Sweetgrass Basket Weaving Workshop with Sarah Edwards-Hammond

Immerse yourself in one of the Lowcountry’s most cherished traditions: Gullah Geechee sweetgrass basket making, an art form passed down through African and African American families for more than three centuries. Recognized as one of the oldest West African crafts in the United States, sweetgrass basketry has deep roots in the rice-growing cultures of West Africa, where coiled baskets were used for winnowing grain, storing food, and daily household tasks. Enslaved Africans brought this skill to the Carolina Lowcountry in the 1700s, where the tradition adapted to local materials—sweetgrass, bulrush, longleaf pine, and palmetto—and became an enduring symbol of Gullah Geechee identity and resilience.

In this hands-on workshop, acclaimed artisan Sarah Edwards-Hammond, a master weaver from a long line of Charleston basket makers, will guide you through the intricate process of coiling sweetgrass into your own handcrafted basket. As you learn each technique—from starting the coil to shaping and finishing…