Basketweaver's Artistry Puts Kutzu Vine on a Pedestal

Basketry with a Purpose

An often told joke originating in the Atlanta, Georgia area about the amazing Kudzu vine goes something like this:

“Find the hardest, driest, densest clay in Georgia. Then, take the smallest, oldest, seemingly deadest piece of Kudzu you can find. Scratch the earth, drop the piece of Kudzu, and then run like a madman, because the vine is going to catch you!”

Despite the Kudzu plant’s humorous tale, its’ origination had a purpose, when the plant had been brought into the U.S. from Japan to help with soil erosion. However, this super vine had turned into a pesty nuisance. Choking forests, climbing telephone and electric poles, and forming sun blocking canopies over wide spaces like bridges in the Southeastern region of the U.S., including Georgia, the Kudzu plant has been growing at an alarming rate of six inches a day. Watch closely to see the Kudzu plant grow, some say, practically right before your eyes.

The time has come for the Kudzu plant to redeem itself.

When we learned about the Kudzu plant, my husband and I were living in Georgia, and I was serving as vice president for the Roswell, Georgia Basketry Association. To our surprise, the Kudzu vine, along with other naturally occurring vines, such as grape and honeysuckle was found useful in weaving baskets! 

This remarkable story about the Kudzu vine earned its place among the functional materials used in basket weaving, particularly since its days growing throughout the south. Now the history of basketry dates back as long as we’ve needed to carry or haul items from one location to another. As a highly experienced craftsperson for more than 20 years, I can attest to the usefulness of the Kudzu vine and other handmade basket materials, which have won awards at county and state fairs in Maryland, particularly noted for their color and interesting uses. I offer basket weaving classes individually or in a group setting, and will work with your ideas for a handmade basket. To get started, here are a few handmade basket suggestions:

Materials: reed and cane, sea grass, Kudzu and grape vines, rope, and other fibers

Dyes: reed can be dyed with natural colors from berries, and other natural coloring agents. Commercial dyes can be used when longer lasting color is desired.

Common usage: step baskets are the most common among handmade baskets, which are designed to hold items to carry up a stairway.

For busy people, the step basket helps you carry items up and down stairs. Conveniently placed on a step, the step basket can stay on your deck, or near your garden, ready to pick vegetables or flowers. The step basket will look attractive on a stairway, when you're carrying items from your living room to your upstair bedroom.

Each basket is unique--no two baskets are identical. My crafts also include stained glass art, quilts and other sewn projects, as well as commercial embroidery, among a wide range of custom design and clothing art. My friends and customers  know that I am happy when my hands are moving and creating. 

You must see Glorious Designs online.  Oh, by the way, if you buy a Kudzu basket, don’t put it on the ground. You might find it growing on you!