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Guild Meetings

2025 - 2026 Guild Meeting Programs (Sept-June)

Previous Years Programs (Sept-Aug):

June 10, 2026 (Wednesday @ 6:30PM): Gail Mollner & Maria Bullock - "Learning the Norwegian Vedmeis: Split Willow Basketry with Hege Aasdal" (Zoom Only)

Please join us on Zoom, June 10, for this joint presentation by Guild Members Gail Mollner & Maria Bullock about a trip taken in September 2025, with a group of basket weavers, to Ashland Wisconsin to study split willow basketry and learn a traditional basket style, the vedmeis, from Norwegian kurvmakers Hege Aasdal and Samson Øvstebø.
 
About Gail:   
Gail was bit by the basket weaving bug in 2019 after learning to weave a ribbed willow basket from Jo Campbell Amsler. She enjoys the meditative process of creating useful vessels from any materials that bend. Gail is passionate about connecting others to basketry’s shared human history. She teaches basket weaving workshops both independently and through the Textile Center in Minneapolis and is a co-founder of the Twin Cities Basket Weavers group, with the mission of promoting basketry arts in Minnesota and beyond. She lives and weaves both St. Paul, MN and Turtle Lake, WI.
 
Learn more about Gail on-line at @gailwithani (personal Instagram with baskets, pet chickens, life), and @twincitiesbasketweavers (the fun basket group I co-formed with fellow NWBW Guild member Debbie Johnson).
 
About Maria:
“I spent much of my youth in a small Polish country village where I gained an early appreciation for the craft of basket-making. I am now on Orcas Island off the coast of Washington State, living on the edge of a wetland marsh on my family’s permaculture farm. On my homestead, I grow, harvest, and dry a variety of basketry materials. Each of these materials serves as an inspiration. I weave using traditional European techniques to create unique pieces that are both functional and beautiful.”
 
Learn more about Maria on-line at www.swamp-sticks.com or @swamp.sticks
 
 
MEETING DETAILS: June 10 (Wednesday) @ 6:30PM (PST), on Zoom Only.
 

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HOW TO JOIN THE MEETING by ZOOM:  Access Information will be sent by Guild eNews email on the Friday before the meeting, is published in the Guild Newsletter, and is also posted in the Members Only section of this website (access requires password).

Also, as meetings are open to the public, non-members who would like to participate via Zoom should send an email to: webadmin@nwbasketweavers.org

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY PARTICIPATED IN A ZOOM MEETING:
you know the drill.

IF YOU ARE NEW TO ZOOM:
you will need to have the Zoom Client App on your device (computer, tablet, phone). The easiest way to do this is to go to the following URL: https://zoom.us/test
You will be asked if you want to download the Zoom Client, and given the opportunity to test your connection.

Alternatively, for laptop or desktop, you can use your web browser to go to https://zoom.us/ and download the Zoom Client App (https://zoom.us/ – click on “SIGN UP FOR FREE” – Zoom changes the location of this button every time I look, but with diligence you will find it – click and follow instructions). For tablet or phone, go to your App store and Search and download “Zoom Workplace” (or whatever Zoom is currently calling its App). Again, go to https://zoom.us/test to test your connection.

When it is time for the actual meeting, you need only click on the URL in a recent eNews email and also posted in the Members Only section of the website; you will be asked if you want to open Zoom, and offered instructions on how to continue.

TEST YOUR CONNECTION: again, after you have installed the Zoom Client App, you can test your connection by going to
https://zoom.us/test in your web browser, and following instructions.

We look forward to seeing all of you!

May 14, 2026 (THURSDAY @ 8PM): April Stone - "Baskets Tell Stories: A Story of Baapaagimaak o’o Makakoon (Black Ash Baskets) in Northern Wisconsin" (hybrid from Retreat @ Seabeck)

Please join us in-person or on Zoom, May 14, from Retreat, for this presentation by the Retreat Feature Teacher, April Stone.
 

