Katherine
Lewis is a willow basketmaker in the Skagit Valley of
Washington State, USA. She has a small farm where she
and her husband Steve Lospalluto grow much of the willow
used in her baskets allowing her to choose the quality,
color, and texture of her weaving materials. Although
willow is a common basketry material throughout the
world, she is one of a few who are actively growing and
crafting their own willow in the United States.
She
has taken courses in willow basketry from accomplished
basketmakers from England, Switzerland, France,
Scotland, and the US. She traveled to the UK in 2004 and
2006 to study with basketmakers and tour the willow
growing areas. In 2006 she also went to the Loire Valley
in France to learn more about the willow basketmaking
traditions there. Katherine headed
back to Europe in 2011 to visit several basketry
festivals and willow basketmakers in France, Switzerland,
Germany, Poland and Czech Republic.
While the techniques used are traditional, each piece is
unique and not bound to any specific tradition.
Katherine's goal is to weave willow baskets that are
useful and durable while reflecting the natural beauty
of the willows. In 2011, Katherine was honored to have
three of her baskets acquired by the Smithsonian
American Art Museum as a result of a generous donation
by basket collectors Martha Ware and Steven Cole.
From the harvest of the basketry willow to the finished
baskets, the work is all done by hand by Katherine and Steve. The willows are grown in a sustainable
manner on our farm. The baskets are carefully handcrafted to last a lifetime.
These photos represent a sample of Katherine's work. Click on a thumbnail photo to see a
larger image of the willow basket.
garden basket
$110
flower basket
$120
gathering basket
$85
oval fitched shopper
$175
square fitched
shopper
$175
wine bottle basket
$120
oval shopper
$110
large oval shopper
$125
square shopper
$125
magazine baskets
$135
willow tote with
leather handles
$135
casserole or potluck
basket
$120
round laundry with
roped handles
$120
oval laundry with inset
handles
$135
oval laundry with
roped handles
$150
log basket
with French randing
17"w x 13"h +handles
$110
log basket
with English
randing
17"w x 13"h
+handles
$110
log basket
with slewing
17"w x 13"h
+handles
$110
large
round log basket
21"w x 17"h
+handles
$175
large oval log basket
26"l x 18"w x 14"h +handles
$185
square laundry with
roped handles
$225
potato basket -
Joyce country
$135
Irish potato basket
$135
berry baskets
$50
small fruit baskets
$55
deep round tray
$125
oval tray
$135
serving tray
$175
table flatware
basket
$125
square/rectangular
trays
$85-150
willow trivet or
cooling tray
$50
oval willow trivet
$50
bread rising basket
$35-50
bassinette
fits 14"x29"
mattress
$275
willow trunk or
hamper
$325
laundry hamper with
lid
$275
willow rope coil
$350
picnic basket
$275
tool or lunch basket
$200
camera basket
$200
willow purse
$200
bakery display baskets
bicycle basket with
straps
$90
front rack bicycle basket
$200
bicycle panniers
$250 each
custom kitchen
drawers
custom mudroom
baskets
with roped handles
custom mudroom
baskets
with inset handles
Prices
Each basket is handcrafted by Katherine Lewis and
prices will vary somewhat depending on the order. Customers can make a
preference for colors
and some other attributes. Do keep in mind that the colors are all natural and
variable by nature. Please contact us with questions.
We are not currently taking orders for
custom sized baskets due to a backlog of orders. If you want custom sized
baskets for your kitchen, mudroom, laundry room, etc. please contact us after
10/1/2012.
We accept payment by check, PayPal,
or credit card. We will ship baskets with the buyer paying the necessary costs
of shipping and packaging (and sales tax if you live in Washington).
Please contact us to order and for an estimate of the total cost including
shipping. (We do not have an on-line order form.) We prefer e-mail
at baskets@dunbargardens.com.
Please remember that a willow basket will take some time to plan and prepare the
materials, but the finished product will last a lifetime.
Join our emailing list
for periodic messages about classes and events:
Customer comments
"Thank you, Katherine. I could not
have hoped for anything more beautiful. It's a work of supreme
craftsmanship. I look forward to using it."
"An exquisite piece, beautiful color.
The pictures of the basket did not reveal the exceptional shape and color. I
love the basket."
"I received the baskets today - they are
GORGEOUS- love the color, look, everything."
"The baskets
are amazing! The color is even more lovely than I'd expected, darker and
richer looking. I opened them immediately, checked the fit (perfect), and
promptly filled them up. I can't believe what a relief it is to have a
previously unusable space become usable. I wish I'd had these for the last
two years we've lived in this house! They arrived in immaculate condition,
and I can't thank you enough for taking the time for this order."
"The basket arrived yesterday safe and sound. It is really splendid and
everyone in the family has been admiring it. I know we will use it and admire
its beauty for years to come."
"Baskets came though in fine shape and are
beautiful. We are so happy to be able to give them as gifts. It has been a
pleasure working with you."
"Thanks again for such a beautiful, sturdy and
useful basket. It's on display in my kitchen now and I plan to put something in
it soon. Right now I'm just admiring your work and the willow produced by
Dunbar Gardens (with Mother Nature's help!)."
"I just received my large garden basket, which was
my Mother's Day gift from my husband and the kids, and I just have to tell you
how beautiful it is! I've always wanted a big, beautiful garden basket and this
was it!"
For more information on Katherine's
willow baskets, willow basketry or for sales see the links below.
You can also see an on-line resume of Katherine's work at the
Skagit Artists Together website.
