Wilderness Way Baskets

02/03/2026

01/30/2026

It's been awhile since I've shared with you what's going on with me or even since I've posted something! You all know that my health hasn't been the best for the past few years. Back in June, I was still in North Georgia and I became very ill and was hospitalized for a week. During my hospitalization, the hospitalist told me that it was the cancer medication I'd been taking that made me so ill, and he said I could no longer take it because if I continued--it would kill me. Well, of course I said to myself, "Your oncologist is trying to kill you!" I don't think he actually was, but it was time for me to leave North Georgia anyway!

We threw mostly clothing and toiletries in the car and headed back to Florida. Fortunately, my youngest son took Family Medical Leave so he could come and help us. It took me a good month to recover from my illness and my husband's health is very bad--bad to the point that we decided to move into assisted living. I needed a two-bedroom because I have so much stuff! I actually like it and I found one that has an actual living room. (Some of them I looked at were like two studio apartments with a hallway in between.) I no longer have to grocery shop, cook, clean, or do laundry! Hallelujah!

What didn't make the cut was all my basketry supplies, patterns, instruments, etc. I am no longer making/teaching baskets and Wilderness Way Baskets no longer exists. I know I will miss it, but I had a great run and I taught a great many interested students to weave! Thank you to all of you for your support over the years. I will not take down my page because I can continue to be a clearlinghouse for patterns, instructional videos, and lots of other things that have come across this page over the years.

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04/05/2025

Hey there, my fellow basket weaving enthusiasts! 🌟 Can you believe it? We’re currently rocking at 30% capacity with just 9 days to go before enrollment closes! Talk about a basket full of excitement!
Every month, you’ll snag TWO shiny NEW basket weaving patterns along with a fantastic video tutorial to help you craft your masterpieces. And for just $88, you’ll save a jaw-dropping $356 for the whole year! That’s enough to fund a getaway to a sunny spot where you can swap your weaving tools for a hammock—and let’s be real, that sounds pretty tempting! 🏖️🧺
So why not jump in? Let’s make this a choose-your-own-adventure in basket weaving! Don’t miss your chance to fill your creative toolkit with amazing patterns and techniques. Grab your reeds and let’s weave our way into a world of unique creations! Ready, set, let’s get weaving! 🧶✨

https://www.jchoatebasketry.com/collections/subscriptions

03/16/2025

Amazing!

A remarkable discovery from Israel’s Judean Desert—a woven basket dating back over 10,500 years—has captured the attention of researchers.
Found in a cave, this artifact belongs to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period and is the oldest intact basket ever uncovered. With a capacity of approximately 92 liters (24 gallons), it was likely used for storage.
What makes it even more intriguing is that it was crafted by two individuals—one of whom was left-handed.
While experts are still analyzing the material used in its construction, its exceptional preservation over millennia is astonishing.
Imagine the artisans who created it, never realizing their work would endure for more than ten thousand years...

03/14/2025

I had lunch with a dear friend today—fresh home from Florida—and she brought me this beautiful pine-needle basket. It’s woven so tightly that I believe you could carry water in it! It was created by Ru Ritter, who lives, I believe, in St. Lucie County, Florida.

03/06/2025

I attended the Georgia Basketry Association annual convention in Duluth, GA, this past weekend. (Like their FB page and watch for the brochure for the 2026 convention in a few months.).

I took three classes; one basket finished and two to be finished yet. The one that I finished I had to work on in my off-hours because it a Nantucket, which I’d never done before. (The weavers fought me and won.) I had to finish it because I didn’t know how to do the rim! Thanks to Candy Barnes and her hard-working husband.

03/06/2025

03/06/2025

03/06/2025

02/12/2025

Thank you, Joanna!
https://joannascollections.com/assets/patterns/11041980/Bottle_Tote_2.pdf

01/27/2025

Thank you, Lorelea!

01/11/2025

Once again, I have to apologize to my followers! I've been sick since the Friday before Christmas. I went to the ER the Friday after Christmas and was diagnosed with RSV! I am 78 years old and have a weakened immune system due to all the cancer treatment I've received. I just started feeling better this week and I hope to start paying attention again soon!