April is our Feature Teacher at Retreat, a Black Ash basket maker and member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe from Ashland WI. April is celebrated for her working knowledge of Black Ash basketry and is renowned as a patient, gentle educator.

Reflecting on her work, April says:
“In the beginning, it was all about the finished basket. After a while, I realized that traditional teachings were showing themselves through every aspect of the work: through harvesting, processing, prepping, weaving, and finishing. A final layer, that of healing, also showed itself. Now, all of these aspects come together during the creative process of basket making.”
Learn more about April and see photos of her classes and baskets on her website:  Stone House Weavers.

 
MEETING DETAILS: May 14, THURSDAY,  @ 8:00PM (PST), from NWBW Spring Retreat at Seabeck WA. 
 

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HOW TO JOIN THE MEETING by ZOOM:  Access Information will be sent by Guild eNews email on the Friday before the meeting, is published in the Guild Newsletter, and is also posted in the Members Only section of this website (access requires password).

Also, as meetings are open to the public, non-members who would like to participate via Zoom should send an email to: webadmin@nwbasketweavers.org

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY PARTICIPATED IN A ZOOM MEETING:
you know the drill.

IF YOU ARE NEW TO ZOOM:
you will need to have the Zoom Client App on your device (computer, tablet, phone). The easiest way to do this is to go to the following URL: https://zoom.us/test
You will be asked if you want to download the Zoom Client, and given the opportunity to test your connection.

Alternatively, for laptop or desktop, you can use your web browser to go to https://zoom.us/ and download the Zoom Client App (https://zoom.us/ – click on “SIGN UP FOR FREE” – Zoom changes the location of this button every time I look, but with diligence you will find it – click and follow instructions). For tablet or phone, go to your App store and Search and download “Zoom Workplace” (or whatever Zoom is currently calling its App). Again, go to https://zoom.us/test to test your connection.

When it is time for the actual meeting, you need only click on the URL in a recent eNews email and also posted in the Members Only section of the website; you will be asked if you want to open Zoom, and offered instructions on how to continue.

TEST YOUR CONNECTION: again, after you have installed the Zoom Client App, you can test your connection by going to
https://zoom.us/test in your web browser, and following instructions.

We look forward to seeing all of you!

April 8, 2026 (Wednesday): Claudia Mullek - "My experience in Mo Kelman's NBO workshop "Skins, Skeletons and Suminigashi" (hybrid)

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Please join us in-person or on Zoom, March 11, for this presentation by Guild Member Claudia Mullek, with a hands-on demonstration. 
     Claudia writes: “I attended the NBO biennial conference, Tradition & Innovation in Basketry 12, held at the University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA in July 2025. I received grant funds from NWBW to attend this conference and registered for “Skins, Skeletons and Suminigashi”, a workshop taught by Mo Kelman.
     Mo’s work is very structural with a lot of architectural influences. Our work time was spent in experimentation. Using rattan and other materials in a variety of lashing and random, loosely woven techniques, we assembled skeletal structures. We then applied various “skins“- rice paper, hog gut, found netting – all of which we could elect to modify with paints, stains and coatings. It was a relaxing yet challenging workshop where we were allowed to play and experiment, with nothing being considered a failure. If something wasn’t working out, you could add to it or cut it up and combine it with other elements.
     I will share with you photos, class examples and short demos of these techniques to expose you to some of the unlimited possibilities of Mo’s methods of basketry.”
 

About Claudia:  After thirty years in the fashion industry as a garment and textile designer, Claudia Mullek moved to the state of Washington and now lives on the Entiat River, which flows out of Glacier National Wilderness through a beautiful valley to the Columbia River.
     In September 2007, Claudia had an opportunity to attend Tidal Twinings, the Columbia Basin Basketweavers Guild retreat on the Oregon coast. While there, Claudia met Karen Samdahl and learned about Northwest Basket Weavers, Vi Phillips Guild, which she joined in 2008.
     Claudia enjoyed her introduction to basketry and began taking many workshops, learning a variety of basketry techniques. She has progressed from traditional into more contemporary basketry. Structural basketry moves beyond the typical woven piece, being influenced by architectural and organic elements. Claudia continues exploring the many possibilities of this artform, challenging herself by experimenting with different materials and techniques to bring ideas from her imagination into this world.

