This Is Me.

What did you make?
I made a basket made out of hemp twine, tape, wire, yarn and a needle. The paper mache creations were made out of news paper, glue, tape, and paint. In class we were studying ancient baskets and had to create a basket that represented our personalities. The basket represents our outer persona and the objects inside represent what only the close people in our lives who know us see. This basket represents my personality with its colors because I am an animated and warm hearted person. The basket’s colors represent a positive feeling because I always try to look on the positive side of things. The lid is unique and random, just like me. The basket goes from a skinny bottom to flare because that represents how I am around people. When I first meet someone I am quiet and timid but once I get to know them my personality is very vibrant and outgoing.

How did you make it?
I made this basket by wrapping yarn around the hemp twine. When I started off I wrapped the yarn around the hemp 8 times then would push the needle down through the crevice between the 2 hemp then pull it around and wrap again. The bottom was started in a spiral then I built it up. I did not work with anyone, I made this by myself. I created the paw, phone, stick, heart and sun using paper mache, tape and news paper. The stick and sun represented my love for the outdoors. The phone represented how I am always there for people to talk. The paw print represented not only my love for animals but was dedicated to my cat who at the time died just weeks before. The heart represented how I am caring and always have the best intentions. My plans for the basket did change a little. The lid was supposed to be without wires but I realized unfortunately that it would not be able to stand up without support.

Where did you make it?
I would work on my basket at school, home and at work. When customers would come up to order something they would see this basket and have so many questions on what it was and how I was making it. The basket alone took about 3 to 4 months to make. This project was a school project but shockingly it seemed like it consumed my life for a good 3 months because everywhere I went I was working on it. My friends all were amazed and my relatives all wanted to learn how to make it.


What did you learn?
When I first started making this basket I really did not like it. I thought it was ugly and just another art project. As it progressed and others saw me making my basket it made me realize that I was creating something not a lot of people wish they could make. I thought my basket was just like all the other students’ in my class. My lid made my basket standout the most and I got an A+ from my art teacher. This project made me have a new found respect for craft makers. My grandma loved that I was making this basket because she does crafts like that and it showed me a new respect for what I used to think were “older lady crafts.” I am the proudest of the lid of the basket and the size of the basket. If I had to do it again I would try and make the bottom a little wider.