. • d

The Ba.sketma.kers'

Association

NEWSLETTER NUMBER 24

WINTER 1982/83

2.

THE BASKETMAKERS' ASSOC I ATION

President

Chairman Vice Chair11an Hon. Secretarz:: Hon . Treasurer

Committee Members

Co-opted_Members

Barbara Maynard

Joy Vi all Kay Johnson Olivia Elton Barratt Fred Rogers

Mary Butche r Susanna Chaplin Roy Hudson Caroline James Kay Johnson Brenda Lan1;i l ey Meg Tapley Loi s Wal pole Bet ty Whi t ehead

Beryl Day Millie Smith

Responsi bilitt

Catering

Courses

Editor, Newsletter Asst . Ed i to r Membership

Minutes

Commit_!:_ee Meetings for 1983 will be held as usual on the third Monday of alternate months at the London College of Furniture, 41/71 Commercial Road, London, E1 1LA, commencing at 10.30 a.m. promptly, except fo r the March meeting.

As mo s t Committee members will be, or have arranged to be at the Resi dential Course at Woodrow High House, Amersham, the March Committee meeting will be held there on Tuesd~, 29th March, at 5 p.m.

Summer Meetin_g_J283. This will be held on Sunday, 26th June, at The Willows, Stoke St. Gregory, Taunton, Somerset, by kind invitation of member Nigel Hector. See Page il For further details.

Annual General Meeting, 1983. This will be held as usual a t t he Artworkers! Guild, Rueen Square , London WC1, on Saturday , 29th October, lg83.

3. Subscriptions

The Membership Secretary thanks all members who have renewed promptly, and reminds others that they can make use of the ~orm enclosed with the last Newsletter.

New Membership Cards are normally sent out with the next Newsletter, but any member wishing to get her card by return should remember to enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope, please.

NEW MEMBERS

We welcome the following new members and hope that they will all derive benefit and pleasure from their

membership of the Association:

Mrs. Evelyn B. Atlee, 23 Palace Road, E. Molesey, Surrey, KTB 9DJ.

Mrs. Sheila Brignall, 12 Mount Pleasant Road, Saffron Walden, Essex.

Ms Norah Corrigan, 70 Palace Road, London, NB BQP.

Mr. Maurice Derham, Rose Farm, North Curry, Taunton,

Somerset, TA3 6BG.

Mr. Jonathan Gordon, Tea Pot Cottage, Shelley, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP7 5RG.

Mrs. Ethelie Gutteridge, Woodlands, B Recreation GtJund, Wingrave, Bucks. HP22 4PH.

Ms. A. Lovejoy, 55 Railway Road, Downham Market, Norfolk, PE3B 9DX •

. Mrs. Dorothy Marsh, Hunkington, Upton Magna, Shrewsbury.

Ms. Susan E. 0 1 Toole, 29 Malvern Mews, London, NW6.

Mr. D.C. Price, Westaway, Teddars Leas Road, Et_hinghill, Folkestone, Kent, CT18 BOA.

Miss Monica J. Stokes, Mobile Home "D", 30 High Street, Waterbeach, Cambs. CB5 9JX.

Mrs. s. Summers, 31 Inverleith Gardens, Edinburgh, [H3 5PR.

Miss Polly Wad~worth, 12 Westville Road, Surrey, KT7 OUJ.

Thames Ditton,

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4.

Membership List (cont.)

Mi~s Lois Walbridge, Conifers, Lyne Lane, Lyne,

Nr. Chertsey, Surrey.

Mrs. Carol Ward, 5 Clay Lane Grove, Colchester, Essex.

Mr. Ivor Welsher, 38 Colchester Road, White Colne, Colchester, · Essex, C06 2PN.

Changes of Address

Mrs. Sandra Barker, Bury End Farm, Ashwell Road, Hinxworth, Herts. SG7 5HT.

Mrs. Vavi Brinxhurst, 33 The Green, Calne, Wilts. SN11 BDJ.

Mr. John Excell, Brookside, Moolham Lane, Dowlish Ford, Ilminster, Somerset.

Mrs. Sally Goymer, 5 Cobham Road, Cheltenham, Glos. GL 51 9BB.

Mrs. Sheila Hackett, 48 Maurice Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, 8I4 6DL.