 
MEETING DETAILS: April 8, 2026 @ 6:30PM, Wednesday, at  PNC and on Zoom. 
 

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HOW TO JOIN THE MEETING by ZOOM:  Access Information will be sent by Guild eNews email on the Friday before the meeting, is published in the Guild Newsletter, and is also posted in the Members Only section of this website (access requires password).

Also, as meetings are open to the public, non-members who would like to participate via Zoom should send an email to: webadmin@nwbasketweavers.org

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY PARTICIPATED IN A ZOOM MEETING:
you know the drill.

IF YOU ARE NEW TO ZOOM:
you will need to have the Zoom Client App on your device (computer, tablet, phone). The easiest way to do this is to go to the following URL: https://zoom.us/test
You will be asked if you want to download the Zoom Client, and given the opportunity to test your connection.

Alternatively, for laptop or desktop, you can use your web browser to go to https://zoom.us/ and download the Zoom Client App (https://zoom.us/ – click on “SIGN UP FOR FREE” – Zoom changes the location of this button every time I look, but with diligence you will find it – click and follow instructions). For tablet or phone, go to your App store and Search and download “Zoom Workplace” (or whatever Zoom is currently calling its App). Again, go to https://zoom.us/test to test your connection.

When it is time for the actual meeting, you need only click on the URL in a recent eNews email and also posted in the Members Only section of the website; you will be asked if you want to open Zoom, and offered instructions on how to continue.

TEST YOUR CONNECTION: again, after you have installed the Zoom Client App, you can test your connection by going to
https://zoom.us/test in your web browser, and following instructions.

We look forward to seeing all of you!

March 11, 2026 (Wednesday): Annual Meeting - IN PERSON (and Zoom) (hybrid)

Please join us in-person or on Zoom, March 11, for the Annual Guild Meeting.  This is primarily a business meeting where you will:
  • be asked to approve the minutes of last year’s Annual meeting;
  • hear various reports on activites of the past and coming year;
  • elect Board Directors;
  • discuss various issues.
Links to the 2025 Annual Meeting Minutes and to the candidate Board Directors were sent out via email to all active members from membership@nwbasketweavers.org. Bios of Board Director Candidates were also included in the February Newsletter, and in one case by eNews email. 
 
The Annual Meeting will begin with Reports by the President and representatives of various Committees, and a presentation of and vote on new candidate Board Members (Directors). Following that, the Board Members will adjourn to a brief Transitional Board Meeting where Board Officers will be chosen, and several time sensitive issues resolved; during this time Guild Member Katherine Lewis will coordinate a discussion among the Guild Members. Following the brief Transitional Board Meeting, the Board will rejoin the Annual Meeting, present the new Board Officers, and following some discussion the meeting will be adjourned.
 
Sincerely,
NWBW Board
 
MEETING DETAILS: March 11, 2026 @ 6:30PM, Wednesday, at  PNC and on Zoom. 

 

February 11, 2026 (Wednesday, 6:30 PM): Radha Newsom: "Weaving Willow Baskets: My Story of Learning a Craft Online" (hybrid)

Please join us in-person or on Zoom for a presentation and mini-workshop by Guild Member Radha Newsom on her experience with a series of on-line willow workshops. Ever wondered what it would be like to learn a hands-on craft like willow basket weaving entirely online? Radha shares her experience of using Hanna Van Aelst’s curriculum as she takes the leap from hobbyist to professional basketmaker. Radha will join us over Zoom from her home in Nordland, WA.

