SC Artisan Sets World Record With Giant Sweetgrass Basket

After 25 years of perfecting his craft, Corey Alston can now add "world record holder" to his resume.

The Mount Pleasant artisan officially earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for creating the world's largest sweetgrass basket. The South Carolina State Museum, which commissioned the massive piece last fall, announced the achievement this week.

Alston named his creation "Big Percy" after an intimidating character from the 1974 movie Uptown Saturday Night. The name fits perfectly for a basket that stands 5 feet tall and stretches nearly 4 feet across.

The record-breaking basket weighs 80 pounds and showcases traditional Lowcountry materials. Alston wove together tan sweetgrass and palmetto fronds with red long-leaf pine needles and brown marsh bulrush.

"I would not say this is the biggest ever, but this is the first documented" basket of its size, Alston explained when the basket debuted in the museum's Lipscomb gallery. For him, it represents "the biggest and baddest" of his quarter-century career.

The work required incredible patience and skill. Alston started weaving in February and spent months bringing Big Percy to life, using techniques passed down through generations of Lowcountry basketmakers.

The Ripple Effect

Alston's achievement shines a spotlight on the centuries-old sweetgrass basket tradition that remains vital to South Carolina's cultural heritage. These intricate baskets tell the story of African American craftsmanship in the Lowcountry, connecting present-day artisans to their ancestors.

The recognition also demonstrates how traditional arts continue to evolve and inspire new generations. By pushing the boundaries of what's possible with sweetgrass weaving, Alston honors the past while creating something entirely new.

The South Carolina State Museum is celebrating with a party on August 7 at 10:30 a.m. Grammy-winning musical group Ranky Tanky will perform live at the event, adding another layer of Lowcountry culture to the celebration.

Big Percy now stands as proof that traditional crafts can still make history in the modern world.