Author Archives: Bill

Beach Grass Trip

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Hi Bill

Can you share this with the Guild members who might be interested ? Lois Thadei, Olympia

Dear Olympia Weavers Guild Members:

OK, my Aleut basket weavers. It’s beach grass getting’ time again. Hooray. This is the traditional grasses I harvest every spring for weaving. You are invited to join me.

If you’ve been weaving with the waxed linen following our presentation last month for the Oly Weavers Guild you can join me. If you wish to continue your weaving using the traditional wild grasses, this is the last time I will be sharing a wild grass harvest session.

Hopefully you can make it.

How it Works:

Let me know if you are coming, so I can expect you. aleutwoman@comcast.net leave me your name, e-mail, phone including cell phone.

We meet at Trader Joe’s parking lot at the 2nd exit to left on Highway 101 just N of I-5 in Olympia, WA.

May 26, 2013 8 AM.

On the coast it will probably be blustery, blistering hot, colder than heck, sunny, rainy, foggy, wet raining, snowy, windy and, and, and …….. Wear layers, bring a scarf, weather resistant shoes/boots, gloves and such.

What to Bring:

· a couple gallon jugs for collecting sea water

· a sharp harvesting knife (I use a pareing knife and also brind a big old chef knife)

· an old bed sheet

· a few zip loc bags (who knows, might find something you want to take back)

· a pocket full of cordage or strings

· munchies, juice

· A damp washrag in a zip loc bag so you can freshen up

· Money so we can stop at a restaurant and eat a hearty lunch when we are done

· Sun block, bug spray, eye glasses as needed, cameras.

What we Harvest

We will be collecting an armload of Elymus Mollis, which appears to be having a GOOD YEAR. We will swing over to Bowerman Basin and also check on the 3 cornered sedge, cat tails and water iris. If it looks like we can harvest some big handsful we will. Also, canary reed grass is usually ready for a harvest at this time. We time the harvest to concide with the ripening of Salmonberries. But, given our hectic urban schedules, sometimes we are off by a week or two. We work with it.

Again, where we meet and how we Travel

We meet a 8 AM at the street edge of Trader Joe’s parking lot at Hwy 101 and Harrison/Cooper Point in Olympia. Once there, we will arrange any carpools that wish to form. We’ll be back before dark. Of course, if you take your own vehicle, you are in charge of your own time schedule. It’s about a 11 ½ hour drive to the harvest site not far from Westport, WA.

Fun

Lois “Louie” Chichinoff Thadei (Aleut-Sealaska)

MAILING Address Only: 120 State Ave. NE #1455 – Olympia, WA 98501

Phone: 360-539-5031

Cell: 360-259-4827

E-mail: aleutwoman@comcast.net

Web Site: www.aleutwoman.com/

Alaska Native Arts Foundation: http://www.alaskanativearts.org/shop-artist-individual?id=148

Aleut People Worldwide: http://wdict.net/word/Aleut+people

Washington State Arts Commission: http://www.arts.wa.gov/folk-arts/master-artists/thadei.shtml

Old Masters (NPR): http://www.flickr.com/photos/kuow/sets/72157622974889054/

My photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aleutwoman/

A Transfer of Ancient Knowledge

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Weaving workshops being offered by our February speakers

“A TRANSFER OF ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE” \
HUMMINGBIRD STANDS WEAVING WORKSHOP SATURDAY APRIL 13TH
R.S.V.P required
By popular request, we are convening 3 basket weaving classes all held on the same day, April 13th All are Alaska Native style weaving technologies, and once you learn this, you can weave many styles. FUN!

What type of weaving, who should attend?

1. Beginning Cedar Bark – Anyone interested in cedar bark from prepping the wild bark to making a basket.Cedar bark weaving is common to NW Coastal tribes from Northern California to the Arctic Circle in Alaska

2. Beginning Aleut – Anyone interested in an exotic and precise weaving technology. Some old Aleut weavings have over 500 stitches per square inch. This weaving style is an excellent foundation for many other weaving traditions. We learn to weave with imported waxed Irish linen, a contemporary material.

3. Advanced Aleut – For Hummingbird Stands Weavers, and others, who have already completed our previous Aleut Weaving class. We have held Aleut weaving classes since 2009. This year’s advanced class will use wild, cured beach grass in the Aleut tradition.

When and Where?

All classes are held at the same time, April 13, 2013, noon to 4 PM at the Hummingbird Stands Lodge

Who Who are the Teachers?

Cedar Bark Weaving – Paulette Frisina Beginning Aleut Weaving – Leah Weatherford Advanced Aleut Weaving – Louie Thadei

Cost of the Classes?

As usual, it’s by donation. You will be asked to purchase weaving materials at the class which is $20.00 for the most basic materials.

What Next?

Decide which class you want to take. You can take only one, this time. If you are a beginner, take Class 1 or 2. If you already know Aleut Weaving, take Class 3.

DEADLINE to Register.

By April 1st (at the very latest, contact Jan by e-mail or telephone *82 1 360 894-1874 or responding to this notice by e-mail Let her know which class you will attend (1, 2 or 3) and she will reserve a spot for you. After you are registered, she will send you a more detailed Information Sheet for your class. The Information Sheet will help you bring tools or materials you need to bring, or may want to acquire. The Information Sheet will also tell you about follow up sessions to deepen your weaving skill.The Information Sheet will also list on-line and brick/mortar stores for tools, materials you need.