  • This presentation will cover:
  • Setting Up Shop: How Radha set up her physical weaving space.
  • Material Sourcing: How a few rows of willow is growing to a small farm to satiate the needs of a part time weaver.
  • Structured Learning: A look inside the Hanna Van Aelst online curriculum and how an ‘apprenticeship’ can look in this modern day.
  • The Selling Decision: The insights into Radha’s self-assessment and support from NWBW grants, mentors and family she needed to confidently begin selling her work.

We look forward to seeing all of you!

MEETING DETAILS: 6:30 PM, Wednesday, February 11, 2026. Social @ 6:30, Anouncements at 7:00 PM, followed by presentation.

 

January 14, 2026 (Wednesday, 6:30 PM): Karen Magnuson: "Traditions in Dogbane; Past and Present" (hybrid)

Please join us in-person or on Zoom for a presentation and mini-workshop by Guild Member Karen Magnuson on the uses of Dogbane. Dogbane, or Indian hemp is a highly regarded woody plant utilized for centuries by indigenous peoples. Its strong, silky fibers were traditionally worked into cordage for nets or spun into soft ply to weave into gathering bags. Join us to learn how to identify, harvest, and prepare these luxurious fibers while being introduced to further traditions of dogbane.

Local ethnobotanist, Karen Magnuson, will lead this hands-on workshop following an informative slide presentation. Seasoned dogbane will be brought to the meeting so that those present may try their hand a processing fiber for making cordage. Dogbane cordage, nets, and example of plied fibers woven into gathering bags will be shown.

Karen has led online and in-person classes sharing over 40 years of experience instructing how to identify and make use of the gifts of wild edible and medicinal plants. She has recently retired from teaching ethnobotany programs she developed for the Washington State Department of Ecology. Karen currently teaches basketry classes throughout the county highlighting the traditions of materials she gathers herself. She is looking forward to settling in to her new home and weaving studio on Camano Island.

We look forward to seeing all of you!

MEETING DETAILS: 6:30 PM, Wednesday, January 14, 2026. Social @ 6:30, Anouncements at 7:00 PM, followed by presentation.

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November 12, 2024 (Wednesday): "Holiday Gift Exchange"

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

For the past many years, NWBW Guild has sponsored a holiday gift exchange for members. With the advent of Covid, the gift exchange  went online, and now we celebrate both online and in person by sending or bringing our gifts and opening them either from your Zoom  site or at the live meeting.

The gifts are of such a wonderful variety: baskets made by members,  baskets found elsewhere (never go looking at Goodwill after Jill Green  or Kay Ames, they already got the best baskets), basket themed books,  tools, supplies, handmade whatever (scarves, jewelry, preserves, hats,  ceramics) hand cream, soaps. As Vicky Nickelson once said: just give  something you would like to receive. Since we are a multi state and  province organization, lots of the gifts are mailed and you can’t put the delivery off until the last minute unless you have a private jet. If you  don’t know your recipient and want to know something about them,  email Barbara and she will try to help you. 

If you would like to participate in The NWBasket Weavers Guild Holiday Gift Exchange, please email your name and street address  to Barbara Osborne by Tuesday, October 1. 

Here are the guidelines and timeline:

By October 1:  email your name and street address to Barbara at  basketmaker47@icloud.com. Barbara will do the drawing and email  you the name of the recipient of your gift by October 4. 

You are responsible to get your gift in the mail soon enough so that  the gift recipient can open it at our November 12 hybrid Guild meeting  online via Zoom or in person at Phinney Ridge Neighborhood Center.  You are also welcome to hand deliver the gift to your recipient.

Recommended mailing dates: 
     for Canadian mailings, in the mail by  October 27;
     for domestic mailing, in the mail by November 5.

