Sweetgrass Baskets
The art of basketmaking was brought to South Carolina by slaves who came from West Africa more than 300 years ago. For generations the art has been passed down from mother to daughter to granddaughter.
During the days of slavery in the Old South, men made large work baskets from bulrush because this marsh grass was strong and durable. Women made functional baskets for the home using sweetgrass, which was softer and abundant. Today's baskets are made with sweetgrass, bulrush, and long leaf pine needles bound together by strips of the unopened center leaves of palmetto trees.
The construction of the Cooper River Bridge in 1929 and the paving of Highway 17 made the route through Mount Pleasant a major north-south artery. Basketmakers started marketing their wares from roadside basket stands. These stands still exist today. Sweetgrass baskets are collected by museums and art collectors across the world.
Skill, craftsmanship and long hours of work are involved in making sweetgrass baskets. A simple design can take as long as 12 hours. A larger, more complex design can take several months. Costs for baskets range from $50. to thousands of dollars.
Examples of the historic sweetgrass baskets
Elizabeth Bennett is a notable basket maker in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. She was a great source of history and information for Mary Alice during the writing of SWEETGRASS. Here is Elizabeth surrounded by the many baskets she, family and friends sewed for Mira Books. Below is a sweetgrass circlet.
All photos by Barbara J. Bergwerf
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Two wonderful children's books about the making of sweetgrass baskets. |
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A Sweet, Sweet Basket
by Margie Willis Clary |
Great sites to learn more about sweetgrass baskets,
the Gullah-Geechee culture, and more!