BOOK REVIEW // Baskets by Tabara N'Diaye

Making a Rope bag with Tabara from La Basketry // A Book Review

I must say, it was weird using a book for instructions. How often do you do that anymore? In fact the other day Raphael asked us ''if we had to do research, would we use a book or the computer?'' I would like to say book but it is all too easy now to type a few words into Google and get an answer much quicker. This is the same with anything that requires instructions, I just look on youtube; someone has always done it before me so someone inevitably has shared their thoughts on it. It’s just easy. Having been *gifted this beautiful book on BASKETS by Tabara N'Diaye, I was only too pleased to be using my hands to discover the joys of making something new. This is a ''How to'' book, an introduction into basket making and a beautiful book to have if you like small creative projects like me. Now I have no experience in basket making at all but flicking through the pages I found a wonderful project that I knew I could do. Not because it seemed easy but just because it was a sewing  project and I have a small amount of skill in this area. The rope bag was going to be my first make! 

Having purchased my rope on a wet Friday morning I had decided I was going to avoid all house chores that were in desperate need of being done to make something instead. Yes, the house was well and truly neglected and completely on purpose. To clean on a wet grey day was just too depressing so I avoided it at all costs!

I must say; Tabara has taken into account how to aesthetically please the eye when it comes to an instruction based book. Not only will this book look very cool on a coffee table but the way Tabara has set it out is very user friendly. I respond well to it anyway as it is quite easy to read and the beautiful pictures and images help to understand the written method easily.

Anyway, having purchased my rope just from our Local Dunelm store I was set and ready. The process was easy, once you go started and having the book there and open to keep referring to was a nice feature. No getting distracted on my phone. It was a phone free zone for a solid three hours!! Along with all the usual joys you get from taking time to make something, I felt really proud as I progressed as this was a first time kinda project for me. Don’t get me wrong; I did not just sit at my machine and whack out a perfect product, no, in fact this girl had plenty of mistakes and miss-sews. I even ran out of rope; how, I have no idea but there you go, I got the chance to practise joining rope ends nicely. I also ran out of bobbin thread 4 times and didn’t notice for ages so I had to go back to wear it had finished. It was good though; a challenge, but achievable.

My finished result was better than I could have expected. I mean; one side didn’t quite match up but a silky scarf hides that! It was more that it just seemed so shop bought but I knew I had made it myself! And all from a chance conversation ending in me getting a book I didn’t know existed. Really, that is why I wanted to share this post. I was given the book but am so glad I have a platform that I can share that on because you guys may not know about it either. That is simply why I love to share; it spreads the word and opens new opportunities up to other people!

So my bag was a success and I now have more rope ordered (much better prices online) and have grand plans on using this same method to make table place mats and even a huge rug! I know, I will keep you posted on that.

Creativity got me happy this week! BOOK LINKED HERE