Baskets in the shape of love

Last Updated on Tuesday, February 12, 2013 05:31 pm Written by STEVE PRISAMENT Tuesday, February 12, 2013 04:44 pm

Niki Giberson of the Swan Bay Folk Art Center in Port Republic, standing, shows Pat Raymond some basketmaking techniques. Enjoing it all is Donna Jones. Raymond and Jones are both from Galloway. (Steve Prisament)

Niki Giberson of the Swan Bay Folk Art Center in Port Republic taught a class on basketmaking Saturday, Feb. 9 at the Noyes Museum of Art of Richard Stockton College.

Naturally the baskets were shaped like hearts – appropriate for giving on Valentine’s Day this week.

Giberson said she has 94 different baskets in her repertoire.

When she holds sessions at the Folk Art Center, she said, she’ll teach guests how to make 12 different baskets in one day.

After some dicey weather overnight Friday, the class size at the Noyes Museum was seven.

“My maximum size is 10,” Giberson said. “We had 10 signed up, but three couldn’t make it because of the weather. I don’t like more than 10 because I like getting my hands into the project. I want to talk to everyone individually.”

She’s been having women over for one-day retreats, Giberson said.

“We do quilting, felting from our own sheep and – of course – basketmaking,” she said.

And she said she has a new website, www.handsonhistory.com, thanks to her daughter, Megan Benson.

“She used to be vice president of marketing,” Giberson said. “Then she became president of marketing. Now she’s just queen of marketing.”

Pat Raymond, left, and Donna Jones, both of Galloway, work on baskets. (Steve Prisament)

From left, Betty Chaikin of Brigantine, Turiyn Raheem of Atlantic City and Cile Alliano of Hammonton enjoy working on their baskets. (Steve Prisament)