Basket Weaving, An Introduction To Materials And Methods

This introduction to basket weaving tries to pack a lot of information into a 60 minute video. In addition to demonstrating how to make three different baskets, weaver Micki Pappas begins the tape with a discussion of gathering basketry materials from nature and how to dry them for later use. (Unfortunately, she also suggests gathering sea grass, which is highly illegal along most of the erosion-prone Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.) Her demonstrations are good: she's patient and methodical. It's the camera work that undermines the whole tape. From the amateurish opening credits featuring baskets dangling by visible fishing line and swooping shots of finished projects, to the close-ups of Ms. Pappas' hands which slowly go out of focus, this video is a toss-up. If you have a craft-intensive clientele, consider purchasing this for Ms. Pappas' skills and not those of the producer's. If you have other tapes on the topic, give this a miss. (R. Reagan)