Around the holidays I use baskets to store Christmas cards I receive, silverware, linens (napkins, kitchen towels, bath towels, etc.).

I was thinking it might be neat to have a card *station* so I could have all of my supplies together when addressing cards (Christmas cards, stamps, address books, decorative stickers, pens, etc.).

A basket with two compartments for nuts, and then shells! lol

Party ... any of your baskets that I've seen are BEAUTIFUL! ...I think a 'tote' basket is so very useful ... whether you use colors or hand paint it or not. I would NOT fill the basket ... I would attach a "handmade by" tag so the bidders will know who & what they are bidding on. Awesome that you donate to this! Jeanne S.

It's so sweet of you to donate a basket. I always use a roll basket on the DR table to keep the rolls warm. I fix alot of baskets to give as gifts and love having extras on hand to keep me from having to wrap a gift.haha

Sounds like Swest has a great idea with a card station or one for nuts, etc. Jeanne has a great idea to add a "handmade by" tag if you can. I agree you don't need to fill the basket after all the work making it if that's what you choose. Could add a cloth plaid bow but not necessary either unless you like the look.

I'm sure they will love whatever you decide you want to make. I love the idea of reminiscence of a candy cane for this time of year. Please share what you dontate.

Punk

The cushions sound like they will be beautiful.

The candy cane basket sounds like a really cute idea!

I would also suggest maybe an umbrella stand ?
Use a metal pie plate for the bottom and then make the woven sides. No one would expect you to fill that!

Or, a picnic basket, wine bottle basket, cracker basket, a set of placemats, a vase shaped basket, a lady bug basket (make it oval shaped with a lid and paint the lid like a lady bug.) Or, make the mitten basket mitten shaped?? Would that be too difficult?

Anything that is unique with your handmade by tag would be a huge hit!!

Looking forward to seeing the final product.

Candy

Thank you for the replies! I love this place! Everyone who participates in this forum is so encouraging and positive and inspirational.

I'm really glad to know that some people do value a handwoven basket and that not everyone thinks like my mother. lol!

I have sold and donated baskets for charities since 2006 when my niece was lost in an accident and have always made a special tag to go with any basket I donate to a charity! I put a lot of thought and time into each basket I weave, trying to match some 'theme' for the charity. On the tag, I state that the basket is handwoven by me (first name only), the name and type of basket, the materials it is made with, I identify any special/unusual characteristics or weaving technique used, and I also provide full care instructions! I think it's helpful and makes the basket look very professional. I tie the tag onto the basket so that it can be easily hidden or removed and stashed away. It's what *I* would like to see on a basket! :)

In hindsight, there is one other thing I wish I had put on my tags: a lifetime guarantee against faulty materials or construction, and a way to contact me! I didn't supply the contact info initially because I didn't have a business (still don't) and worried it would somehow get me into trouble. lol! But baskets do sometimes get broken and if I could ever repair one of mine I would GLADLY do it! :)

Re the specific suggestions made:

swest2, I am *LOVING* your suggestion for a peanut basket! I've never made one, and it's always fun to make something different. Plus, that is a basket that I would present with a HUGE bag of peanuts just because it would be *perfect* for this raffle!!! The raffle baskets are set out on tables in the Fire House... lots of kids and people everywhere with various activities happening (like face painting, visits w/ Santa, etc)... I imagine that the peanut basket might be a big hit!

Jeanne, thank you for your sweet compliments! The only reason I hesitate on the tote is that I donated a special tote for the Alumni Scholarship Fund and it drew a LOT of attention. I'd like to 'wow' them with something very different. LOL!!!

punk, I've had that "candy cane weave" idea stuck in my head for a long while now and was originally going to do it as a round bread basket. I may need to weave one just to satisfy my curiosity. Sometimes a prototype basket just doesn't weave up as I anticipated it would... the materials may fight me, the color or pattern may not appear as I intended, I may have misjudged what was required for materials, and sometimes my mood or idea changes and I alter the weaving accordingly. It's weird, but what's on TV will actually affect what/how I weave!

candy, I love my white wicker chairs and I've wanted to make a full set of cushion covers for each holiday! I've already made the deep rusty-orange covers for autumn. I've been SO wanting to make some red velvety ones for xmas-time through V. Day and I snagged this crushed red velvet for $3/yd! :) As to your basket ideas.... I would *love* to weave an umbrella stand!!!!! it needs to be heavily bottom-weighted or the reed would be too lightweight to reliably stay upright w/ umbrellas. Some day I'll find the perfect weight/shape dish and I'll make one for myself! :) I did think of a wine basket... I make beautiful ones that safely carry two bottles... but that is a basket that screams to be filled! LOL! Your thoughts on shaped baskets are very interesting! especially the mitten shaped basket. I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult for a weaver who is very experienced in extreme shaping and who has the right materials... It's the kind of shaping I've never tried before, but I LOVE a challenge. I'm definitely going to think on this.... a mitten-shaped basket for the front door would be so cute! sorry to say it but sometimes I'll think about a basket concept for months (even years) before I finally decide how I'll weave it. :p

Thanks again everyone! I will definitely post photos of whatever I come up with!

