Please Join Us at the Guild’s
Annual Basket & Gourd Class Day
August 2, 2026
9:00am to 4:00pm
This is a traditional day of celebration. We are featuring low cost classes for Guild members and the community. Classes are held at the San Dieguito Heritage Museum, 450 Quail Gardens Dr., Encinitas, CA, 92024. This is special 30 year celebration for the Guild. We will have a special display of Misti Washington’s baskets and cake.
Please bring your lunch and water bottle. Bring a folding chair, if possible. We will have coffee available. Each class is a full day. To register please use the link below. For questions please contact: Debbie Zimmerman via dzmistibasketday25@gmail.com. For printable version of this information, CLICK HERE for PDF.
Click Here to Register
Jaunty Lantern – Kim Orr, Instructor — All levels
Cost: $40 Guild members, $45 non-members
Learn to twine around spokes on a round mold to form this delightful lantern. The handle is twisted reed.
Tools needed: Awl, scissors, towel, wood or metal ruler, and a 3” round object for mold – ball, onion, orange. Teacher will have extra tools and molds to share.
Teacher will provide reed and battery operated tea light.
Class size: 10 max
Walk-ins: allowed
Project size: 3” height, 2” diameter. Students will make 1 lantern.
Croton Leaves on a Gourd – Grace Swanson, Instructor — All levels
Cost $60 Guild members, $65 for non-members
Learn to transfer design with Press N Seal and then burn through it. Learn to dye the leaves with Gourdmaster red under-painting and metallic ink dyes blended on top.
Tools and material needed: Gourd 6-7”. Woodburner with spear tip, heat setter and gourd saw if you have one.
Teacher will provide, pattern, dye, paint, tutorial, paint brushes, UV protecting spray.
Class size: 12 max
Walk ins: 2 if under max
Fancy Faux Raku Gourd – Stacy Holtz, Instructor — All levels
Cost $60 Guild members, $65 non-members
Learn to carve a step stone design in gourd and color with paint and pigment powder.
Tools needed: Dremel or power carver, steel carbide ball burr – medium size, wheel burr, locking compass with pencil, mask or respirator, eye protection.
Class size: 12 max
Walk-ins: yes
Project size: 4-6” diameter, 4-5” in height
Teacher will supply gourd, paint, pigment powder and sand.
Market Basket – Marsha Orr, Instructor — All levels
Cost: $70 for Guild members, $75 for non-members.
Learn basic over-under weave, twining and braided rim. More advanced weavers can do complex weaving.
Tools needed: sturdy scissors and an old towel.
Class size: 10 max.
Walk-ins: up to max.
Project size: 8” wide x 12” long with 12” handle.
Teacher will supply reed, awl, spray bottles.
The decorative weave on handle may need to be finished at home. The basket was stained with a Watco oil after it was dried. You will get information on how to do this at home
Wet Felted Bowl – Pam Watson, Instructor — All levels
Learn how to wet felt a wool bowl.
Cost: $60 for Guild members, $65 for non-members
Tools needed: scissors sharp pointed, sm. bucket or plastic bowl, towels (1 bath, 2 hand towels), a chopstick, spray bottle, bar or liquid soap (not deodorant or foaming soap).
Class size: 10
Walk-ins: no
Teacher will supply wool, embellishments, bubble wrap, resist, mat for rolling, balloons and vinegar.
Project size 5” diameter 3 “ht.
Below you’ll see examples of Special Classes over the past few years that have been cooperatively offered by the Misti Washington Gourd and Basket Guild and the Los Angeles Basketry Guild.
Marsha Orr Class - April 2026
(San Diego Area)
Round Vase with Ridge Weave - All Levels
Using round reed and a variety of other materials, such as jute, sisal and twine, if desired, students will learn weaving and design techniques including triple-twining and chase weave and will use a bisque-fired pottery piece for the core of their basket. Results will vary depending on reed color choices and other materials used by students.
Tools to bring: Old towel, scissors (if you have basic weaving tools, bring them, otherwise teacher will have some available to share)
Marsha Orr Class - March 2026
(Los Angeles Area)
Optical Illusion Basket — Skill Level: All Levels
CLASS FULL - WAIT LIST AVAILABLE
Using 4 x 8 racetrack slotted wooden base, students will learn twining, 2-2 twill with space dyed reed, 3 rod wale, continuous over-under, rimmed with waxed linen thread.
