Crafts A basket case

One wet day a while ago fairly disappointed by the fact that I couldn’t go out to potter around the house and garden, I found myself going through the pages of some old copies of ICAAn- Grianan news quarterlies, Winter 1962-1963 price 6d to be precise.

Contents-Commentary page 3, ACWW Triennial Conference page 5, Keeping House page7, Basketry- page 9, although twelve more courses were listed up to page 39 I was immediately drawn to page 9 to see if my neighbour John Grimes was the person who directed the basketry course that was mentioned.

My oh my I remembered that not only had John Grimes written the article and had supplied drawings of various stages of work in progress when making a basket but there was a photo of him that was taken by a mutual photographer friend Cathal Barr working on a large basket that was taken in the Bruan where all cane-work classes were directed then. Fourteen ladies all eager beginners had travelled from guilds all over Ireland to make baskets under John’s tuition. During the early 1960s Basket making was a very popular craft-necessary in some cases as most country women would sell eggs, butter and other produce on market day countrywide usually on Saturdays so as to save some pin money for themselves as well as helping to pay household bills.

As far as I can remember that photo was taken when John who was a master crafter and sadly no longer with us was directing a course during October 1962. The reason being that one of the students got into the flow of things much faster than her classmates and had finished her basket on Thursday evening a day earlier than was usual, so this meant that she would have nothing to do in class all day on Friday and wouldn’t be leaving An Grianan until after breakfast on Saturday morning.

John Grimes was aware of the fact that I could do cane-work and had made trays during the mid 1950s as did my

Mother when we both were members of Clonegal guild ICA. So having been commissioned to oblige in that predicament I agreed to accompany him to the store together with the student in order for her to choose and pay for the base, canes and beads necessary to make a tray. John advised the lady to decide whether she wanted to make a large, medium or small tray, she opted to make a medium one and we all went to the cupboard where the 1st requirement tray bases were stored together with jars of beads for the side handles. Alas we discovered that the cupboard was almost bare as only three 6 inch circular bases could be found, no beads but luckily a few coils of cane.

That Friday morning time was well spent steeping cane and making two trays that have come in handy as tea pot stands on many occasions since in two homes and the cupboard was replenished on the following Monday.

I will forward photos of a laundry basket, egg basket and a calf muzzle (used to prevent young calves from sucking the navels of other calves in the pen). All made of willow cut from local hedges that John made for us and other farmers. There is also a photo of my emergency workmanship that Friday long ago- the tea pot stand, I can’t find the tray but I know it is somewhere in the attic.

To

With my legacy, I want you to know that you are not alone. There are people who care and who want to see you thrive.