Swamp Sticks Basketry

All Maria’s baskets and woven goods are made from local, sustainably harvested materials. She cultivates, harvests and dries colorful varieties of willow and other traditional basketry plants such as bulrush, cattail, iris, hazel and dogwood on her family’s permaculture homestead.  Each plant is cut and dried at a specific time of year to achieve the best colors and lasting qualities.  The willows, hazel and dogwood are cut in the winter and the rushes and other marsh plants are gathered in the summer.  When she is ready to weave she prepares the weavers by soaking them anywhere from just a few hours to up to 3 weeks which makes the material supple enough to achieve a tight weave and beautiful designs. Ancient weaving techniques ensure these artistic but utilitarian objects may be enjoyed for many years in your garden, kitchen and home.