Some of you probably read this post about our desert adventure at the end of May. One of our stops along the way was in a village just outside the state capitol of Jaipur to visit a basketmaker, Sharvani. Earlier in the year we first connected with Sharvani and her family and immediately started dreaming up possibilities. She’s been making these palm baskets since she was a child and is now the last basketmaker in her family. We couldn't wait to partner with her to revive this art and bring it to you!
So how were these handwoven palm baskets made? Great question. I would love to tell you!
The date palm tree, towering above our baskets in the morning sun.
First, the palm tree. It’s a date palm, to be exact, and has so many wonderful uses! But for our baskets, we just need the fronds (aka, leaves). A youngster is sent up the tree to harvest the fronds and brings them down by the armful. They are stripped to the stem and these stems are then dried in the sun.
With sufficient stem fibers in hand, Sharvani begins her work. While we watched, she held a scythe shaped knife between her feet and began slicing the stems into strips, separating each stem into several pieces. The day we visited, the temperature was well over 100 and she sat in a tiny shaded area of the field. Watching her work, you never would have guessed it was so hot, it didn't slow her down one bit!
Once enough stems are split, she can begin weaving! First, she bunched several strips of the palm stem together in several groups and placed them across each other in an X format.
Then, taking one stem fiber at a time, she began weaving around the X, sometimes using her feet, sometimes her hands.
Thank you Sharvani for your beautiful craft!
As the weave grows, the X fibers are pulled up creating the basket shape. Depending on the size and shape of the basket, the finishing process may look a little different but the weave stays same.
A little custom-made iron stamp and blow torch later we've got DABU branded into the fibers at the base of each basket. The perfect final touch.
The end result? Lightweight, sturdy, and straight from the date palm tree. We loved the natural color so much we thought you would too. Each basket is a piece of art from the hands of a talented craftswoman. And as is the nature of handmade: just like no two date palm trees are the same, so no two baskets will be the same color or even the exact size and shape.
Whether in your kid's room full of books, by your backdoor for gardening tools, or on your kitchen counter for fresh fruits and veggies, we hope these palm baskets bring a touch of the Rajasthani desert to your home in a beautiful and functional way. Personally, my palm basket is in my living room, full of my kids’ toys. I highly recommend.
Bye for now!
Sarah
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