Appalachian Basketcase founder Ashleigh Smithson honors her West Virginia ancestry through ancient basket-weaving techniques.
written by PAYTON MANDELL
photos courtesy of ASHLEIGH SMITHSON
ASHLEIGH SMITHSON STARTED HER BASKET-WEAVING BUSINESS, Appalachian Basketcase, at age 40 during the COVID-19 pandemic. She wanted to make a basket to use on hiking trips. “I took one class in 2021 at Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg, and when I took the class, it truly lit a fire inside me that you could not extinguish,” she says.
Now, Smithson has grown her following to over a thousand on Facebook and sells her pieces at juried Tamarack Marketplace exhibitions and craft fairs. Based in Shady Spring, she travels across the country in search of the perfect customer. “I had so many baskets around the house, and I had so many of my friends and family say they wanted to buy,” she remembers. “Eventually my husband said, ‘You know, you should really start selling things.’ I never imagined that my humble hobby would turn into a small business.”
Smithson weaves to create purposeful objects inspired by her ancestors, such as foraging baskets, tote purses, and baby cradles. “I try to keep their traditions alive, because my grandmother was an Indian,” she says. “When I’m weaving, I think about all the ones who came before me, try to keep their traditions alive and just hope that they smile down from Heaven on what I’m doing.”
Her goal is to inspire youth across the state to start weaving by visiting scout troops and 4-H clubs. She’s currently trying to tackle old Native American patterns that she has to recreate on her own based on photos from museums.
Loyal supporters inspire Smithson to keep up with the high demand for her goods. “I just love my people. They’re my biggest cheerleaders. It makes me try to make bigger and better things each year.” @appalachianbasketcase on FB
READ MORE ARTICLES FROM WV LIVING’S WINTER 2025 ISSUE
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