About a year ago, I started to weave baskets.  My friend is a great teacher and offers classes.  Last April, I started attending classes.  My knowledge of basket weaving was minimal.  The earliest memory of weaving is making pot holders from a loom kit, purchased from Ben Franklin as a child.  I enjoyed making pot holders and exploring with different colors.  I would make them for my grandma and mom and recall the over under pattern.

When I started basket weaving, the basket was a simple market basket.  Then, I moved to more challenging designs: mail basket, bread basket, sock basket and holiday wall hangings.  I enjoy the hues of the reed when weaving and making different variations in the patterns along with braiding and twining.  My father-in-law bought me a chair at an auction but the cane was wearing out.  Through learning how to weave, I am finishing caning the chair.  

The group of ladies that meet to weave are wonderful.  I always enjoy catching up.  My friend says when we come together, “It’s like we are back home again.”  When we gather, we talk, eat, and weave.  While we create, there are lots of conversations.  Each lady has become a friend and it’s great to have camaraderie.  We are at different seasons in our lives and I enjoy learning from others. It is important to have a circle of friends.  Luke said recently, “Mom you have awesome friends.”  I am very grateful for friendships: newfound friends, long-lasting friends, walking friends, creative friends, co-workers, road trip friends, tea/coffee friends, friends I can share funny memes with and chip/dip friends.  My little motto I say is, “Life is better with chips and dip.”

Just like in basket weaving,  friends are woven into our lives each different, but making something beautiful.  To all of my friends, thank you for your friendship.  “In the tapestry of life, we are all connected.  Each one of us is a gift to those around us, helping each other to be who we are, weaving a perfect picture together.”  Anita Moorjani