The Basket Blog Archive

Custom Work - Triangles

Posted by Joanna on 10/24/18 – 0 Comments

Every so often, we get emails from people who have no idea what to do with that awkward, triangle built-in cabinet space. How to prevent a cluttered look? A triangle basket, of course!

Sandee had this request:

“I need a triangular-shaped basket with one handle on the hypotenuse side....

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Farmhouse Bathroom Baskets

Posted by Joanna on 02/25/18 – 0 Comments

“I live in an old farmhouse from the 1780s, which more recently was owned for 30 years by 2 artists who started an amazing line of housewares which are heavily designed and very whimsical and unconventional, and yet they fit perfectly in this rustic home… It feels like an old English Pub.”...

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Peace Bicycles Blog Feature

Posted by Joanna on 02/23/18 – 1 Comment

Good Morning from Northern Minnesota!

Although it doesn’t much feel like Bicycle Basket season for us today, it’s not too many months away from spring warmth and outdoor adventures. Peace Bicycles is working on getting us geared up for the start of the spring season by sharing a blog...

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The Primitive Front Porch

Posted by Joanna on 10/04/17 – 4 Comments

Every home remodeling show will tell you that curb appeal makes a big difference, right? We spend a lot of time working on the inside of our homes to make them reflect the style and image we prefer, but let’s not forget to give the outside a little attention

This fall, Jack built us a...

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Fall Is Coming Soon

Posted by Joanna on 09/14/17 – 1 Comment

It won’t be too much longer before all the leaves change color. I’m thankful for the seasons we experience in northern Minnesota. It’s fun to experiment with changing colors and styles of weaving to reflect the switch from summer to autumn. We don’t use dyed stakes or rims very often, but...

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Putting Baskets to Use

Posted by Joanna on 08/31/17 – 1 Comment

When we moved here 22 years ago, we planted a dozen apple trees. Today, they produce more than we can handle! But there’s just something wonderful about eating what we can grow. I think this batch will be made into cider this week.

Square Market Basket

Textures

Posted by Joanna on 08/30/17 – 1 Comment

One of my favorite aspects of home decorating is mixing different textures. Add a section of seagrass weavers to this Toiletries Basket, and the contrasting texture pops!

Using a continuous weave with seagrass isn’t as easy as weaving with rattan, but it changes the entire look of the...

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Black-Eyed Susans

Posted by Joanna on 08/24/17 – 0 Comments

I appreciate how flowers change tones with the fading summer. The yellows and oranges of the black-eyed susans are a beautiful way to enjoy the last few weeks of this season.

Country Flower Vase

A New Take on Custom Handles

Posted by Joanna on 04/10/17 – 4 Comments

Over the years we’ve been in business, we’ve received many requests for custom designs in our shop. Many times, customers send images like this one to begin the process of creating the exact baskets needed to fit their storage spaces.

Weaving to fit specific sizes is standard operating...

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A Gorgeous Hutch

Posted by Joanna on 08/31/16 – 3 Comments

What an honor to have our custom-sized Storage Baskets as part of this beautiful piece of furniture.

Just plain gorgeous ...

Three Mail Baskets

Posted by Joanna on 03/23/16 – 3 Comments

Most everyone still receives snail mail ... even if just bills & advertisements.  So we make Mail Baskets, in three different sizes. 

Pictured here is a Medium Mail Basket (top), a Large Mail Basket (middle), and a Painted Mail Basket (bottom). 

Surely one of these three would work...

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Dresser Drawer Baskets

Posted by Joanna on 02/03/16 – 0 Comments

“My baskets arrived yesterday, and they are beautiful!  Thought you might like to see them in the piece of furniture that they were made for.  Thank you for getting them to me so quickly.”

We LOVE receiving notes like this ...

A New Addition ~ the Farm Table Basket

Posted by Joanna on 01/09/16 – 2 Comments

Similar in design to our Mantelpiece Basket, the Farm Table Basket measures 10” longer and is finished in a primitive/grungy technique.

It’s the perfect basket to serve as a centerpiece on your rustic trestle table.

