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GreenEville Basket Guild
Guild History

A Little bit about the GreenEville Basket Guild------ 

 

How we started.  The GreenEville basket guild had it’s beginning March 2001 when four of our current members, Sharon Senecker, Darlene McLeish, Jean Smith and Joyce Hopson attended the North Carolina Basketmakers convention in Raleigh NC.  On the way back home to Greeneville they commented to each other, “By golly we are going to start our own Basket Guild in Greeneville”.   And so they did.  The Greeneville Basket Guild was formed and had their first meeting in April 2001.  We currently a have membership of 38. 

 

Many of us attend and participate in the Tennessee Basketmakers Association’s annual convention that will be held this year close to Knoxville at The Airport Hilton in Alcoa TN.  We are one of the five active guilds or basket making groups in the state.  Additionally, some members attend other basket workshops, seminars and conventions in nearby states.

 

Our basket guild is a very active organization and growing.  We meet once a month at Reformation Lutheran Church on Main Street in Greeneville.  Our meetings usually begin at 9:00 am on the third Saturday of the month.  Our guild meetings will, most times, consist of a workshop with invited teachers and artisans throughout Appalachia.   Or we have an open weave meeting and bring our own projects to work on.   We strive to keep the traditional Appalachian Basket weaving techniques alive and thriving.  We invite renowned guest teachers from Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia West Virginia and the Carolinas. 

 

Our baskets are woven with a variety of techniques and media including, cane, reed or natural barks such as birch, hickory, woods and vines such as ash, willow, white oak, kudzu or honeysuckle, pine needles or sweet grass etc.  A few of our techniques include, the New England style Nantucket baskets and the traditional Appalachian style baskets.  Other styles of weaving baskets include, market, egg, rib, ovals, totes, trays, folk art weaving, caning, and many many more.   These baskets prove to be very functional and decorative.  Our weavers take pride in all of their accomplishments, as well they should.

 

We conduct a brief business meeting during our workshops and then include a scrumptious covered dish luncheon with each member bringing a dish of their choice.    Our workshops conclude between 2 and 3 in the afternoon.  If you have an interest in making creative Appalachian baskets and weaving please come and join us.  For more information about our next meeting contact one of the guild officers listed on the "Officers Page" of this website.  

 

See our website: http://greenevillebasket.tripod.com

Article written 12/05 by: Linda Lantz – Secretary

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