Baskets from the Dragonfly

“I used to belong to a Mom’s group there and we met once a week. One of the leaders showed us how to make baskets,” she said.

When she and her husband, Reverend Steve Bean, moved to Woods Harbour in 2001 to pastor at the Wesleyan Church, Maggie Bean continued to teach herself basketry, ordering patterns online and mastering the construction of close to 25 different styles over the next few years.

She eventually developed Dragonfly Basketry, an online store that features a dozen of her favorites. She’s shipped her baskets as far away as California.

Her creations are strong and long lasting and can be viewed as heirlooms. Her mother still has a tote-basket that she made for her eight years ago.

Bean also teaches classes in basketry and says it’s possible for students to make a basket in three hours.

The most difficult part of construction is the lashing of the thin reed on top to finish the basket.

“I find that part tedious,” said Bean.

One of the more unusual baskets she wove was a joke fishing creel. She found a pattern for a tiny inch-high basket and made a lid for it. Some of the biggest baskets she’s made have been an Adirondack packer’s basket and woven baby basket.

Nova Scotia has an abundance of natural material for weaving, but experimenting with those leaves and stems remains a future project for the mother of three.

“I always say I’m going to do it, but never have,” she said.

Bean’s website is at: www.dragonflybasketry.com