Waterford Craft School

Class Description: Pine needle basketry is a craft tradition developed by American Indians in the Southeastern and Western U.S. states. Learn how to coil and stitch long leaf pine needles to create a useful basket. Students will select from a variety of centers; wrapping and stitching techniques will be taught, and historical techniques will be discussed. No previous basket weaving experience is necessary!

Class Date and Time: This one-day workshop is hosted on Saturday, June 22nd, 2024 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Total teachable hours are 7 hours.

Materials Fee (included in total class fee): $30, covers pine needles, needles, sinew, and a basket center.

Items Students should bring: Scissors.

Lunch: Lunch is included in the class fee. If you have any dietary restrictions, please note them when you register.

Instructor Bio: After graduating from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, I was employed by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in Clark Summit, Pa from 1973-1978.

I married my husband, Jack Ryan, in 1973. We had two sons and now have two grandsons who live near us now in the Charlottesville/Waynesboro area.

In 1978 I moved to Richmond, Va to work for Dominion Energy (then VEPCO). I worked at Dominion until 2009 when I retired after 32 years in the IT department, working as an application developer.

After retiring in 2009, we wanted to move to be closer to family in Charlottesville. We moved the Ruckersville in 2015.

Art was always a hobby and my therapy from the stressful IT job. I started with folk art and had a goal to learn something new as the years went by. I learned to make baskets from long leaf pine needles from my friend’s mother. She learned from her mother. The art is very old. Back in the day, raffia was used to wrap the pine needles coils but it didn’t hold up so today we used waxed thread or sinew.

Currently I am retired, enjoying making art just about every day to display and sell at a local craft shop in Ruckersville.

I also teach a variety of classes, ranging from Mandala Dot Art, Quilling, painting a gourd bowl, and pine needle basketry. These classes are held for the Art Guild of Greene County, Albemarle county’s adult learning program and at Qute Scraps Handmade Boutique. I am now serving my fourth term as President of the Art Guild of Greene.