This post was edited by party_music50 on Fri, Nov 15, 13 at 7:55

Oh I want to come to that one...lol.

I think a plane basket (without christmas painting) would be better. If the people are anything like me...I would want to use basket all year round.

I'd hate to have a beautiful hand made basket that would have to spend 11 months hidden away

patti

pattico, thanks, you're right! I never thought of that. :p

I'm planning to try making a peanut basket when I can find the time. I'm currently working with some willow that's ready and it has to be used now.

A plain basket would be great. I have a lot of baskets and just pop in a seasonal napkin as a liner so I can use them year round. Perhaps you could include one or two napkins to give them the idea.

Also, I guy gingham printed paper napkins at the grocery store and use them year round.

I agree with Patti about wanting to be able to be able to use the basket year round. Easy enough to decorate it for holidays with bows or whatever one wants to put in it.

You got great suggestions from the gang, tho no surprise there. I love your baskets and think anyone who got one would too. I'm glad you have special tags, but you should add a way to contact to you. People might even want to commission a special basket from you.

Your white wicker chairs must be so pretty decorated for the seasons!! Especially with the red velvet !

hugs, Karen

swest2, that's a great idea to make a bread basket that comes with a variety of napkins/linens to use for lining it!

Karen, I must be doing something right with my porch decorations because several of the neighbors have stopped recently to tell me how pretty it is decorated for fall. The new fabric order should be delivered today and I'm anxious to see it.... I was just thinking yesterday about what I plan to do for xmas decorations this year. :)

Thanks for the replies and please keep the suggestions coming for ANY basket ideas that would work for raffles and gifts. I donate for several charity raffles throughout the year, and like each basket to be unique/special, so every idea helps!

This post was edited by party_music50 on Tue, Nov 19, 13 at 9:09

PM, I walked into my grocery store yesterday and they had extra large woven cones hanging from the ceiling filled with holiday arrangements. They looked spectacular!

So a large cone basket that could be filled with changing seasonal décor would also be great.

Candy

Candy, did you get a photo?! lol! I'm wondering if it's like a traditional 'burden basket' in size and shape. The two best things about knowing how to weave is that I can usually make whatever basket I need/want, and I can also look at any basket and figure out how it's made. :)

Here is a link that might be useful:

Well, I finally finished it... it's what I envisioned calling a Candy Cane basket. :) It took me a LONG time to make. The photos aren't great, but I wanted to see what everyone thinks. It's about a 12" top diameter and 4 1/2" high and has a Shaker cat-head bottom, so it sits up on the four corners. I thought it would make a great bread basket!

Wow, Party_music50, that's amazing.

Woohoo, Love It! What a wonderful basket you've ended up with. Some momma is gonna be proud having this one to display in her home! I'm so happy your done and it turned out beautiful.

Punk

OMgosh, party ...that is definitely a 'candy cane' motif! WOW... that is gorgeous...I

Simply gorgeous!!

What a lot of work, but so beautifully executed!
It definitely conveys your concept, but could be used year round.

I hope whomever ends up as the owner appreciates the beauty and artistry you put into this piece.

TFS,
Candy

WOW, I agree with everyone.
PM the basket is gorgeous, truly a work of art.
Nana

Thanks everyone! I really hope you do like it and think it's worthy as a raffle prize. Maybe you can understand why, with this much work, I consider my basket alone to be the prize. :p I'm not sure if they'll be doing randomly drawn winners for all the items or if they'll do what they call a Chinese Auction -- where you buy a bunch of tickets and put any number of them with any item that you'd like to win, then they draw the winners from those piles associated with each item. A Chinese Auction would definitely be better for a basket like this!

I also meant to say that this is what's called a twilled basket. It's a fairly complex pattern and when you mess up the pattern during weaving it takes a couple more rows before you notice it, and then it takes about 1/2 hour to find where you initially missed the pattern, and then you have to rip it out to that point and start weaving again. I only messed up once! LOL!

PS: They just returned my phonecall about my donation -- she said they're doing great w/ cash donations this year but don't have much for the Chinese Auction, so "they'll take anything". pffffttttt! wait til she sees this! :O)

This post was edited by party_music50 on Fri, Dec 6, 13 at 9:35

Wow, Party....that is simply GORGEOUS !! One of the prettiest designs I've seen. I like Chinese auctions best,
and I'd put ALL my tickets on this for sure!!

I can't imagine the work and planning that goes into something as incredible as this basket. You're amazing!
Whoever wins it is going to be the luckiest person there!

hugs, Karen