Fabienne and Nathalie Clément created The Two Sisters in the Same Basket after a somewhat dangerous discovery. Her story and creative concept in four parts have a great chance to introduce you to the fiber of basket weaving!
Updated at 12:00 p.m.
As Nathalie Clément explains, the spark plug was created while weaving baskets in a museum in Vermont. “We signed up for a basket-weaving course with my sister, which caught my eye,” she recalls. After three or four hours we went out with our little basket; With Fabienne it was almost perfect, with me it was rather average, but it was a trigger, especially for my sister. »
The discovery of this universe encouraged them to continue this experience by taking other courses taught by a lady named Caroline. “Once a month we went to his workshop to buy equipment and make a basket with the group of local farmers,” says Fabienne Clément. A few years later, Caroline retired and Fabienne Clément decided to acquire her livestock to make wickerwork in her spare time.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Fabienne and Nathalie Clément, founders of Two Sisters in the Same Basket
From the mushroom picking model to the shopping bag to the shoulder bag and the laundry basket, she creates everything for many purposes! “Eventually I had too many at home, so we had to come up with a plan B. So we started attending Christmas markets, fairs in Sutton, in Frelighsburg and then in the 18th century atmosphere at the Public Market in Pointe-à-Callière seven or eight years ago. »
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
In basket weaving, the hands shape the material while the brain counts the rows.
A remarkable backpack
This experience propelled her business throughout Montreal. “There were a lot of people there; we gave demonstrations, we invited people to do a row of basket weaving, then two, and they had stars in their eyes!” recalls Nathalie Clément. “The beauty of basket weaving is that it’s for everyone accessible, even for children and those who claim not to be very crafty. In a few hours the basket is ready and it is very rewarding,” adds his sister.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The Two Sisters in One Basket workshop is packed with their creations.
Motivated and delighted to see some enthusiasm on the part of the population, Fabienne Clément took steps to be able to run her business from home, in Montreal, and the two companions began selling online and in the workshop by appointment. . Due to the request to learn the art of basket weaving, group lessons are created. One day, one of the contestants, carrying the backpack she had designed, was stopped by someone from the Les Affûtés team to find out where her amazing bag came from. Since then, Fabienne Clément has been teaching the art of basket weaving once or twice a week in her workshop in Little Italy.
Fabienne Clément chose to work with rattan, which she brought back from Indonesia. It is a very long vine that grows and regenerates quickly.
I’ve sometimes been criticized for competing with indigenous communities, but that’s really not the case as they mainly use black ash, a local wood that needs to be soaked for months. I don’t do this enormous preliminary work. Their technique is also different.
Fabienne Clément, from “Two Sisters in the Same Basket”.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Each basket is unique and Fabienne Clément makes it to order.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Basket in shades of blue
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Summer look for this basket
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
unique basket
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Practical lid for this basket
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
If you choose to prepare your basket at home, the kit will be sent to you in a pizza box.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Charming and a little bucolic, the Fonest® designed by Nathalie Clément is inspired by birds’ nests.
1/7
One basket, four options
The two sisters offer three options for those interested in their baskets: buy them ready made, make them during a Les Affûtés workshop, or purchase an online kit that includes the materials and explanations to weave at home.
For her part, Nathalie Clément created a fourth part of the company by imagining a very specific model. “I have less of the manual side of Fabienne Clément. I’m more conceptual, so I created a single product called FonestMD, which is shaped like a bird’s nest,” she explains. The principle: You put your mobile phone there to better manage its usage. This basket is not meant to be perfect as it is inspired by a nest. “Nature herself is imperfect, that’s what makes up her whole beauty, so your work is bound to be successful!” “, she says.
Fabienne Clément is passionate about this craft and finds that the participants in her courses are very happy and proud to have created something beautiful and useful. “It’s very rewarding. For my part, I sign every one of my baskets and have reached 3100 in 10 years, although it’s just a hobby! »