Baskets. So many baskets.

Finally put up shelving in my office, I've only been in this house for a bit over 5 years and owned the shelves for 3. Some things just end up taking a back seat to everything else. 

 

I took up basket making a few years ago and several in this photo have been made my me, not all, but several. I have not been super busy being creative this year, the weight of the world has been getting to me but here's a few from the last couple of years. I took a class at my local arts center and found it super fun so I joined the NC Basket Guild and have been going to their annual conventions. The 2025 one is next weekend and I'm looking forward to the three classes I signed up for!

One of my own designs, I did it in a second color way with a few changes and entered it in the NC state fair, got a blue ribbon! I did not expect it to do so well. 

This was a class I took at the convention in 2024, a Nantucket basket class, I got second for it. 

I didn't enter this one, but I really love it: 

It's my favorite colors. I have it holding a bunch of knitting yarns in my office right now. It's quite large. I found a few mistakes in the pattern which is why I did not end up entering it into the state fair. I bet it would look stunning in a solid color instead of the space dyed I used. The rim took me months, it was a huge pain in the butt but it turned out so good looking. It was worth the time. One of my friends is keen to come over and make some baskets when the weather is nicer and we can do it outside on my deck. I'm hoping to connect more with other crafters this summer. Doing all my hobbies alone isn't as fun as I remember it being when I worked in an office. 

My second basket ever was this lovely cat head basket I made from a kit I got at Earth Guild in Asheville in 2022: 

 

It's currently under my nightstand holding my greyhound's outfits and some misc other bits and bobs. It was supposed to have a handle but something happened and I lost those pieces. I'd love to make it again with the experience I have gained since then. My shaping would hopefully be even better now. 

Hope everyone is having a good 2025 so far.