Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

Growing, gathering, and weaving with plant fibers from the Pacific Northwest

  • About
    • Art Resume
    • Artist Statement – Land Acknowledgement
    • Teaching, Exhibits, Projects
  • Galleries
    • Functional Ribbed Work
    • Wall Pieces
    • Woven and Folded Bark
    • Sculptural Blends
    • Community
  • Workshops
  • Weaving Knowledge
    • Workshops
    • My Teachers
    • Resources
  • Blog
  • Contact

Karen Sherwood at BARN-Birch Bark Knife Sheath

July 16, 2018 By Melinda

Karen Sherwood at BARN
Karen Sherwood at BARN

It was a delight for me to be part of Karen Sherwood’s Birch Bark Knife Sheath making workshop at the Bainbridge Artisans Resource Network.

Selecting the Parts
Selecting the Parts

Karen brought in Swedish Carving knives for every student, and provided beautiful materials which she had carefully chosen so we could all be successful.

Karen Sherwood demo
Karen Sherwood demo

Karen demonstrated how the birch bark can be “persuaded” to change the natural direction it would like to curl, with a little hot water from the kettle.

Heating the Birch Bark
Heating the Birch Bark
Karen Sherwood’s Birch Bark Knife Sheaths
Karen Sherwood’s Birch Bark Knife Sheaths

Then we stitched and stitched away. No time for me to take pictures.

Birch Bark Knife Sheaths
Birch Bark Knife Sheaths

And everyone completed a beautiful durable knife sheath for their Swedish Carving Knives! I can’t wait to make another.

Karen Sherwood and her husband have a business called Earthwalk Northwest, Earthwalk Northwest, with a mission of preserving ancient skills and wisdom for future generations.

Check out their website. More about Karen’s two day Backpack Basket workshop up next.

Filed Under: Community, News, Students, Workshops Tagged With: Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network, BARN, BARN workshops, Birch Bark Knife Sheath, Earthwalk NW, Karen Sherwood

Search the site

Subscribe

Subscribe to my blog
and get updates by email.

Blog Categories

Connect with Melinda

  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Recent Posts

  • Bare Bones Abstracts
  • A Space to Work and Meet
  • Cedar Bark – Useful and Beautiful
  • October 2020 London Craft Week at J&M Davidson
  • Land Acknowledgement 2020

Popular Blog Topics

art Art in the Woods Studio Tour Artistic Weaving With Western Red Cedar Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network Bainbridge Artisans Resource Network BARN BARN workshops baskets cedar bark Cedar From Tree To Pouch Clam Basket A Story By Ed Carriere class community creative Cultural Arts Foundation NW design early spring Ed Carriere English ivy Fall First Peoples grasses inner cedar bark IslandWood ivy Katie Jennings leaves new work North Cascades Institute NW sweetgrass Pacific Northwest Small Plant Fiber Projects Spencer West spring students summer Suquamish Sydni Sterling Studio teaching vines weaving Weaving With Western Red Cedar Western red cedar winter workshop

About Melinda

Thirty years ago, while sitting on the beach playing with my young children, I made my first basket out of a pile of willow trimmings someone had tossed there. The experience of weaving with the materials at hand while being together with my sons on a beautiful Pacific Northwest shoreline, kindled a passion for creating art from natural plant materials. I thank my family, my community, and all my teachers for cultivating this gift in me.
Read More
Melinda West and basket, Indianola WA

Copyright © 2021 Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry | Indianola | Washington | USA

Site by LND