More Storage Baskets

Posted by Joanna on 01/04/16 – 0 Comments

It’s always such a joy to receive photos from people who have ordered custom items ... we like seeing how they will be using their storage baskets.  These lidded baskets were finished in slate gray and traveled to their home in New York City.

“I received the baskets in the mail today...

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A Student’s Beautiful Project

Posted by Joanna on 12/10/15 – 0 Comments

Susan from Minnesota joined us last month for a weaving class and made this beautiful Measuring Basket. 

She finished it on her own in our stain/paint technique ... the basket is first dipped in medium walnut oil stain.  When that is almost dry, the whole thing is then sprayed with an...

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Custom Display Baskets for Mall Kiosks

Posted by Joanna on 11/22/14 – 0 Comments

We have had the privilege of making various shapes and sizes of custom baskets.  Here are three of the eighteen baskets (so far) that we have woven for display racks to be placed in two shopping malls.

I wonder how many more malls will need these displays.  And who said basket weaving...

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Cradle Baskets

Posted by Joanna on 10/08/14 – 0 Comments

Last month we had the privilege of making two custom-sized baskets for the bottom shelf of this gorgeous cradle.  The customer said that her dad had made it two years ago in his woodshop for her first son.  Now her second son will be born in November.

She sent us a note, “I got the...

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Canadian Custom Basket

Posted by Joanna on 09/04/14 – 1 Comment

What a joy to receive notes like this one ... from a satisfied customer in Canada!

“We received our basket in the mail and could not have been more pleased. It is just how we imagined it to look and perfect for the space. We just love it!  Thank you and carry on making beautiful baskets.”...

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Custom Baskets for a Dresser

Posted by Joanna on 08/22/14 – 0 Comments

A customer wrote to say ... “the baskets are wonderful, and the color blends perfectly.”

“The bureau is actually an entertainment center that we bought as a floor model for a ridiculously low price.  The top openings are designed for the cable boxes, dvd players, etc.  Now it looks...

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A Beautiful Addition

Posted by Joanna on 06/27/14 – 1 Comment

Weaving is something we really enjoy.  Sewing ... maybe not so much.  Customers have asked over the years if we make liners to fit inside the baskets, but the answer has always, unfortunately, been “no”.  Weaving keeps us too busy!  When Kerri ordered the Double Swing-Handled Tote, she...

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Gorgeous Bathroom Cabinet

Posted by Joanna on 05/08/14 – 1 Comment

Check out Lisa’s newly remodeled bathroom ... complete with custom made baskets for the vanity.

That beautiful cabinet makes the baskets look wonderful!

Custom Storage for Betsy

Posted by Joanna on 04/30/14 – 0 Comments

Here are a couple of pictures sent to us from a customer in Florida. As an artist, she wanted four custom pieces to store art supplies in her work table.

Thanks for sharing the finished result, Betsy!

Custom Colors For Another Cruiser

Posted by Joanna on 04/23/14 – 0 Comments

A happy customer wrote us a note ... “I totally LOVE my bike basket. Was so excited that it arrived so quickly.  Looks fabulous on my bike, don’t you think?”

Thank you, Lisa!  We always appreciate seeing where our baskets are used.

Classy Cruising

Posted by Joanna on 03/27/14 – 1 Comment

Our Bicycle Basket, finished in warm chestnut stain, perfectly accessorizes an already GORGEOUS Electra Cruiser … what a classy way to tour the streets of Gilbert, Arizona!

A Five-Sided Basket?

Posted by Joanna on 02/03/14 – 2 Comments

When Mary contacted me about weaving custom storage baskets for her entryway, I understood her dilemma in finding baskets just the right shape and size for her uniquely shaped bench. The smaller spaces were straightforward and easy to accommodate, but the bottom bench required some extra...

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Entertainment Stand Custom Baskets

Posted by Joanna on 01/07/14 – 3 Comments

Turning the hobby of basket weaving into a way to make a living has been a fun career. But it’s even more rewarding to see the finished products in the places they were designed for. 

This order for Mary Jane looks great in the entertainment center she upcycled herself. She did a...

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Wisconsin Basket Sighting

Posted by Joanna on 11/12/13 – 2 Comments

There are five daughters in our family, all in their 20’s and 30’s. When we all get together, one of our favorite events is to leave all the cooking and cleaning to go find some wonderful shops. Whether home décor or antiques, we always manage to discover some treasures.