Mr. William Irvine, 39 Tirrin~ton, Bretton, Peterborough, PE3 6XS. Workshop: The Stable Block, Thorpe Hall, Thorpe Road, Peterborough, PE3 6LW.

Mrs. Oorrit Piper, Highfield House, The Green, Leafield, Dxon. DXB 5NT.

Ms Pauline F. Pyrke, Muntins, The Gardens, Adstock, Bucks.

Membership List

Copies are now available from the Membership Secretary at a cost of 50p. which includes postage.

Members will find the address on the Returnable Slip pages at the end of the Newsletter. (pp17/18).

It is intended that members should keep their lists up to date by the addition of new members' names which are published in each Newsletter.

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s:

THE SCOTTISH BASKET

We have been asked to say something about the designs used

on the front covers of the Newsletters so I am beginning

with the basket which was demo nstrated at this year' s Summer

Meeting and which illustrated the cover of Newsletter No.16, Winter 1980-81.

32 selected rods are required. 3ft buff is suitable, or +ft:. The ro ds should be as evenly matched as possible, straight and free from blemish, but not necessa~ily the thinnest.

1. These are interlaced in groups of 4 rods kept flat . When safely assembled, push up as closely as possible. Butt ends project about ·,"-an inch - sufficient only to avoid ~~ slipping out of place. In the centre you will have the effect of two squares: keep your sights · on this shape thru-out and keep the angles square.

0

~! ,, II

. ,, ,, ' I·

2. Each group is taken behind the next group to the Right, in front of the next, and then to the back . Refer to diag:

a goes under b, over c, and rests at back under d.

3. The basket is now worked from the reverse side, so turn it over. Tighten up all groups, organise spacing so that all is even, keeping the angles at x square. When all is pulled up as closely and as evenly as possible, kink each of the 4 rods of one group (k) to turn in and across the centre.

The tips of the 2 Left Hand rods curve to the Left: thread them under the bar Kand up through the triangular space k'. The 2 Right Hand rods (of group k) go straight across the centre, under the bar opposite, and up.

4. Do the same in succession with each of the next 4 groups to the Right.

5. The first 5 groups are straightforward. The last, groups 6,7, & B, must first be taken under rods of the preceding groups as far as the centre, then over to the'bar', K, under and up through the triangular space k'

6. Put all in order: pull tip ends tight, organise the groups so as to 'centre' the space in the middle, then in turn pull each group of tip ends slightly to the Right so that it

1 is held firmly in place between two 'bars' of butts. Finally check that the 'squares' are in order, then trim tips and butt ends.

7. Turn Right side up. Arrange depth of side to suit, then set to dry on a firm surface with a weight on the centre.

Different sizes can be obtained by using shorter or longer, thicker or thinner rods. Smaller and even miniature versions can be made from tip ends. Wh en you've got the hang of it t here are a number of variations you can trv. For instance, you can make an oval shape by arranging an 'oblong' instead of a square: ~ You can work with groups of 3 rods instead ~ of 4, and once you are really confident, have a go with five or six groups instead of eight. It is worth a little perseverance. Though a puzzle to begin with, bogey for the course is 20-30 minutes. The basket makes a useful present, and can be packed with a variety of small articles. It can be used for fruit, bread rolls, or as a mural decoration, for instance, and it will unfailingly attract admiration for the intricacy of its construction.

M.T.

7. TEAC1ITNG IN THE u.s.A. In July of 1982, I went to El Paso Texas, for a month1 one week or which, I spent taking a Basketry and Chair Caning workshop at the El Paso Museum of Art. I wrote to various establishments offering my services as a teacher, and had my offer taken up by the Museum.