Dimensions: 4” x 8” slotted base, 6” sides
Tools to bring: old towel, tapestry needle, and sturdy scissors (if you have basic weaving tools, bring them, otherwise teacher will have some available to share).
Marsha Orr Special Classes - October 2025
(San Diego)
We are so fortunate to have Marsha Orr as a local Southern California basketmaker and teacher. She made her first basket in 1987, and she has been hooked on basketry ever since. After 17 years of teaching at CSU, Fullerton, Marsha began teaching basketry through Fullerton Parks and Recreation’s Community classes. She taught there for three years before retiring to Menifee. She says, “I find joy in teaching and practicing this ancient art and seeing the look of discovery and satisfaction as my students create their own basketry art.” She has been regularly teaching at the Fallbrook School of the Arts, the San Diego Craft Collective, as well as her home studio.
SATURDAY, 10/18:
All My Xs Tote – $60
Students will create a lovely basket and learn a variety of techniques. These include: making a filled woven base with chicken feet, over-under interrupted, triple twining, and attaching a 7” wooden notched handle, lashed on rim, using dyed cane embellishment.
SUNDAY, 10/19:
Bushel Basket with Leather Handles
Students will create a beautiful basket on a 10” wooden slotted base. Techniques taught include twining, over-under interrupted weave, making Cherokee wheel embellishments, lashing on a rim and attaching leather handles.
Deb Curtis Classes - March 2025
(San Diego)
We were was pleased to present special classes with Deb Curtis. For many years, she has been creating and teaching contemporary baskets, linking traditional basket materials with tapestry weaving, beading, stitching and surface design. By combining a variety of techniques and blending colors, she creates “new” baskets, changing the character of a basket from a functional vessel to a container that expresses a concept. Her artwork has been shown in scores of exhibits, and she has learned from several masters of traditional basketry techniques. She continues to combine this knowledge with new styles using a variety of fiber techniques. To explore her artwork and read her blog sharing thoughts and inspirations you might enjoy, check out her website: https://www.wovenfiredesigns.com/.
SATURDAY, 3/22: Knitted or Crocheted Willow Bark Basket
Knit or crochet a sculptural basket using willow bark as the “yarn.” Heavier willow bark will be used for the sides and rim if you decide to add one.
SUNDAY, 3/23: Birch Bark Cylinder
Learn the basics of working with birch bark and different rim treatments.
Lissa-Jane de Sailles - September 2024 (Los Angeles & San Diego)
MWGBG and the Los Angelest Basketry Guild were pleased to offer classes with Lissa-Jane de Sailles. She lives and works on Jerrinja/Wandi Wandian Land on the south east coast of New South Wales, Australia. Lissa-Jane teaches fiber art locally and internationally and works with basketry techniques to create sculptural forms and installations with locally foraged natural fibers and textiles. This is a rare opportunity for us to learn from an Australian basketry artist! We are taking advantage of the fact that Lissa-Jane will be in the USA this fall to teach at the Columbia Basin Basketry Guild “Tidal Twinings” retreat.
SATURDAY, 9/21 — Mini Wall Mat
This workshop will give students foundational skills to make beautifully crafted twined circles. Learn two ways to start and how to maintain tension and evenness of stitches.
SUNDAY, 9/22 - Slow-Stitched Coiled Basketry
Using fabric, paper and natural materials, learn how to make Lissa’s signature sculptural basketry forms.
SATURDAY, 9/28 - Small Things -
This workshop aims to inspire participants who wish to design and make wearable art or small sculptures using age-old basketry skills. Learn how to twine, coil and loop around objects and embellish your work with beads and found objects.
SUNDAY, 9/29 - Sculptural Twining -
Learn how to make sculptural forms using natural materials or objects found in your home. Taking inspiration from the natural world, learn how to design and make these forms, employing stake and strand and ribbed basketry techniques. You will have the foundations to confidently create with your hands and shape materials into beautiful intriguing art.
