Coiled Basket Class

Tomorrow I head off from the cool coast along the Monterey Bay to the heated Central Valley, and specifically Los Baños, to teach a coiled bowl class to a group of lovely ladies! I made the connection with this Los Baños group via my shop and a great lady, Darla. She use to have a yarn shop in Los Baños and tried for years to get me to open up a fabric shop there. Well, times change, she closed her shop and I just closed mine. So we are both off on different adventures.

The origin of this bowl class came after I won a coiled bowl from my local guild, The Pajaro Valley Quilt Association. It was the prize for having the fabric post-card that the most people liked. It was a Valentine card that I gave my husband. What is funny is that I didn't even know there was a contest! Winning it made it that much more special!

The bowl came filled with salt water taffy, which I placed on the counter of my shop. I got so many compliments and questions about the bowl that one weekend I decided, with the prodding of my friend Cam, to come up with directions and a pattern. Cam always reminded me that I should never have anything on display for which I did not have a pattern. Good marketing sense from her!

Coming up with the technique was easy for me, as I have a college degree in ceramics and the bowl is pretty much the same as a coil pot. What I didn't know is that I would love making these as much as I do. That weekend I found all the rope and sashing I could find in our house and made three bowls. I was hooked, and continue to be so.

I did produce a pattern and kit for my shop, which sold quite well. It does come with the warning that you can become addicted! I'm hoping that some of these ladies tomorrow become addicted...look for the pattern later on my etsy shop.

So, on to wrapping rope with fabric, stitching away, and having a blast!