How to Make Ply-Split Baskets is the first book on ply-splitting as a basket technique -- step-by-step instructions for 12 baskets,180 pages and 400 photos! Click on the image and you will go to a page where you will see thumbnail photos of all of the baskets. Then you can click on any thumbnail to see a larger image and an overview of how the basket is made.
Added in January 2010:
Little Mermaid Gripfid Holder -- a size 9 gripfid is the Little Mermaid's head! This is a kit with paper cords.
Added in September 2009:
A ply-split basket featuring the endless knot design. Cords made from Wraphia II paper ribbon. Cords in the base are in warp/weft alignment, and the sides are worked in POT (plain oblique twining) with extra twist between the splittings. Read more about it on the Basket page of my Ply-Splitting Gallery.
Added in December 2008:
New on my Kits page. I had this idea in Fall 2008 -- create the appearance of traditional three- and four-strand braids with ply-split braiding. Of course, the cords go through other cords, not just over and under. The structure is SCOT (Single Course Oblique Twining) with extra twist between the splittings at the edges.
Many of you have memories of our teacher, mentor, and friend, Peter Collingwood, who died peacefully and unexpectedly in his workshop on October 9, 2008. I would like to invite you to write down your special memories of Peter -- a few sentences or a paragraph -- and send them to me to post on a page called Remembering Peter Collingwood. You can also e-mail me jpeg images. I will post what you send me, without editing. Please be sure to include your name, city, and country. Added in August 2008:
A ply-split twined rug with cords in warp/weft alignment. Completed in Spring 2008, this is the first rug I've made using my new idea of lining up all the dark cords parallel to each other in the vertical direction, and then adding all the light cords, one-by-one, in the horizontal direction, following a pattern graph. Read more...
Click on the image below to watch a 5-minute video on how I use the Bradshaw cordmaker in my studio. In this video, I show a few ply-split objects that I have made, including jewelry, ornaments, a mat, a small rug, and two baskets. Then I show how to make a cord using paper ribbon, the material that I used for the cords in the baskets that I showed earlier.
Added in September 2007:
John and I have produced the first-ever DVD on how to make a ply-split basket, and it's available now -- ordering info is on my Books and DVDs page.
I also have a new kit for a ply-split basket that I call "Asilomar Basket". The kit has instructions and 4-ply cords that I make from paper ribbon. This is a design that evolved from the Ply-Split Garlic Basket. Ordering info is on my Kits page.
I was invited to participate in the National Basketry Organization Exhibition "All Things Considered IV", and I made the basket on the left for the show. The exhibition will be at the Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee from September 28 - November 10, 2007.
The basket on the right is one I made for the Columbia Basin Basketry Guild's exhibition in Portland in Spring, 2007. It's made of Danish cord, and is 22" tall, the largest basket I've made. Photo by Shab Levy.
How to Make Ply-Split Baskets is the first book on ply-splitting as a basket technique -- step-by-step instructions for 12 baskets,180 pages and 400 photos! Click on the image and you will go to a page where you will see thumbnail photos of all of the baskets. Then you can click on any thumbnail to see a larger image and an overview of how the basket is made.
Little Mermaid Gripfid Holder -- a size 9 gripfid is the Little Mermaid's head! This is a kit with paper cords.
A ply-split basket featuring the endless knot design. Cords made from Wraphia II paper ribbon. Cords in the base are in warp/weft alignment, and the sides are worked in POT (plain oblique twining) with extra twist between the splittings. Read more about it on the Basket page of my Ply-Splitting Gallery.
New on my Kits page. I had this idea in Fall 2008 -- create the appearance of traditional three- and four-strand braids with ply-split braiding. Of course, the cords go through other cords, not just over and under. The structure is SCOT (Single Course Oblique Twining) with extra twist between the splittings at the edges.
A ply-split twined rug with cords in warp/weft alignment. Completed in Spring 2008, this is the first rug I've made using my new idea of lining up all the dark cords parallel to each other in the vertical direction, and then adding all the light cords, one-by-one, in the horizontal direction, following a pattern graph. Read more... 
John and I have produced the first-ever DVD on how to make a ply-split basket, and it's available now -- ordering info is on my Books and DVDs page.
I was invited to participate in the National Basketry Organization Exhibition "All Things Considered IV", and I made the basket on the left for the show. The exhibition will be at the Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee from September 28 - November 10, 2007.
This summer, I worked with photographer and metalsmith Randy Rasmussen on a series of "art medals". We made these pieces for the Art in the Pearl Collaborative Exhibition, which was displayed at the Museum of Contemporary Craft. Photo by Randy Rasmussen.