And maybe...

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Jane’s Primitive Market Basket

Posted by Joanna on 10/26/13 – 0 Comments

Using our Primitive Market Basket weaving pattern and three-step stain/paint (shabby chic ivory) finishing technique, just look at the final product of her weaving labors ... absolutely beautiful!

Now there is a basket that will not only add country charm to her primitive home decor but...

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Island Water Finish

Posted by Joanna on 10/09/13 – 1 Comment

After posting a blog entry about discovering how to weave striped baskets, we received an inquiry about using different colors to accent custom baskets. After many emails and questions, the final result was using a new branch of the MinWax stain. We have always used MinWax’s oil-based...

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Custom Colors for a Cruiser

Posted by Joanna on 09/13/13 – 1 Comment

“My beach baby with her lovely basket, hanging out at the Jersey Shore. I just had to show you how great it looks and tell you how happy it makes me!”

Thank You,
Happy Biker

Custom Mail Slot Basket

Posted by Joanna on 09/12/13 – 0 Comments

This is definitely the LARGEST custom mail basket I have ever made ~ 30” tall! It will go under the slot in the customer’s front door ... and hopefully capture the mail before Fido does!

A New Challenge

Posted by Joanna on 08/26/13 – 4 Comments

After over 6,400 baskets, I thought I had almost done it all … until a customer asked if I could make a striped basket. I have done checkered patterns, American flag patterns, solid stains, painted accents, even Aztec designs, but never genuine stripes. I told the customer that I would...

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Custom Work of all Sizes

Posted by Joanna on 08/20/13 – 0 Comments

Finding the right basket for a specific piece of furniture can be very difficult. When a customer sent us a photograph of this beautiful, repurposed cabinet, we started weaving right away!

The final product ended up being one of the largest custom pieces we’ve created yet. Using the...

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Shelley’s New Bathroom

Posted by Joanna on 05/01/13 – 0 Comments

Look at Shelley’s beautifully remodeled bathroom ...

and our custom-sized storage baskets have the privilege of nestling right in behind the twin sinks.

Thank you for letting us be part of this project.

Rachel’s Custom Baskets

Posted by Joanna on 04/30/13 – 0 Comments

Look what Rachel has done with the baskets we made her ...

What a nice addition to the beautifully handcrafted hall tree bench built by Rachel’s father-in-law!

Custom Kitchen Cubby Baskets

Posted by Joanna on 04/03/13 – 1 Comment

It’s always great to see how people use the baskets we make.  This creative homeowner has been remodeling her kitchen.  She re-finished her cabinets in a whitewash and chocolate distressed technique.  To complete the project she had us weave ten walnut-stained baskets designed to fit in...

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Benjamin Barron House

Posted by Joanna on 03/12/13 – 2 Comments

We received this note a few days ago.  “Thought you might like to know how your basket came to Concord’s historic Benjamin Barron House (c.1716).  The British marched by this place in 1775.  Nearby, are the homes of Emerson, Alcott, Hawthorne and Ephraim Bull who developed the Concord...

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Grungy Tall Basket

Posted by Joanna on 10/29/12 – 0 Comments

This beautiful fall display was created by one of our customers using the Grungy Tall Basket.  What a delightful addition to her home’s primitive decor.  We love seeing what ideas come from our baskets, so thank you, Rhonda, for sharing your wonderful design!

              ...

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Custom Storage Baskets

Posted by Joanna on 05/01/12 – 2 Comments

Finding just the right size ready-made baskets for your particular shelving units, hutches, cubbies or benches can be challenging.  Possibly custom-sized pieces are what you need.  Here is a photo of a unit in a Canadian home for which I recently wove baskets. 

The customer’s...

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Kari’s Bicycle Basket

Posted by Joanna on 02/20/12 – 0 Comments

We live in Minnesota ~ Kari lives in Florida.  We have snow and clouds ~ Kari has sand and sunshine.  Our vehicles require snow tires ~ Kari’s “re-conditioned” ride has a new Bicycle Basket!  I think she is the lucky one today ...

Kari says, “The basket is just perfect, I love it!”

...

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