Basket Weaving At The Matthew Curtiss House, Sunday

At Newtown Historical Society’s Open House and Living History Demonstration at the Matthew Curtiss House this weekend, Jody Hyman will demonstrate some of the techniques used to make a simple basket and display several types of baskets and the materials to make them.

The historical society’s headquarters will be open on Sunday, September 26, from noon until 4 pm.

An introduction to basket making in 1987, in addition to being fun, revived Ms Hyman’s childhood interest in collecting woodland treasures, grapevines, bittersweet, bits of grass and feathers. She works primarily with reed, a material that comes from the rattan vine but has found a special joy in working with black ash, which she describes as “warm, soft, and having a special energy.” Currently she is experimenting with birch bark, a material used by Native Americans, Norwegians and Russians.

Since the mid 1990s, Ms Hyman has studied with several mentors and has taken classes in Japanese presentation baskets, Shaker baskets, porcupine quillwork on birch bark, black ash apple baskets, Penobscot fancy baskets, miniature basket ornaments and Nantucket baskets.

She is a member of The Northeast Basketmaker’s Guild, teaches private lessons in basic basketry, and offers educational enrichment programs.

In addition to the basketry programming, costumed docents will be available for tours of the circa 1750 Matthew Curtiss House.

This event is free and open to the public. The Matthew Curtiss House is at 44 Main Street, diagonally across from Edmond Town Hall, where the historical society will be hosting its fall antiques show and sale (see related press release).