didn’t think I would finish the basket; I even surprised myself by completing it. Will I take another basket weaving class? The feeling of making something like that is incredible, so possibly. (I just need to let my hands relax for a bit first.)
Bill has been weaving his own baskets for 25 years. He is a talented individual, and the patterns and colors throughout his baskets make them outstanding decorative pieces. Candy began weaving a year after Bill started. She weaves sculptures; I can’t put into words how neat they are – and truly astounding, to say the least.
It’s difficult to obtain a lot of the materials, since Bill only uses natural materials, so he doesn’t have any for sale on a Web site. Occasionally, about once a month, he and Candy will head down to Greenlife and set up for a day of selling. In celebration of his 25th anniversary this year, he is entering the names of everyone who buys a basket into an end-of-the year raffle. The winner will receive one of his baskets.
To learn more about upcoming events with Outdoor Chattanooga, visit http://www. outdoorchattanooga.com.
Contact Stephanie at stephanie@hamiltoncountyherald
.com.
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