Sunday, September 15, 2013

Beaded Basket for Inspiration

I had the distinct pleasure of viewing four beaded baskets in person last weekend on a tour of collections.  I was struck by the differences in treatments/construction.  The baskets were all rectangular but the sides and bottoms were varied.  Some sides were wrapped wire with added sprigs of beaded flowers.  Others were hard with a thin sheet of wood between the thick wires and wrapped with fabric, the beaded sewn to the fabric.  The bottoms ran from embroidered, to bead embroidered, to a lattice of thick wire with peyote woven motifs that were flat inside each square.

I have more inspirational pictures for those who are working on the beaded basket contest below.  If you don't know what that is - there are only 20 basket forms left of them - so read the contest rules soon.  (If the demand is great, I might make more).

These pieces are from auction house records.  The second and third image are from the same piece and show a square net side for the basket, a really unusual and fun way to form the sides. Light and airy but patterned with motifs.





3 comments:

  1. The 2nd basket appears to have beading motifs on a solid ground material. Could you tell the composition of the ground material?

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  2. It is hard to tell. It could be cardboard or wood under the silk fabric

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  3. glorious! the baskets are MAD fun to make...I say MAD fun because they are absolutely MADDENING! Finished the rim of my basket, and am keeping track of every bead....27,975 just in the rim so far. Am really excited to see what everyone comes up with

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