favorite place on google

Dunbar Gardens is a favorite place on Google. Well, at least that is what they told us when they mailed us this decal. Quite a few people did click on our business listing when searching Google maps, but I suspect that they sent these to pretty much any business with a listing. That special bar code in the lower right corner can be scanned with a cell phone camera so that customers can check out our listing, write a review, or add us as a favorite. Of course, if somebody makes out to our farm, I don’t imagine they will be looking at their phone to get the details! Despite my cynicism about many of these internet tools, I like the opportunity presented by Google with these business listings. We’re able to create a listing for free that includes our location, hours, products, and even some photos. Find Dunbar Gardens on Google maps. Have a business? Sign up through a Google account at the “local business center.”

 
willow basket for keys and wallet

his basket

“Well I wished you could have been here when I opened up my present after he had opened mine. We laughed and laughed. Thanks for making our presents this year. We will be so coordinated and organized!” Katherine and I had already had a good laugh about this couple that had each arranged a basket to be made for a Christmas gift. She had come by several weeks before the holidays to ask Katherine to weave a small square basket for her husband. A basket for him to toss his keys, wallet, and stuff. She picked her gift up three weeks before Christmas.

willow kitchen basket

her basket

Then on Dec. 18 her husband stopped by looking for a basket. He wanted to get her a rectangular basket for use in the kitchen to contain oil, vinegar and spice bottles. The red and green willow combination was appealing to both of them as it turned out. Lucky for him, and her, Katherine had willow ready to weave that weekend and she made his gift.

For the kitchen basket, Katherine used wood slats in the base to get a flat bottom. She covered them with a greenish willow bark to match the base weavers, as you can see in the photo above.

willow kitchen basket

kitchen willow basket

They were both shopping for a locally made, handcrafted gift; they just never guessed they would pick the same place. Here’s a big thank you to everyone that bought a handcrafted gift this year.

 

I photographed Katherine weaving a willow garden basket in October, 2007. Recently I picked out 15 of them for a set that I posted to our Flick.com account. The photos were taken in one of our barns on the farm.You can see some of the dried basketry willow from our farm behind Katherine. There is also a selection of finished baskets. The amazing detail is that our cat Spike only appears in one photo!

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To be clear, Katherine doesn’t normally work here. These photos were taken for a magazine article that appeared in the April 2008 issue of Romantic Homes. The issue had a focus on “ways to shop green” and “French style”. Katherine was the featured artisan in an article entitled “A Basket Case”. The editor asked us to provide some photos of Katherine at work and on our farm. They did a nice job of taking what we sent and cropping it for a nice mix of images.

Jacqueline deMontravel wrote in the article, “Shopping with a basket is as classic and stylish as a designer bag that warrants a waiting list. As the trend catches on, such style will do more than liven up grocery aisles, it will benefit the world….Katherine says”It’s a purchase for something local, making an investment for a well-made item.”" Well in the photos we took she is weaving a garden basket, but maybe you’ll get the idea!

 
Belgian ale basket

bottle basket with French randed weave

Katherine recently made some baskets for beer and wine bottles. She was contacted by someone involved with an east coast beer distributor looking for a traditional wicker basket for pouring lambic beers. He sent along a couple of photos that were only a little helpful. But the basket did seem very similar to wine bottle baskets Katherine had seen in France, and fortunately several years ago a friend had gifted her one of these baskets made in France at the Cooperative de Vannerie in Villaines-les-Rocher.

small wine bottle basket

French small bottle basket

She used this basket as the model for her baskets. She decided to weave two versions – one with a French randed side weave (photo above) and the other with a slewed side weave (photo below).

wine bottle basket

bottle basket with slewed side weave

The baskets came out quite nice, and the beer guy thought they looked great. But those Belgian ales aren’t cheap either and that’s where they’re putting their money for now. So no big order for Katherine, but another basket to add to her resume.

Update July 2, 2011: Here is a recent one made for a birthday present.

lambic beer pouring basket

 

Katherine held her last willow basketmaking class of 2009 this past weekend December 5-6. She ended up with a great group of nine students plus friend and helper Alex Keggan. The projects were two small colorful baskets that were great for beginners or people wanting to practice basic skills. Originally we posted the class as an opportunity to make gifts, but after all the weaving we think most people were going to keep their baskets! I have posted a link to some photos from the second day of the class. Don’t forget that you can sign up for our mailing list to be informed of next year’s classes by sending an e-mail to news-subscribe@dunbargardens.com. Or you can just check our website for updates.

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willow baskets for sale

willow baskets by Katherine Lewis

We have a nice selection of Katherine’s willow baskets  displayed in our barn at Dunbar Gardens right now. If you’re in the area, come by for a look. If not, enjoy the photo! If you’re curious about buying a basket, you can always check our website for the baskets we have currently made for sale here. Baskets can always be made to order. Check out this page on our website for more details. If you want to know where we are, here is a map.

 

bassinette

Every few months Katherine gets a request for a bassinette. Usually the parents make the request during the pregnancy, so that the basket is there when needed. This one was made at the last minute, but came out quite lovely. This bassinette was ordered by a good friend as a thank you gift. It was ordered for a couple who had a very small baby girl born a little early. The friend figured that the baby would be able to use the basket for quite a few months so she went ahead and asked Katherine to make it. It was her thanks to the family for their helping hand to her own son who had moved near them for work. For a look at another bassinette see this earlier blog post: Bassinette.

© 2012 Willow Basketmaker Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha