© 2007 J Brown Designs

These one of a kind handmade baskets are cute to look at but did you know there is a history behind their existence rooted deep in the culture of the Penobscot people?

These little works of art are carefully crafted in the time honored tradition of the Penobscot people, a woodland tribe whose territory once covered most of the state of Maine from mountains to ocean. The wood used in their creation has significance to the creation of the Penobscot. When the world was young and wild, the Creator sent Kluscap to prepare the land for the children. Once this land was ready, Kluscap took his bow and arrow and shot it into the Brown Ash tree. The tree split, and all the people came out dancing. This is the tree we use today to weave our baskets.

A Brown Ash tree is selected deep in the Maine woods, cut and shaved of it’s bark. The “pounding process” then begins as the ash is hit repeatedly in unison to cause the growth rings to separate. Once this happens, the rings can be pulled up in strips which are then split, scraped, smoothed and gauged into the thin yet tough strips we weave with.

Sweet grass is well known as a sacred grass in many Indian tribes for it’s purifying properties. We use sweet grass in our baskets, as our ancestors have for centuries. Our grass is hand picked in the tall salt marshes along our coast and woven into a fine continuos braid that can be up to 100 yards long. From this, we snip what we need to use in our baskets. In almost any Penobscot home you can find a braid of sweet grass or a basket, helping to hold good blessings over their home.

This particular style of basket is called a Pin Cushion. While it would be proud to sit on your favorite collectible shelf, it is also happy as a working pin cushion in your favorite sewing nook. The basket measures 3 inches wide by 2 inches tall, with a dark velvet cushion accented with genuine turquoise, which reminds us of our days in the southwest.

This Basket measures approximately 3" wide and 2" high.

Individual Certificate signed by the artists included.

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