Thanks to Jennifer Wool - June and July 2025 Series
(Los Angeles & San Diego)
The Los Angeles Basketry Guild and Misti Washington Gourd and Basket Guild were pleased to offer classes with Jennifer Wool. She has been a popular basketry teacher for many years and has been creating 3-D artworks for over 40 years, including pottery, gourds and fiber arts. Inspired during her regular hikes in the foothills near her home in San Jose, CA, Jennifer gathers interesting sticks, rocks, and fibers that she incorporates into her work. She enjoys the creative process and finds teaching her skills to others very satisfying.
SATURDAY, 6/22, San Diego — Chocktaw Basket
Students will learn many different weaving techniques and patterns in this basket, starting with a bicolor twill weave that is folded to form the "V" shaped bottom. These techniques also include twining, a braid, and a spiral twine using natural and dyed reeds. (Intermediate Level)
SUNDAY, 6/23, San Diego — Josephine Knot
Students will learn how to start this ribbed basket with a Josephine knot using 12 long #5 round reeds. Several textured material will be woven in as the ribs are formed and filled in and finished with natural flat reed. (Intermediate Level)
SATURDAY, 7/13, Los Angeles — Cedar Water Bottle (For All Levels)
Students will learn how to twine, arrow twine and straight weave around a new glass water bottle using Western red cedar, round reed, loose seagrass, and waxed linen, finished with a flip and fold rim.
SUNDAY, 7/14, Los Angeles — Flower Basket (For All Levels)
Students will first learn to weave over the handle of a "D" shaped wooden hoop, the bottom is woven in using natural flat reed with a step up weave creating the sides with some accent colored reed added.
Cael Chappell - February 2024 (Los Angeles & San Diego)
The Los Angeles Basketry Guild and Misti Washington Gourd and Basket Guild were pleased to offer classes with Cael Chappell. He has been working with basket weavers in Africa since 1991 and began to weave his own baskets in 2017. Using his innate understanding of basketry, he quickly developed his own unique style of whimsical weaving. His baskets exhibit personality and life which engages the viewer. Cael’s work has been featured in many exhibitions and publications, and he has received prestigious artistic awards for his artistry. He is a popular presenter at weaving guilds and is writing a book on twining in waxed linen thread. To discover more about Cael and see examples of his wonderful artwork, visit his website: https://caelchappell.com/
SATURDAY, 2/17, San Diego:
Twined Pendant
Learn to make an eye-catching twined pendant using basic twining and pattern techniques.
SUNDAY, 2/18, San Diego:
Twining Explorations
A free form twining class that covers reverse twining, triple and quad twining, full turn twining, shaping, sharp turns, exposed spokes, compound rims, inverse triple twining, and more.
SATURDAY, 2/24, Los Angeles:
Twined Earrings
Learn to make a pair of lovely twined earrings using basic twining and pattern techniques.
SUNDAY, 2/25, Los Angeles:
Twining Patterns
Learn different ways to make patterns in bases and/or sides of baskets.
Thanks to Judy Zugish and the students
for participating in the March 2023 series of fun Special Classes!
The Los Angeles Basketry Guild and Misti Washington Gourd & Basket Guild were very proud to have presented the wonderful classes with Judy Zugish listed below. This was the inaugural cooperative venture between our two guilds, each hosting two all-day willow bark classes in the Los Angeles and San Diego areas by master basket artist Judy Zugish.
Judy Zugish, basketmaker, began experimenting with cultivating fibers and using them to invent contemporary, sculptural basket forms. She gardens in the Pacific Northwest, where she grows, nurtures and collects fiber plants for her creations. A teacher since 1988, at home and abroad, she designs her classes to explore delicious natural materials, applying good techniques with a touch of the unusual – just because it’s fun! To learn how Judy cultivates and prepares willow in her 40-year-old garden to make her unique pieces, you might enjoy this video interview: https://youtu.be/U8kIkTqx88k.
Mixed Bark Pouches
Textilizing
($80 + $95 material/prep fee)
Sunday
Rainbow Threads - $135
($80 + $55 material/ prep fee)
Sunday
Candle Top - $155
($80 + $75 material/ prep fee)
Saturday
