As I mentioned in my last post, I’m still in the post-vacation bliss of a long weekend spent in South Carolina. Among my favorite sights on any drive through the Lowcountry are the roadside stands of sweetgrass basket weavers. These skilled craftspeople are carrying on an important part of the Gullah tradition—a weaving style their ancestors have handed down from generation to generation as part of their proud African heritage. It’s hard to find a craft more inspiring, more energizing, than one that has traveled across the Atlantic and persevered for hundreds of years. And with the sweetgrass itself becoming more and more scarce as the Lowcountry is developed, so may this tradition become even more rare as time goes by. It’s a craft worth learning about, worth celebrating and, if you’re lucky, worth owning a handmade piece of.

For more information about the history of sweetgrass basket weaving, click here. To visit just one of many online markets of baskets made near Charleston, South Carolina, (including the one shown above) click here.

With summer vacations filling our calendars in the coming months, we'd love to know: What are some favorite arts and crafts you've encountered in your travels, whether they're regional traditions, like the sweetgrass baskets, or just plain crafty destinations, like this one? Leave a comment and let us know!

Happy Friday,
Jessica