Friday, November 5, 2010

Pink Sturday!

Happy PINK Saturday everyone!
If you've ever traveled to the Lowcountry of South Carolina, no doubt you have seen the basketmakers selling their wares along the highways and back roads.

This was a craft brought to the United States by slaves from West Africa and has been practiced along the Sea Islands for hundreds of years. The baskets are known as Sweetgrass Baskets and get their name from one of the plants used to make the Baskets, Sweetgrass or Muhlenbergia Capillaris.


Sweetgrass grows along the banks of marshes naturally but in recent years, has become a popular plant used in landscapes. In the fall, the showy pink plumes of Sweetgrass are spectacular to observe, blowing in the wind.
This planting is right around the corner from my house.
I have two Sweetgrass baskets both of which are very special to me.

The larger belonged to my Mom, bought on her first trip to visit me in Charleston. The smaller basket was made especially for me by a young man in middle school. He came from a very poor family and I was a secret Godmother to him. I gave him little notes of encouragement, little gifts at the holidays etc., nothing big, really. He never knew who I was but one year at Christmas he sent this gift to me via the Guidance Office.

The work on the baskets is very intricate and each basket maker develops their own styles and patterns. In addition to Sweetgrass, the baskets are also made from Pine Needles (the dark brown on the far right) and Palm Fronds (the light horizontal banding). Sweetgrass Baskets are now considered a National treasure and have even earned a spot at the Smithsonian.
Please stop by How Sweet the Sound for more PINK inspiration!

18 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for this post on Sweet Grass Baskets. The grass is so beautiful and reminds of some of the desert grasses we have here in Texas. Your baskets are very special and so beautifully made. I have several grass baskets in my collection and quite a few pine needle baskets which I made from needles gathered from a huge pine treet in our yard. Great post...Happy Pink Saturday...Sue

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  2. Beautiful! The sweetgrass is gorgeous, oh I live in the desert and afraid it probably would not grow here, but stunning all the same..and the baskets are a treasure!
    Happy P.S.!

    Barb

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  3. I just love post like this- the ones that just make you smile all the way down to your toes!
    I have had several children through the years that we have "helped" along the way- and they prpbably will never know- and some find out, but it made a difference in their life.
    Your little guy wove more than a basket there and I so understand why you would never let it go.
    Happy PS! Tete

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  4. Those baskets are gorgeous! They are so unusual. I also love the plants. I bet they are great blowing (waving) in the wind!

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  5. these pictures are so beautiful!

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  6. I adore that grass..I would have that planted all along my fence row.It won't grow here..:-(

    Beautiful baskets..and I know how special they are to you!!

    Hugs Cindy from Rick-Rack and Gingham

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  7. Happy Pink Saturday. Love these baskets. Have never traveled to the Low Country but would love to one of these days!!

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  8. Breathtaking...HPS

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  9. Love the baskets and words. It is so wonderful what people can make with their hands.

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  10. The plumes are beautiful! Happy PS!

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  11. What a wonderful post. I really enjoyed learning more about sweetgrass baskets. And how special yours is. Happy Pink Saturday.

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  12. Wow Nan I never knew about Sweetgrass. What a beautiful plant. I'll be visiting North Carolina in a few weeks...hope they have something just as beautiful there.
    Licks & Wags, Niki

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  13. What a pretty post. I never knew sweetgrass had such a beautiful pink bloom. No matter how old we get, we learn something new each day. HPS.

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  14. That was so interesting. Thanks for telling me all about these baskets and their origins. I never knew all about sweet grass baskets.

    Best wishes for a happy Sunday,
    Natasha.

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  15. Those baskets are beautiful !! What craftsmanship!!
    HPS,
    Sue

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  16. I finally made it here, but it's more like Pink Sunday instead of Saturday! These baskets are like works of art, and I just loved the story behind the smaller one. You must really treasure it, and I bet every time you look at it you're reminded of how just a little encouragement can make all the difference in another person's life.
    Happy Pink Saturday!
    Carol

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  17. Lovely! the baskets and the sweetgrass! How breathtaking a field of sweetgrass must be!
    Have a beautiful week~
    ;-D Kathleen

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  18. I just some sunset photos I took tonight on our way home from Folly Beach. We just moved to Charleston about 10 weeks ago from PA. My husband is from Mentor, OH.
    Email me if you get a minute.
    tlsprinkle@yahoo.com
    Tammy

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I appreciate each and every one of your comments! Thank you for taking the time to leave such nice words!