Christmas Table Basket Pattern

http://catalog.countryseat.com/christmastablebasketpattern-byrains.aspx - Quick and easy basket for the holidays.

Natural Walnut Stain

Q: How do I make a stain from walnut hulls?

A: Making walnut stain is really very easy.

If you have a place to work and don't have to worry about splashing the stain, boiling is the fastest way to get a good, dark stain.

Place the walnuts into a pair of pantyhose, tie a knot at the top of the leg. Fill each leg if you like. Or put them into a cheesecloth bag or some type of bag that will let the water reach the nuts but not let the dirt, etc. into the stain water.

There is no need to remove the skins (unless you want to eat the nuts or cut them into slices for coiling, etc.).

Place a leg or two into an enamel pot of boiling water. Boil until you get the intensity of color you desire. You may have to add more water. This may take a little while, don't forget you have the pot on the burner! Once you have a color you like, hang the pantyhose outside to drip & dry. Remember - walnut stain will stain anything and is a permanent stain.

There is no need to add a mordant to walnuts.

Pour the stain into a bucket with a lid (plastic buckets that hold cat litter work great) and use until gone. Occasionally, dip a strainer in to catch the hairs & dirt that comes off the basket. Store in a cool place such as a basement or garage. My boiled stain never gets moldy as long as the lid is kept tightly on the container between uses.

The walnuts in the pantyhose can be reused at least several times. Just make sure they dry out completely after boiling or they will get moldy.

There are other slower ways to make a walnut stain: letting them soak in water, adding ammonia, keeping them outside in garbage cans filled with water, etc. If you do the slow soak, you may want to add several bags of walnuts to get a good color faster.

Paper Catalog now pdf Online

Wahoo! Our paper catalog is now online as a pdf file, the link is found on our Newsletter page - http://www.countryseat.com/newsletter.htm.


Due to the currently, constanly changing prices we cannot have a paper catalog printed at this time. It will be out of date as soon as it is printed. Prices changes will be made to the pdf catalog as they happen and the date will change on the cover so you will know if you have the latest version or not. If you have any questions, drop us an e-mail: weaving@countryseat.com . Hope you enjoy it!

PA Weaving Odyssey Convention

If you are going to Odyssey (or live in the Gettysburg area), remember that I will bring specials orders to convention. You can place an order through our online catalog http://catalog.countryseat.com/ - just type "Odyssey pickup" in the comment section during checkout, call or send an order via e-mail - weaving@countryseat.com.

New Classes Posted

http://www.countryseat.com/basketclasses.htm#angie
Fall classes are posted. Come learn some new skills!

Only a few spaces are left in Maggie Silva's Nantucket classes in September. Don't wait or you'll miss out!
http://www.countryseat.com/basketclasses.htm#nant

All classes can be "purchased" through our online catalog.
http://catalog.countryseat.com/classes.aspx

August 18th Class

http://www.countryseat.com/basketclasses.htm#angie

August 18th class will offer the Tote Shopper OR Knotless Netting on gourds, your choice!

Major Price Increases

Please Note: Due to rising inflation, manufacturing and shipping costs around the world, the cost of materials and products is rising, often with no warning and with every new order. We never increase our prices unless our supplier increases their product pricing. Some price increases we can absorb, some we can not. Prices are subject to change without notice. New prices will be noted in the monthly newsletters. The on-line catalog is always current. Thank you for understanding.


We are sorry to say that we are suspending our quantity discounts for reeds and pre-woven cane until further notice. At this time we are not always able to get the materials that we have on order. There is a limited availabilty of some raw materials and we do not know when out of stock supplies will be shipped. Hopefully things will return to normal soon.