El Paso is a city of 460,000 people in West Texas, separated from the equally large city of Juarez in Mexico by a narrow stretch of the Rio Grande and a few busy bridges. The scenery is a dramatic combination of mountains and desert and the average temperat ure i n July i s around .1 100~ The only greenery is in the suburbs,where lawns are made possible by the sprinkling of thousands of gallons of water. My choice of materials for the course, was therefore made for me, the nearest willows or rushes being some 800 miles away in either California or Florida,and very expensive. We could have used desert grasses and scrub willows for coiled basketry, but they have plenty of their own teachers in that field. Cane, (or reed, as they call it), was however,easy to get hold of by mail order. I dyed batches of it in browns, yellows and blues, ( my experiences of American students here being that they are far less conservative about colour than English ones ) . Chair cane was also available, it is graded Super Fine, Fine Fine, Fine, Narr ow Medi um , Medium, Common and Narrow Binding (number s seem much easier to remember ) .For tunately, the workshop was in t he last week of my stay,because,on my arrival I visi t ed the Museum and was asked t o talce a l ook at an ' antique' i n the collect ion. I was surprised t o be shown a large, black settee c .1900 the back of which had machine woven cane in. Surprised, because al though I might have expected machine woven cane to be found i n Europe then, I hadn ' t expected to f i nd i t i n a place that was still very much a f ront ier· town then , and, I was a s sured t hat it had belonged to a local family then. We hurriedly sent off for several yards of the stuff realising t hat there might be more pieces of furniture where that had come from , and there was. Subsequent visits into local homes revealed family heirlooms dating back even further with what looked like machine woven cane in. I was enlightened by a lady from Souther n Texas who remembered her Grandfather working on a large squar e frame with holes round the edges, who cut the finished work out and stuck it onto chairs. I'm sure I must have offended many people by calling it machine woven.

The chairs that the students brought in, were mainly early 20t hC . sturdy pieces in oak , some with a little carving on ••••••

8.

the back. The caning was very coarse, the holes being about ~" apart and the general appearance of the furniture was influenced strongly by the Spanish style over the border. It was very probable that a lot of it had been made in Mexico.

The students worked hard, I was particularly pleased with an engineer who produced a beautiful cane basket, using all the colours I had provided, which apparently unconsciously echoed the shape and pattern of the coiled Indian baskets from nearby Arizona. One man came to classes in his cowboy boots, called me ma'am and re-caned two chairs in rapid succession moaning all the time about how difficult it was.

I also gave a Sunday lecture,open to the general public, on English Basketry. I had taken with me a good set of slides including photographs of the Male brothers at work, some old pictures from Reading, a set of slides belonging to Olivia showing Rushes growing and many pictures of actual baskets.

I would recommend El Paso to anyone thinking of setting µp a chair-caning business abroad. There were three chair restorers in the phone book, only one of which was prepared to have a go at a drilled seat, at a cost of about £30 for a small seat. The climate is lovely and the cost of +iving, about the same as London.

A brief survey of the basketry in the area revealed shops full of beautiful cheap Phillipino baskets, a few specialist shops, selling very expensive American Indian baskets, and some rough Mexican palm leaf baskets. There was a lot of tatty Mexican straw work (for the tourists). The only basket I brought back was given to me, it was made by the Tarahurnaras a Mexican Indian tribe who only make the one kind of basket in many sizes and have been doing so for hundreds of years.

Palm leaf basket made by the Tarahumaras.

Lois Walpole

9. HEDGEROW

The recent mild spell, as I write this in mid-January has high-lighted all the winter colours that develop in the countryside. Although Spring is far from imminent - especially here in the north where it is a particularly late arrival -some buds look almost ready to burst, and in fact, yesterday I saw some Goat willow already in flower; catkins more spindly than the Fenland pussy willows I am familiar with; an encouraging sight none the less.

But it is the colours that are the most worthy of note. It always seems that up until the turn of the year all the twigs and branches in the countryside are black against the winter sky. Once the year has turned, the lengthening daylight certainly has a lot to do with the changing physiology of plant life, and it is then that the colours in the stems intensify, and where before, all looked a uniform black, you will now catch a drift of yellows and oranges along the banks where willows grow. Sometimes a rich rusty colour shows up against a grey background of mixed hedging. The poplars shine almost white, and if you are lucky enough to find them growing next to a hawthorn hedge, the contrast with the deep reddish purple is a treat to see.

The wild dogwood is easily seen - bright crimson against surrounding greens and browns. In a traffic roundabout a clump of cultivated dogwoods displayed and intensely vibrant colour, almost shocking in its effect against the yellow-green of its companions, and the softer, warmer rusty oranges of the ornamental willows blended the whole into a brave and glorious splash of colour to give cheer on a winters day.

