Deerfield Arts & Crafts home page
The baskets that are made by Mrs. Eleanor Stebbins from rushes, willow withes and reeds are models of perfection in their line. The familiar pussy-willow lends itself well to the making of the substantial strong baskets for firewood or smaller ones for picnic use. The willow for a basket of this kind is worked into shape during the winter, a long process that is necessary to insure the perfectly cured and durable basket. Often, such is the persistence of the sap in the branches, the little furry pussy-willows can be seen coming out here and there on a finished piece of work. Meadow and swamp rushes gathered from the low-lying land about the town are worked into beautiful baskets, their colors and silvery sheen making exquisite effects without the aid of dyes or other treatment.
The Springfield Daily Republican July 2, 1914