Virtual Basketry Workshop with Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village

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As COVID-19 had destroyed my birthday plans, I was looking for something innovative to do to help me celebrate at home. I discovered an interesting option online, of all things, when I was buying some pizza seasoning. The Shakers of Sabbathday Lake, Maine, have been growing, packaging, and selling herbs and spices since 1799. I had visited the Shaker Village, museum, and shop in 2006, and have used their products for years. They also sell a variety of handmade items, including baskets by local artists including Carolyn Kemp and Michael Silliboy (Micmac).  https://www.maineshakers.com/shop/

Photo: Courtesy Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village

In July of 2020, their website discussed the Village's response to COVID-19, which was to remain closed for the year, and to move some of their craft workshops online  Wouldn't you know it, when I was looking for herbs, they were promoting a virtual workshop to make a "tulip basket."  Participants would create a plaited basket, decorated with a ceramic tulip emblem in a Zoom class led by weavers Pat Libby and Kathy Libby.  It looked like fun, but the timing was tough, starting at 9 a.m. in Maine. Being on the west coast, I had a three hour time difference, and didn't relish getting up early on a Saturday.

Kit materials, tools, and laptop ready to go.

I signed up, as did a friend of mine. Our kits arrived in the mail, and the Zoom meeting code was emailed to us. The night before class, we prepared our work spaces, readied our tools, and promised to call each other at the break of dawn to make sure we didn't sleep through our alarms.

A trilobite fossil is used as a weight.

Instructors Kathy Libby and Pat Libby are seen on the screen.

We joined the Zoom meeting early on Saturday morning. Our group included instructors Pat and Kathy, Jamie Ribisi-Braley of the Shaker Village and her sister, and participants from Maine and California. This was the first basket ever attempted by some, while others had woven baskets previously. We got right down to business. Pat and Kathy walked us through the steps, demonstrated the plaiting technique, held their baskets up to the camera to show detail, and shared a variety of baskets that they'd made. 

The time flew by as we chatted and wove. By the end of the six hour class, each of us had a finished basket.

I placed my tulip emblem to strategically cover a goof.

Participants showing off their creations.
 Photo: courtesy Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village.

The basketry kits were made in North Carolina by Suzanne Moore's NC Basket Works. According to Suzanne, the splint material in the kit is called "reed," which is actually rattan grown in Indonesia. It is then sent to China, where it is processed (cut and sized) into flat reed, and is commercially dyed. The basket kits are designed by Suzanne, who also writes the patterns. The handles, made in their workshop, are of red oak, a tree indigenous to the Carolinas. The materials for the kits are gathered and packaged in their warehouse. Suzanne notes that due to the pandemic, the warehouse is currently closed to shoppers, but their extensive inventory is available online, both kits and various materials.    http://www.ncbasketworks.com/

We were able to personalize our baskets by the placement of the purple splint, the ceramic purple tulip, and the green round rattan used for the flower stem and leaves. Jamie took a screen shot of us with our finished baskets. With the success of this endeavor, the Shaker Village's first virtual workshop, they will be offering more basketry (and other craft) classes. We west coasters petitioned for a later start time. And wouldn't you know it, the next basket workshop that is being offered begins at 11 a.m. in Maine, which makes it a reasonable 8 a.m. for me. Yes, I signed up!