When out in the countryside or in the parks it is well worth developing this habit of notici ng the colours, while at the same time hoping to spot long , slender twigs that could be useful for basketmaking. Remember that it all belongs to someone and that permission should be sought if you want to cut a quantity.

If you plan to cut enough to make a basket then it should be tied and labelled without delay. It will be allright out in the garden even if it collects a layer of snow. Such protection as it needs is only from the sun (which is seldom strong enough at this time of the year to harm the colours), and strong winds. Over the course of a f ew w eeks(3 -~ ) the s t ems will begin -to dry - you wi l l notice how loose t he ties on your bundle have become. The r ight moment at which to work the material is not

10.

easy to judge, used too early it will continue to dry out after you have completed your basket and your work will have been wasted as the weaving will become loose. Leave it too late and the rising Spring temperatures will have dried it so that it can only be worked with preliminary soaking, this is to be avoided if at all possible. The right moment is when you can stake up and border down without the bark splitting as this spoils the appearance and weakens the · basket, as with most things in this craft it can only best be judged by the practised hand and eye.

BIGGEST BASKET IN Vv'ORLD r A photo appeared in the Daily Vii.rror on August 20, 1982. It was of a basket that measured 18ft high and 14.f't. across and weighed half a ton. It was the creation of two basketmakers in Michelau, West Germany, who used eleven miles of rattan on it. It was a commission for a furniture store who were to fill it with cushions and sofas.

Meg Tapley

DID YOU KNOW - that the itinerant chair mender used to roll rushes together against his thigh to form the twist? This method was also used to roll the grasses for 'stitching' the Orkney chairs, and is known in many other parts of the world. Women in India and elsewhere sit on the ground with legs outstretched, using their toes to keep a tension on the

11.

SUMMER MEETING JUNE 26th SOMERSET

Nigel Hector has generously offered to provide the venue for this at his farm. It is thought that this will take the form of an Open Day with tours round the withy beds.

COMPETITION - A container for a picnic lunch, to be made in any basketry material.

WTJ.LOW - can be ordered from him in advance and collected on the day.

CAMPING - A field would be made available for campers, anyone wishing to make use of this should apply to Nigel Hector directly.

ADDRE·ss - 'The Willows', Stoke St.Gregory, Nr. Taunton, Somerset. Telephone: 082-369-418.

If you are planning to come to the meeting it is important that you fill in the returnable slip sheet (p.17) so that we have some idea of numbers.

Full Q-etails will be given in the next Newletter.

CR.AFT FAIRS - HELP WANTED

The Association will be represented at the following fairs:-

LIVING CRAFTS - HATFIELD, May 5th- Bth

B.B.C. CLUB, SUMMER FESTIVAL, CRAFT MARKET - MOTSPUR PARK, New Malden, Surrey, July 16th 1.30-7.00p.m.

BRITISH CRAFT FAIR - SYON PARK, September 15th.-18th

If you would like to help with demonstrations/manning stalls/ providing baskets, please get in touch with the Secretary as soon as possible. (see p.17 )

CRAFTS COUNCIL BURSARIES AND JOHN RUSKIN CRAFT AWARDS

In 1982 four bursaries and two awards were made available, their purpose is to give artist craftsmen a sabbatical period to reasses .their work or to undertake a specific project. Seventy-five applications were received for the six awards, David Drew was the only basketmaker to apply. Congratulations to him in his success in obtaining one. His stated intention is to use the award to grow varieties of willow that are no longer planted by commercial growers and to experiment with new strains.

12.

IN DAYS GONE BY continued from Newsletter No.22

By 1916 when a new List was submitted to the Trade, the time rate had increased to one shilling per hour, and the sorting of green and brown rods, or str.;:--:-;r-e up, or ~rv·r~i. •• c. white stuff was all paid for as per time rate.'Cutting out' had increased to 9d. per bolt, and the working of damaged or inferior stuff had been rationalised - to be paid for in accordance with the extent of the damage or inferiority.

It was still necessary to state that "employers shall provide without charge, sufficient light and suitable accomodation for the men in their employment'; and a minimum working temperature of 55°was stipulated.

