Aunt E was recently in the The Market Place in Charleston, SC and came across history woven in beautiful hand crafted basket.  Known as sweet grass baskets they are made by African American women of Mt. Pleasant, SC.  The origins of this basket making can be traced back to West African and the art has been practiced in the Americas for over 300 years.  Made of sweet grass, bulrush, long leaf needles, and palmetto leaves the material is woven into intricately designed patterns.  Durable in construction, these baskets could be a prized family heirlooms.  Due to the scarcity of the sweet grass and the dwindling number of artisans, they've become highly collectable and sought after.  A very modest women who only gave her name as Dorothy made this particular basket.  The basket is 9" in diameter and stands 7" from bottom to top of handle.  Here's a little side story . . .Miss Dorothy was working at Aunt E approach and in conversation she told her she was repairing a twenty year old basket for a client.  You had to see it was so beautiful!  (See Miss Dorothy’s picture on the photo page    )