Katherine Lewis

About Katherine Lewis

Katherine is a full time basket maker, working and growing many varieties of willow on her farm near Mount Vernon, Washington. She weaves baskets from willow and willow bark using traditional and contemporary basketry techniques and the hand tools of the craft. Her striking baskets are in use in homes across the country.

Katherine has traveled to Europe several times to study with master basketmakers. In 2011 several of her baskets were acquired by the Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian American Art Museum as part of the Cole Ware Collection. In 2016 she worked with Peter Juriga on the English translation of his book, “ Basketry- The Art of Willowcraft”.

Inspired by the abundance of robust material grown on their farm, many of Katherine’s baskets are large and incorporate those willows. She is happy to be able to share her love of working with big willows in the Log Basket workshop she will be teaching at the Willow Gathering!

See https://www.dunbargardens.com/ for more information.

LOG BASKET

Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday (June 22-24) – 21 hrs (3 days, 7 hrs/day)

Working with larger materials can be very satisfying! The willows on Katherine’s farm grow to a good, large size, which has led her to make lots of larger baskets. This round basket with English randing is great for firewood or laundry for a family with kids. Several join techniques for the paired base will be discussed, we’ll weave a strong 4-rod base wale and then English rand the sides. After the top waling, the basket will be finished with a 5-rod border. The final day will focus on roped handles. These traditional willow handles are avoided by many basketmakers- but they can be a pleasure to make once you master roping and understand the wrapping sequence

Approximate Size: 15"H x 21 W"

Weaving Level: Intermediate weavers with willow experience. Hand strength necessary!

Cost: $485 (class fee $385 / material fee $100 )

TWO TAPERS

Thursday (June 25 ) – 8 hrs

In this one-day class we’ll learn two small baskets that utilize quick techniques and trac borders.

Volcano is a simple round basket using a stake up and foot wale commonly found in Poland and Slovakia; sides that taper in, a trac border and a simple handle bow held in place with a peg.

The Aran Flower basket tapers out rather than in! With no base at all, we start by tying together a group of stakes and then flare out the sides as we go up using a quick slewing weave. The basket is completed with a trac border and one rod roped handle to hang this cute little basket on your wall or door.

Approximate Size:

Volcano - 10"base W x 7"H x 7"top W

Aran Flower Basket - 12"h x 5"W

Weaving Level: All levels

Cost: $240 (class fee $175 / material fee $65 )

FITCHED SHOPPER

Saturday/Sunday (June 27-28) 16 hrs (2 day 8 hrs/day)

Working with bark-on willows, students will weave an oval shopping basket with cross handle using scallomed-on stakes and fitched sides. Scalloming, cutting a tail on the end of the willow stakes, allows stakes to be “tied” onto the base hoop. Fitching is an open work weave; combined with scallomed stakes it makes a strong and lightweight basket with elegantly simple lines. Because fitching requires closely placed stakes, only half of the “uprights” in the basket will be used for the border. To accomplish this with the most efficient use of willow, we will create two uprights from one piece of willow, cutting two scalloms from one section of each rod. Initially this is a challenge, but so satisfying!

Approximate Size: 21"L x 13"W x 9"H (w/handle 15"H)

Weaving Level: Experience with previous willow weaving necessary. Hand strength is necessary for this project and comfort using a knife is important for cutting scalloms.

Cost: $ 380 (class fee $285 / material fee $95)

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