Lodging expenses for outside work (repair work at a laundry for instance ) were one shilling per night, and all travelling expenses were to be paid by the employer at the rate of third class fare. A minimum travelling time of one hour was brought in for return from work. If the journey was less than an hour the man travelled in his own time. All material was to be sent to the place of work by means other than the workman.

Different qualities of randing and slewing were specified for the first time, and the system of costing by a scale of inches was introduced. By these means the committee attempted to iron out the inequalities or 'absurd comparisons' in prices with a view to securing uniformity.

The n~xt revision, in 1943, stated three main objectives: simplicity and ease of reference, the deletion of items now obsolete, or which could be calculated by better methods, and to adjust the rates of various classes of work so that the earning capacity of the journeyman was similar irrespective of the type of basket.

The working week was now 48 hours, and overtime was paid at the rate of 6d. per hour for the first six hours, and 1s. per hour in excess of 54 hours. The man was expected to maintain his normal rate of output during overtime hours. Sunday work was paid overtime at 2s. for every hour worked. Lodging allowance for work at a distance had risen to 3s.6d. per night but the basic rate of pay for 'outside' work was still only 1s.2d. per hour minimum, beginning work not later than 8.30a.m.

13. ON THE PLANK

Q. How do you work a 4-rod wale at the corner of a rectangular basket ? I have noticed that it seems to alter at the corner on some baskets.

A. The rods are collected up at the corner in the order 1,2,3,4, and then worked along the next side in the order 4,3,2,1, (see diags).

This 4-rod wale is used to make a ledge when there is a trunk: cover to a hamper. This method of working gives a sharp corner which can be appropriate on certain things. If a sharp corner is not wanted then the nonnal sequence should be used.

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L..W.

1"183 .

14.

BALLOON BASKET

Reading in the paper recently of the tragic death of the balloonist Di.ck Worth in America, I feel I should put on to paper my personal connections with this adventurous man.

Several years ago I was at the rear of my firm in Peckham where I was the manager of the Blind Workshops, when a young man drove up in a small van and asked me if I could tell him where he could get a basket made.

When I said I would be pleased to help he told me that it was a big basket that he wanted. With that he opened up the van. Inside was a balloon basket, rather bashed about and covered in mud.

We removed it and stood it down to inspect it. It was rather flimsy and weak, and Dick said he had a few suggestions as to making the new one. I had a few myself, and told Dick that I had made the balloon basket for the film "Around the World in Eighty Days".

So, with that we put our heads together and came up with the folloring design: A thick marine ply base measuring 46"'xi+O" with corners rounded to a 10" radius where the four gas cylinders could be stra~ped in. The base had to be drilled to take the stakes. Holes a" diameter, spaced 1i" centre to ; centre would take stakes of 4-6mm basket cane in pairs (hairpins) for strength.

For attaching the basket to the hot air balloon there were to be four ~" steel cables to go through the base up the sides and through the border to a frame supporting the envelope.

We agreed to have some open work to lighten the weight, so included six panels of cross fitching. The rounded corners were to be close randed to protect the cylinders.

The basket was to be bordered down 5-paired at 36" and would be protected by a cane of 1" thickness nailed on and in turn covered by rawhide. Where the four steel cables ran along the outside of the base they would be slotted into four wooden skids of 3":ic 3" hardwood.

The first basket took about a couple of days to make. I phoned Dick who came to collect it, saying he would be off at the weekend to Wales to try it out, along with a new envelope which he had designed himself. It was about 32,000 cubic feet, designed to lift two people plus the basket and gas burner.

15.

The following week he came to see me and said it had been a great success. The basket stood up to everything; " ••• it even went through three dry stone walls on landing and was not marked."

From then on I made two baskets per week for the firm which by then was named "Thunder Balloons", and I understand are still in business. I introduced several different modifications, but when I retired in 1979 that was the end though Thunder Balloons still get their baskets made somewhere.

Fred Rogers CHAIR CANE COLOURANTS

We are often asked about colouring chair cane to match other chairs in a set, or just darkening it to tone it in with the wood of the chair. Any member with suggestions to make has this chance to share the results of his/her experience with other members.

Replies to the Editor in good time for the next issue please.

