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Saba Lace - The Fruit of Her Hands
In the 1870's Mary Gertrude Hassell Johnson was sent by her parents to study at a Caracas, Venezuela convent. While she was there, the nuns taught the then Miss Hassell to create the intricate designs of this needlecraft.
Miss Hassell brought the skill back to Saba and in 1884, when regular mail service first connected the island to the outside world, the wives and daughters of Saba's seafaring men turned the craft into a mail-order cottage industry. How the Saba women marketed their needlework demonstrates their ingenuity. As boxes of merchandise were sent from the United States to Saba, the ladies would copy the addresses of the American companies and then write them a letter explaining their work and their prices. Often a sympathetic person receiving the letter would post it on the company bulletin board and ultimately the lace makers would receive orders for they're the handcraft. By 1928, the Sabans were exporting almost US$15,000 worth of needlework annually! Now, more than a century later, the skill learned by a young Saban girl still provides a means of support for many families on tiny Island of Saba. Blouses, dresses, tablecloths, napkins and bun warmers are only a few of the pieces the Saban women create in a variety of colors. Saba Lace is just one example of the unique beauty that is Saba. We hope you enjoy owning and using your piece of this special needlework. |
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© 1996-2002 Saba Tourist Office and Questions about Saba? Contact us here.  
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