MEETING DETAILS: November 13th, 2025 @ 6:30PM, Wednesday.  This meeting will be in person and on Zoom (i.e. hybrid)

October 8, 2025 (Wednesday, 6:30PM): Willie Ziegler: "My life in Basketry" (Zoom only)

Please join us on Zoom ONLY for a conversation with long time and Honorary Guild Member Willie Ziegler.  Willie  is an absolute font of information about most aspects of basketry. Not wanting to make a formal presentation, she has offered to share some of her background through answering a series of questions about herself and her journey through basketry. The Program Committee came up with fourteen questions for Willie to choose from. Which ones she chooses will be a surprise. Jill Green will interview Willie using her chosen questions; it is sure to be entertaining and informative.

Willie provided the following statement when she rejoined the NWBW Board of Directors in 2021: “Hi, I’m Wilma (Willie) Ziegler. I currently live in El Cajon, California (East San Diego county). I lived in Seattle from 1959 to 1999. I have been a Guild member since either the 3rd or 4th year it existed. I am an eclectic weaver interested in all types of techniques and materials. I enjoy classes that teach me something new, and I enjoy teaching to pass on what I have learned. Other than being a royal pain in the butt I don’t know what else to say. Oh, I have been President, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer for 12 years, and on various committees.”

Willie and the late Pat Reese have written the very useful book ‘Grounds for Gathering: Plants West of the Cascades‘. The plants may be west of the Cascades but many of them are also found further east and north (including the Northwest Territories in Canada). It’s available in the Guild Library.  

Field and Forest Crafts (Erin Cox) in NE Seattle has copies of ‘Grounds for Gathering: Plants West of the Cascades‘ for sale for $27 plus tax. If you want to pick up a copy at that location please email erin@fieldandforestcrafts.com 
*Erin Cox will offer a limited number of books for sale to those outside of the area. Erin’s business is not set up for shipping and tax rates; this is a limited time offer…order by 10/10/25. Book plus mailing will be $38 for most US locations; you must pay by Venmo or check before shipping. If interested, first email Erin at erin@fieldandforestcrafts.com .

We look forward to seeing all of you!

MEETING DETAILS: 6:30 PM, Wednesday, October 8, 2025. Anouncements at 6:30 PM

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September 10, 2025 (Wednesday, 6:30PM): Ingrid Isuwiq (Seal) Hansen: "My Weaving Journey" (hybrid)

Please join us in-person at PNC and on Zoom for a presentation by Ingrid Hansen who will share her basket weaving story.  Ingrid will join us via Zoom from Olympia, WA; there will be a group meeting together at PNC.

Photo: Ingrid is to the right in the central picture, with her daughter Jessica. it is her grandma Sella with her children in the upper right picture. Ingrid left Alaska when she was five, but says it is an exciting time to be an Alutiiq because of the indigenous cultural revival going on in Alaska. Ingrid has created several YouTube video tutorials on how to weave an Alutiiq basket. She is currently working on a revision of her Alutiiq basket weaving handbook.

From Ingrid: My name is Ingrid Isuwiq (Seal) Hansen. I am an Alutiiq, a tribe located in Southwest Alaska. I was born in Pilot Point, a village on the shores of Bristol Bay. I learned how to weave an Alutiiq basket in 2009. I’ve been weaving and teaching Alutiiq basket weaving since then. My weaving journey has been personal and community-based. I benefited from two teachers, Lois Chichenoff Thadie and Vicky Era Pankretz. They were part of the cultural revival initiated by the Alutiiq Museum on Kodiak Island. I teach the traditional style of Alutiiq basket weaving to Alutiiq students and students who are not Alutiiq. I just finished a successful Alutiiq-style basket weaving class for Olympia Weavers Guild members. I have enjoyed getting to know more about other types of weaving this year as I attended the Northwest Basket Weavers retreat at Seabeck and the National Basketry Organization conference in Tacoma. I am excited to learn and grow as a weaver and a teacher of weaving.

We look forward to seeing all of you!

MEETING DETAILS: 6:30 PM, Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Anouncements at 6:30 PM

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