BOOKS

La Vannerie Parts 1 and 2 can be ordered through Armorel Heatlie, they will cost 90F and 48F respectively plus postage. If you are interested in obtaining either volume please contact Annorel before the end of March. (see p.17) For those of you not familiar with the books, they are written in French but have good illustrations and a lot of information can be gleaned out of them with the aid of a pocket dictionary.

Part 1 (ISBN 2.7008.0123.7) has 367 pages and deals exclusively with willow, there are illustrations on nearly every page. 1981 Part 2 (No apparent ISBN No.) has 415 pages and is mostly about cane furniture construction. 1963.

Sacketts, Books for Craftsmen, 36A, Salisbury Street, Blandford, Dorset, have some second-hand Basketry books for sale, anyone interested should contact them directly for details.

Member Jill Goodwin has had her book "A Dyers Manual" published, (ISBN 072071,32 Pelham Books, £9.95 ). Jill intrigued us at Thaxted last Spring with her drop spindle. She also grows willow and corn for craftsmen.

16.

BRITISH CRAFTS CENTRE, GROUP MEMBERSHIP

The Association has become a Group Member of the British Crafts Centre, there are 28 other Group Members, all of which are Associations, Guilds and Societys. There are four Group Members meetings a year, 3 regional and one in London for which the Association will need to provide representatives. One of the benefits of membership is a free newsletter which provides details and advance notices of exhibitions and competitions, studio and workshop spaces. This is available to all members. Anyone wishing to receive this can do so by sending 10 stamped addressed envelopes to: Marylyn Grant, Brit ish Crafts Centre, 43 Earlham Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9LD. (Listings in the Newsletter are for the whole country, not just London). Alternatively, if you see any of the Committee members regularly, ask one of them to collect a newsletter for you from Committee meetings.

The British Crafts Centre is a national association for craftsmen, craft societies, and the public who are interested in the craft movement. It has a gallery in London where changing exhibitions are held throughout the year for the pranotion of contemporary British crafts. It is directed by a Counci l of Management elect ed from the membership, and is run by a small staff. It is a registered charity and is financed by membership subscriptions, commi s si on on sal es, and an annual grant from the government funded Cr afts Council.

Other benefits of Group Membership are: Contact person a.t Earlham Str eet Display of Societies and Guilds information At cost secretarial aid and mail forwarding Members area at Earlham Street Link with other craft organisations.

It was felt that by joining the British Crafts Centre the Association could derive some benefit that would help in the promotion of our aims, as laid out in the Constitution.

RUMOUR has it that the Crafts Council is considering a major exhibition of Contemporary American Basketry, apparently there is not enough Contemporary Br:i tish Basketry to make up an exhibition. Is this true?

Cover illustration, line version of 'Nature Morte pommes et poires dans un panier rond' by Camille Pissarro.

RETURNABLE SLIP SHEET 17. All communications requiring a reply should be accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope, please. PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY

To The Secretary, 1-il's. Olivia Elton Barratt, Millfield Cottage, Little Hadharn, Ware, Herts.

I~5lfile • • • • • • • • • • • • • •••• • • • • • •• • ••••••••.••••••••••••••••••••

Address ••. .••.•••..•..••..•.•.•...... · • · · · • • · · · • • · · • • · · · • · ...•.................................... Tel: .•.•.••......

To The Courses Secretary, Mrs. Caroline James, 100 Manor Lane, Lee, London SE12 8LR.

Name ••• ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Address • .•..•••....•...•... · · · • · • · · · · · · • · · • • · • • • • • • • • · · · · · ........•............•.................. Tel: .•......•.....

To Mrs. Armorel Heatlie, 18 Meadow Road, Pinner, Middx. Na.me • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Address . •.•.....•..••......••••...... · .. · · · · · · · • · · • · · · • • · · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tel: •••••••••••••• To The Membership Secretary, Mrs.Elizabeth Whitehead,

Martins, Lee Common, Gt.Missenden, Bucks HP16 9JP

Name • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.

Address • ••.••••••.••••••.•.•.•.•.•.•. · • • · · · · · • · · • · • • · • • • · · ....•...•......•......................•• Tel: ••....••......

To Mrs. Kay Johnson, Threadgolds Fann, Great Braxted, Witham, Essex.

Name • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Address ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • i< ••••••••••••• Tel: ..•...........

To Lois Walpole, 100 Fairfoot Road, London E3 4EH.

