Avery's Beaded Nantucket Basket with Schooner and Lighthouse Scrimshaw and Dark Green Staves, Reed Rims and Cherry Bases and Handles

My daughter Avery with her Beaded
Nantucket Basket with  Scrimshaw. I made this for her during the Fall of 2013 and gave it to her as a Christmas Gift in December 2013.

The Beginning.
My daughter Avery is an artist so I took a risk and decided to do a completely creative basket for her and I really went outside the Nantucket Basket Box with this One!! I started off with a gorgeous Cherry Base and decided to use a dark green staves on the 8" purse mold.

I really liked how it looked so I kept going!!

I added Glass Mariposa Beads and Gemstone Malachite Beads between layers of Yarn and Cane

I even added layers of Lapis Lazuli and Malachite Beads
with yarn and cane for the Lid

Next I worked on the Scrimshaw. This was only my 2nd EVER Scrimshaw but I had worked on some drawings for it during the Gloucester Schooner Festival during the Summer of 2013. I had worked up a little design from some quick sketches I had done during the races, and I decided to go with it.

I even Scrimshawed her name on an
old Piano Key for inside the Lid

Close Up of the Scrimshaw. I used an antique piece of Ivory Blank and India Ink, scribing with a Scrimshaw tool I bought on Etsy. I was a little scared when I did this because I didn't want to make a mistake with it. I was reasonably happy with how it came out. I would do more scrimshaw in the future. I really like the look of it with the black and white next to the basket and it matches well with the bone findings I used.

This is the Basket, the day I gave it to her in December 2013

Close up of Lid

Avery's Basket next to Emily's Basket
while still on the Workbench

I realize this Basket is non-traditional and many might not consider it a Nantucket basket but I did it in the same style but added more decoration and beads. I had always had the idea in the back of my mind to add beads to the Nantucket Baskets similar to the Pine Needle Baskets I do and I am happy with the cross pollination. I would make another one someday!!

Happy Basket Making,

Melissa Abbott