Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

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One Spot Left for June 10-11 Cedar Pouch Workshop

June 5, 2017 By Melinda

Cedar Berry Pouches

One spot has opened up for next weekend's workshop at the brand new BARN. What a joy to be able to teach in this beautiful new Fiber Art studio space on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Perhaps this is your chance to experience the gifts of the Western Red … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Community, Upcoming, Weaving with Cedar, Workshops Tagged With: Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network, BARN, Cedar From Tree To Pouch, Long Life Maker

June 10 & 11, 2017, Cedar From Tree To Pouch

March 7, 2017 By Melinda

Western Red Cedar, Folded and Sewn, Trimmed with Plaited Cedar Band

Pacific Northwest landscapes are home to a wealth of native and introduced plants known to have rich histories of fiber use by the First Peoples of the region.  “Long Life Maker”, is just one of many names the Western Red Cedar tree has been called by the Salish Peoples.  Students will learn why, as they are introduced to a multitude of uses … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Upcoming, Weaving with Cedar, Workshops Tagged With: Adult students, Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network, Cedar From Tree To Pouch

Grateful for Wonderful Students

July 31, 2016 By Melinda

Folded Cedar Bark Pouch with Braided Border and Shell Button

I've been meaning to catch up on blogging, but life has its way! Between a bumper crop of raspberries and Marionberries to pick, regular harvesting of our produce, family gatherings, and a lovely hike in the Olympics with friends, I've been silent! I hope to remedy this beginning now, with some entries that are retrospective of the past year or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Students, Weaving with Cedar, Workshops Tagged With: Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network, BARN, Cedar From Tree To Pouch, spring, students, teaching, workshop

Cedar Workshop June 18+19, 2016

January 18, 2016 By Melinda

Cedar From Tree To Pouch (Please copy and paste the link below for more info) https://bainbridgebarn.wildapricot.org/event-2138845 I'm looking forward to teaching "Long Life Maker" or Cedar From Tree To Pouch, this coming June 18 and 19, at the "Rolling Barn" in Rolling Bay, Washington.  The class is limited to 8 students to allow the time … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Weaving with Cedar, Workshops Tagged With: Bainbridge Artisans Resource Network, BARN, berry picking pouches, Cedar From Tree To Pouch, Folded Cedar Pouch, Long Life Maker

Cedar-Tree To Pouch

June 8, 2015 By Melinda

I am grateful to my friend and neighbor, Suquamish elder, Ed Carriere, for teaching me how to make folded bark pouches, and for giving me his blessing to teach this class!  If Ed weren't so busy teaching for the Burke Museum, researching and making replicas of 2000 year old baskets, and having others documenting his life for publication and in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Students, Weaving with Cedar, Workshops Tagged With: Bainbridge Artisans Resource Network, BARN, berry picking pouche, Cedar From Tree To Pouch, Folded and Sewn Pouch, gathering cedar bark, quiver, respectful gathering, students, Weaving With Western Red Cedar

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Recent Posts

  • Spring – It’s on the Way
  • Water Is Life – A Song Worth Hearing
  • Suquamish Elder Ed Carriere is a 2023 National Heritage Fellow
  • Our Sacred Obligation – A Story Worth Spreading
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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.
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Melinda West and basket, Indianola WA

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