Sweetgrass Creations
5 days • June 9 – 13, 2026
10 am – 4 pm, daily
Pricing Options:
$995 non-member
$895.50 member discount
$880 early bird; early bird deadline April 1, 2026
Payment plans and scholarships available. For questions, reach out to Margaret Lindahl: mlindahl@textilecentermn.org
Join us in welcoming fifth generation basket weaver Lynette Youson to Textile Center for a 5-day weaving workshop. Learn the coiling technique of sweetgrass basket weaving from its origins in Sierra Leone, West Africa, using the materials of the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Youson will guide participants through the creation of a basket using Bull Rush, Pine Needles, Sweetgrass, and Palmetto palm.
All levels welcome. $250 materials fee, payable to the instructor at the start of class, includes all supplies needed to create one basket.
**See supply list of items to bring to class**
Click here to download supply list.
Instructor Bio:
Lynette Youson (she/her), a fifth-generation basket weaver who lives in the low country of South Carolina, dedicates her time as an afterschool instructor teaching sweetgrass basket weaving to students. Youson has weaved for over 50 years with her mother and remembers fondly learning from her great-grandmother; carrying on the tradition, she has taught her daughters and granddaughters the art. But Youson’s teachings extend beyond her family and local community; she has traveled across the country leading workshops to teach the art of basket weaving.
For over a decade, Youson has offered her expertise and knowledge to the Army Corps regarding a field of sweetgrass found near the Corps’ Cooper River Redirection project. As a result of the partnership, the basket weavers are now invited to harvest good quality sweetgrass, a resource that has become harder and harder to find as development continues to eat away at supply. Youson has also served as chairman of the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival, which is held every summer to highlight basket weaving and the Gullah culture.
With baskets on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, coverage on CBS Sunday Morning, and numerous magazine and newspaper articles written about Lynette, she is ensuring the preservation of not just one of the oldest West African art forms in our country, but also that the Gullah Geechee culture is not forgotten. When asked about her efforts, Youson shared, “It is a way of transferring our culture from one generation to the next. It helps give meaning to our history and preserve our cultural identity. When we teach children about our past, we make a connection to our ancestors.” (US Army Corps, 2022)
Info for out-of-town guests:
For our out of town guests, nearby accommodations are available with our partner hotel, Hampton Inn and Suites, University Ave. in Minneapolis. For the special Textile Center rate and more info, visit our website here: textilecentermn.org/visit
Review our COVID-19 Safety Protocols at Textile Center here.
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Withdrawal Policy
If your notice of withdrawal is received by the early bird deadline for this workshop, you will receive a 50% refund of your workshop fee. Due to the scheduling nature of these classes and arrangements for instructors, no refunds are available after that. We will be happy to provide you with a receipt for your donation to Textile Center for any forfeited tuition. Please make this request in writing to mlindahl@textilecentermn.org.
Click here for full withdrawal and cancellation policy. Click here for directions and parking.