The Ombre Basket

This is the first basket I've started after the lovely workshop with Carolyn Zeitler.  Her infinite patience and gracious teaching are inspirational and I look forward to a long and creative connection to her. 


This photo shows the top wrapping, and a little of the shaded coloring, from black to sable needles.  (Thus the name - "Ombre Basket")

I started with Canary Island Pine needles that are darker than the ones shown on the left (you can see the difference between dyed and undyed needles). This batch of needles is the transition or middle of the basket. The needles on the right are the ones used at the top of the basket. The tips of the needles absorbed the black dye more than the shaft, so the basket has a continuous spiral of the black on the outside.  A little aside: I look at the coloring of the dark sable needles, and wish just a little that my hair was that deep, rich, brown-to-black. It's yummy!
This is how the basket looks when you start. This is a full day's work. The beginning is the most difficult, and for the basket itself, the most important work, for as it begins, so it will follow.  (Yes grasshopper, keep stitching.) 


Now you can see the early stages of the basket, where I am changing from the pure black needles to the deepest sable. This is about day 3. 

I work on this a little here and a little there, as time permits.  The baskets may be the "final straw" in driving me to install better lighting over my favorite chair. I like working while the idiot box is on, but it's so dark... 


Here is the start of the finish, where I am wrapping the needles with raffia.  I'm not sure exactly how I will end it, but I'm up to three rows of wrapping so far. I may need to get a curved upholstery needle soon.

You can see a little of the inside of the basket, and the three rows of wrapping. The basket is not as large as I envisioned in the beginning, and I believe I understand why. (I started coming "up" too soon!)


Working on this basket is a joy. I feel centered and calm after stitching for a while, and watching the progress brings a smile to my face.  Carolyn Z. plans out her marvelous baskets, but I seem to have a more organic streak in me, as the baskets I work on all seem to have a mind of their own, and the outcome is frequently not what I had planned. 

Perhaps as I practice the new-found techniques I will become more disciplined, ... or not. 

Addendum: I left the basket on the table overnight, and my furry little devils chewed most of the trailing pine needles off.  Not a tragedy, as I can add more needles back, but a reminder that nothing is sacred in ART.  Four-footed art critics.  Hummph.