I'm a Basket Lady! Jk. I wish :)

A few wks ago I was flipping thru our library's monthly newsletter and came across this AWESOME class (among dozens of others).

I called immediately and was able to secure 3 of the 12 spots for me, my MIL & SIL. 

This is such an honor to me. Sweetgrass baskets and the weavers that make them are such a huge part of the Gullah & Geechee culture down here in the Lowcountry. Slaves that were brought over from West Africa, hundreds of years ago, brought the skill with them. And it has been passed down from generation to generation. 

And now we have this FREE opportunity to learn from a weaver that has some of her work displayed in the Gibbes? An artist....sharing some of her secrets with us. Amazing.

So we made a date of it - perfect timing for my MIL's bday ;)

 Lunch at Glass Onion (butterbean falafel - say WHAAAAT? So good).

Headed to the library and met Ms. Mae Scott Hall. 

She had bags put together for us with materials that included the knotted beginning of the basket weave. The best gift she gave us (other than her instruction) was a nail bone. These are THE tool used to make these baskets - they used to be fish bones and now they are spoons that have been cut off and hammered down.

She had us weaving in no time but everyone quickly realized what a painstaking process it was. Now we know why these baskets are so expensive to purchase.

The library staff were awesome too and it seemed like several of them had some experience so they came and helped us every now and then.

Ms. Mae Scott Hall had baskets on display too and passed some around for us to really inspect.

And this was a very special one her daughter made her as a gift:

So this is what a finished coaster looks like. (Mae Scott Hall's)

After two hours mine looked like this and  she had started it for us too! (Mine is on the left...obvi)

My SIL was a bit more ambitious and hers turned out great!

 

We had such a lovely time and the takeaway from this blog is CHECK OUT YOUR LIBRARIES! I'm a huge fan of our libraries here in Charleston County and am constantly taking the kids to events and library programs. And this is the 1st time I've ever really looked into what they offer for adults and look what a GEM of a class I discovered! 

Thank you to the library and to Ms. Mae Scott Hall for sharing this piece of her culture with us!