Tip of the Week January 27, 2002
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Time is so precious,
try not to waste any of it. But remember that quite
time is also precious and absolutely necessary for peace of mind..
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Previous Tips
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One of our
customers shared this tip with us recently: To keep the dyed
reed from running, use ALUM in the rinse water after dying the
reed The dyed reed will not run. Alum can be purchased at the
pharmacy, or look in the spice area of the grocery store. I
personally have not tried this yet, but I will very soon, so
I'll let you know how it works. If anyone else has tried it,
please let us know. |
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Caring for your baskets: You have
spent much time and effort on your baskets, so don't let the
care end when the rim is lashed. Your baskets should have a
shower once a year at least. The best time to do this is
during the summer months. Hold the basket under the shower to
rinse off the dust, dirt, etc. that has collected , then hang
the basket outside to dry. A little sun won't hurt it, but
just a little, especially if it has dyed reed in it. Move it
to the shade to let it air out. The sun will fade any dyed
reed. If your basket seems very dry, dip it into a mixture of
1 tablespoon of glycerin to a bucket of warm water, then hang
to dry. This will help to keep the basket flexible. |
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You must air dry damp / wet
reed before storing in any kind of a container, including
paper bags. If you put away wet reed, it will mold and grow
"hair" or mildew.
If you have moldy or mildewed reed, it can be salvaged. Let
it dry out thoroughly. If it is real bad, try soaking in
bleach water, but keep in mind this will dry out the natural
oils in the reed. If it's not too bad, try spot cleaning it
with a Q-tip dipped in a watered down bleach solution. OR dye
the bad reed using a dark color. I have dyed moldy reed
before, sometimes the mold spots show through the dye,
but will look "aged". This can work for some
baskets. Use your own judgment on whether or not to try to
save the damaged reed or to just toss it out. |
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When
rewetting dyed reed before weaving into your basket, add a
handful of salt, or a cup of vinegar to the the COLD water.
Then pull the dyed reed through a dry paper towel to absorb
excess water. This will help keep
the colors from running.
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"Children
are the anchors that hold a mother to life."
Sophocles
Take time to make this a wonderful sharing
year. You will learn so much from your
children, when you take the time to share your
knowledge with them. So, teach them to weave a
basket, paint a bird, bake a cake, smell a rose...
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You
know those little round plastic 35mm film
containers? I use them in my tool box for small
items like needles, tiny doll clothespins, end of
the spool wax linen thread, or whatever little
things I need to carry and don’t want to
loose. A ball point pen will write on the top to
label each container.
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When
you open a new bundle of reed, replace the
manufacturer's tie at the gathered end with a
rubber band. This will hold all the ends
securely in place, but will easily release the
pieces as you need them. Tighten rubber
band as needed. Always store reed in dry
place.
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| To
get that "old look" on wood bases for
baskets, or any piece of wood, stain the wood
first, then paint with an acrylic, doing one or
two coats as you desire. When completely dry,
sand back the "wear" areas, such as
corners, setting area, or areas that would
naturally show wear. The stain under the paint
makes the wood look older.
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