Nifty Raffia

Just about every crafter has a messy hank of raffia kicking around. Most commonly used for wrapping gifts or bunches of flowers, it has been popular for ages. But what is it, exactly, and where does raffia come from?Originally from the island of Madagascar, raffia is derived from the Raphia Australis palm, which has the largest leaves in the world. They are shredded and used as a myriad of