I began doing pine needle baskets when I moved to Mississippi to take care of my mother, who had Alzheimers.
I had seen a segment on the Carol Duvall show with Judy Mallow demonstrating how to do pine needle baskes.
There are some pine trees in my neighbor's yard and she gave me permission to gather some.
Well, they were SHORT, and I was using raffia, the cheap kind, and almost did not finish the basket, but finally did.
I found long leaf pine needles and 100% cotton crochet thread, and that was the start of a wonderful thing.
Then I found artificial sinew and that was even better.
From there I found gourds and that opened up a whole new world of creation.
Then came beading and carving on gourds and that really opened up another path to travel.
