Report of Meeting held on 3 September 2009

 Craster WI met on Thursday 3 rd September in the Memorial Hall, where they were joined by parties from Alnmouth and Warkworth WIs. The speaker, Liz Balfour, gave a very enjoyable, informative and entertaining talk on the ancient art of basket making. Liz, who lives in Edinburgh now, had spent 2 years in Longframlington when she set up the Northumbrian Basketry Group based at Hepple. Members of the Group come from all over Northern England and Scotland.

The display table was piled high with examples of baskets, including Shetland and Orkney peat creels, made of oat straw and carried on the backs of the women while they knitted as they walked along, She showed us examples of baskets from Cumbria, Welsh “tattie carriers” and Sussex trugs with flat wide strips of willow, bordered with chestnut. Materials used ranged from hazel, oak, chestnut and cricket bat willow, either stripped or still with its bark, to the smaller, softer East Anglian rush baskets with their lids.

Mrs Doris Clarke proposed a vote of thanks for the fascinating insight into this ancient craft, and for what everyone agreed had been a most enjoyable talk.

The Chair, Mrs Rosemary Gibbs, announced that our “tea” event had raised £516 in spite of the appalling weather. Birthday flowers went to Rosa Marshall. The competition, an article beginning with the letter T, was won by F Craster, second prize going to P Flegg and third to N Grey. Raffle prizes were won by P Flegg, D Clarke, S Dawson, E Cummings, S Dixon and S Biott.

Meeting Reports