Name •• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Address. . . . • • . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • Tel: ...•.••...•.•.

18. I will be coming to the Summer Meeting with • • • • • • guests.

I would like to help at •••••••••••••••••••••••••·•Fair.

Any other business •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.

I wish to enrol for the course in ••••.•••••••••••••••••••• at the Residential School at Woodrow,March27 - 30 I enclose £10 non-returnable deposit.

I would like to order La Vannerie Part 1 and Part 2

---------- --- ----- -I would like a Membership List and enclose 50p.

I would like ···•·badges at £1.75 each.

I enclose an item for the Newsletter.

CO URS~

RESIDENTIAL ~HOOL, March 27 - 31, Woodrow High House, Amersham, Buckinghamshire. There are still a few places left. Anyone interested should get in touch with Caroline James, the Courses Secretary, as soon as possible.

The School will start at 6p.m. on Sunday March 27th 1983 (supper is included) and finish at 3.30p.m. on Thursday March 31 st.

The cost is expected to be about £"/5.00

The four courses are:-

Beginners and Intermediate Willow Advanced Willow Skeined Willow Work

(seating and basketry) Advanced Canework

Nancy Furlong Ted Tween

Barbara Maynard Lois Walpole

HEDGEROW AND WILWW BAS...'l\ETRY - March 12-13, Westhope College, Craven Anna, Salop. SY7 9JL. This i s a course for beginners. Cost £37 full residential £9 non resident. Tutor Anne Dyer. Telephone Seifton 293.

RUSH AND CANE SEATING - August 13-14 Westhope College. Tutor Anne Dyer. Details as above.

RUSH SEATING AND BASKETRY - April 30- May 1, weekend course. CHAIR CANING AND BASKETRY - May 21-22, weekend course. CHAIR CANING AND BASKETRY - June 4-5, weekend course. All weekend courses £15.00 including lunch. Further details contact; Mona Leckie, The Manor House, Toftrees, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 7DZ. Tel: (0328) 3598

TO LET, for reasonable rent in return for opening and caring for Basketry Workshop for a few hours each day, a beautiful Norfolk Fannhouse, 14 miles sea. Sleeps 9. During period; August 14- September 12 (2 week let possible). Contact,Mona Leckie, The Manor House, Toftrees, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 7DZ. Tel: (0328) 3598.

20.

Members who have a particular interest in Corn Dollys may like to know that a Corn Dolly Newsletter (2 issues a year, subscription £1.00 ) is available from: Mrs. Janet Twigger, Crook Fann, 147 Hawkes Mill Lane, Allesley Coventry, W .tadlands CV5 9FP.

RUSH SEATING - There seem to be quite a few different ways of joi ning the rushe s in seating, also quite a few different approaches to prepari ng the rushes. Could those of you that do a lot of rush seating let me know which met hod you use and why , for a possible art icle on the sub j ec t . L~W.

STOP PRESS

New Member.

Mrs. Cynthia Harmer, 80 Surrenden Road, Cheniton, Kent. CT19 4.AG

(Folkestone 76485)

Change of Address

Mrs. Joan Davey (Temporary address) 3 Parkfield Road, Taunton, Somerset. (Taunton 52343)

Correction of previously printed names,addr esses.

"1'. Joao Abel S. Frietas , Z3 Glazebr ook Rd., New Parks, Leicester, ~3 9NW. (Leic. 876367)

Mrs. Joyce Rundle , 12 H a t ha w a~ ' G ard ens , Eal ing , London W13 ODH (01-997-9162) .

Mrs. Joyce Tudor, 179 Shelford Road, Trumpington, Cambridge, CB2 2ND (Cambs . 841254)

Owing t o Meg Tapleys i mmi nent depar ture to Tanzania, t hi s newsletter has had t o be fini shed by me . I t would have been impossible without all the hard work on Megs part - the copious notes, instructions and material - I am i ndeb t ed t o her. I'd l ike to take this opportunity on behalf of the members to thank Meg for all her tireless work over the last Ji years as Editor of the Newsletter, and to wish her a fascinating time in Africa. My apologies for any errors. If you have any information/ articles/ comments etc. for the next Newsletter please get it to me by April 1.]. Happy New Year. Lois Walpole.