Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

Wild Twined Baskets July 19 Class

By

Here are four versions of one basic twined basket pattern I'll be teaching this Saturday. Using different materials gives lots of variety. The largest basket here, done in an open weave, uses grapevine. The smallest is mostly lavender stems, ivy and akebia vine. The two middle sized are ivy, Iris leaves, New Zealand flax, cedar limb bark, with … [Read more...]

Wild Twined Basket Class 7-19-14

By

There is a wonderful new resource for artisans brewing on Bainbridge Island, in Washington State.  It is called the Bainbridge Artisans Resource Network, or BARN. A place for artisans to learn, share tools, practice skills, and have space and opportunity to work and network. BARN has developed site and building designs with generous help from … [Read more...]

About Melinda

Forty 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. It looked wildly made like a crazy bird’s nest. While being together with my two sons on a beautiful Pacific Northwest shoreline, this simple experience of crafting with the natural materials at hand kindled a passion for creating forms using plant fibers. I thank my family, my community, and all my teachers for cultivating this gift in me.
Read More
Melinda West and basket, Indianola WA