From Sheri’s Studio….

Trees are in bloom; the beautiful lime green color of foliage is wonderful along with the blossoms of flowers and fruit trees. Our winter extended into April with snow flurries even then. I really thought our school would have a snow day; we might have closed except for the fact that we had so many snow days earlier this school year. Now comes the countdown for class days until summer; my Senior students count the most. I am looking for a more relaxing Summer than last year. No more weekly visits to the Doctor and no surgery scheduled. Hopefully I will get to weave and enjoy these days.

This Issue will keep you weaving starting with my “House Basket” Weave your own Home, Sweet Home and then add paint to a front and back door, shutters, shrubs, flowers and chimney. Add curls of smoke coming out of your home. Or, pick a theme of City Skyscrapers at moonlight like one of my Art students. Have fun weaving and painting this one.

My “Gourd Bird House” is a neat and functional home for the birds in your area. Cut a hole for the entry and drainage holes at the bottom. Insert a hangar from the top; add wire curls and beads. Paint in your favorite color to welcome your feathered friends.

“Block Party” by Nan Anderson is a wonderful play on color. Set up the spokes in natural and your favorite dyed color. Then weave up the sides in natural and dyed reed to create the look of “blocks” of color.  Play with this color block in natural and dyed or try 2 dyed colors. Have fun experimenting with color and the 2 sizes.

“Big and Easy Tote” by Dianne Kennedy says it all. This large carry-all features several rows of dyed reed and complimented with 24” fabric of braided rag handles and also braided rim filler. Weave this beginner style basket to carry reading materials or a knitted project.

Dianne Kennedy’s “Yarn Basket” is really a 2 piece basket with the top lid and the basket bottom. There is a “donut” hole opening on the top of this basket from which the yarn or ball of string can come out. This top slides on top of the basket which has a 24” rag handle along with a decorative rim.

Dianne Kennedy also has been so kind as to let me feature 2 more baskets-“The Button Basket” and her “Happy Pockets” which are both featured on the cover of this Issue (see above left), but their patterns can be seen by going to my Website www.justpatterns.com; then going to the Pattern Exchange Page. (There you will find these patterns along with 30 other patterns that you can print out for your own personal use. No Computer? Ask a friend or visit your local Library.) The “Button Basket” is 6” x 6” and start and stop weave with dyed scrap making up with handle. A string of 18 buttoned yo-yo’s and dyed reed make up the decorative band. Instructions for the yo-yo are included with this pattern. “Happy Pockets” is woven as a wall basket and embellishments are yo-yo button flowers with dyed green reed. Rim filler has a tied braided loop placed at the back of the basket to be used as the handle.

These wonderful projects should keep you busy this Summer! I hope yours is warm and full of weaving time!

 Happy Summer!

Weaving Wishes!