It's fall again and the nip is in the air. School is in full swing as well as all those "school year" activities like sports and piano lessons. It's also the busiest "basket" time of year with classes and holiday shows, so take a deep breath and dig in. I hope this issue will give you lots of ideas to help you enjoy your basketry and provide ideas for your shows, classes and holiday gift giving.

Toni Rynicke's "Animal Collector's Storage Basket" is sure to please young and old alike who love those little stuffed animals. Easy to make and even more fun to fill, it will surely be a winner at shows and as a gift this Christmas!

The "Companion Basket" by Julie Kleinrath is a very attractive, practical basket that features a wooden base with wooden dividers. It is available with or without the spool holder in the handle. It is shown with a variety of ceramic discs, but you could use just one style on it or none at all.

My two "Plain and Simple" baskets were inspired by my collection of Ojibway (Chippewa) antique baskets. The Ojibway are native to this area of Michigan and this style of black ash Indian baskets are commonly found in local antique stores and neighbor's attics.

The "Contemporary Twill Baskets" are the same basket with a variation in the side twill weaving and the dyed reed overlay. I have enjoyed weaving one twill basket and changing it slightly to make variations on the basic theme. More to come!