Hi, I’m Erin. I traded twenty years in fashion for a life of slow craft. A dialogue between the past and present, my studio Underwater Weaving honors the techniques I learned from my mother growing up in Maine. The video is a typical day at my home studio. Explore our handmade world of baskets, weaving kits, and creative gatherings here.
A Basket Capsule?
I’m a consumer, a collector, and a stuff-hunter by nature. In a constant state of rewiring my brain to be even more mindful of investments, especially when it comes to my wardrobe. But as such, several years ago, I began to edit my closet into a capsule collection, and it has been pared down to the greatest hits that I reach for over and over, while new purchases must pass a rigorous test. I try to stick to the formula that works for me through conscious local brands, most often (I’m lucky enough to say) from friends who share the same values and make things, mixed with timeless, typically vintage pieces from European luxury brands whose brand cultures rose to the top for me after many years working in fashion publishing. It doesn’t mean that I abandon the “thrill of the hunt”; moreover, it enhances it. I recommend Karla Welch’s master class if you’re looking for a place to start with your own.
I started wondering whether the same concept of a capsule could apply to a basket collection. Along with my mother and a small team of weavers in Maine and NY, I’ve been designing, making, and using baskets every day for several years now, from oversized blanket containers to woven accessories. I’m pleased to say that, similarly, our woven containers fit into 5 core categories, and I consistently go back to certain styles. I’ve developed a list of considerations for a set of basket categories to help us decide what to invest in.
The categories are: The Floor Basket, The Wall Basket, The Tote Basket, The Table Basket, and The Tray.
Of course, your basket choices should reflect your personal style, where you live, and what you’re using the baskets for. I am a problem solver, but one who values beauty. Because of that, my aesthetic lives at the intersection of sculptural art and everyday utility. I want my pieces to feel like they have a soul, but with a completely new, modern perspective.
Ultimately, my basket aesthetic draws on a mix of Maine’s Shaker style, the Americana folk art era of my mother’s weaving, and my own background in dance, fashion… and living with a designer. When I translate that into our studio creations, these influences coalesce into forms that I hope feel grounded yet lyrical—as helpful as they are poetic. I want my baskets to be recognizable and structural, but also timeless enough to be passed down through generations.
The way this aesthetic visually translates into the baskets is heavily influenced by the three places I split my time: Brooklyn, Montauk, and Maine. And I design based on what I actually want to use in those specific environments.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll break down the core basket categories to look for and the tricks to help you find your style. We’ll use examples from our studio and antiques to illistrate. Of course, all baskets are handmade, but supporting local makers vs “big box” doesn’t just apply to fashion, it applies to baskets as well, so we’ll help you choose baskets or make baskets that you’ll want to keep and pass down.
In the next letter, we will start with the foundation: Choosing a Floor Basket
But for now… What I’m Eating
