Basket Weaving: Apple Basket Workshop

The Basket Weaving Apple Basket Workshop at Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum teaches intermediate students how to create a traditional apple basket designed for fruit storage and air circulation.

📅 Class Details 

Sunday, March 8, 2026
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (EDT)

Location:
Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
2451 Kissel Hill Road
Lancaster, PA 17601

Tuition:
$105.00 – $120.00

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Classroom:
Museum Store – Second Floor (one flight of stairs)

The Basket Weaving Apple Basket Workshop is an intermediate-level basketry class focused on creating a classic, functional fruit basket rooted in historic agricultural practice. Traditionally used for apples and other harvested fruit, this basket features a distinctive humped bottom that allows air to circulate around stored produce, helping to prevent bruising and spoilage. This thoughtful design made apple baskets an essential tool for farmers, orchard workers, and households throughout rural Pennsylvania.

In this full-day workshop, students will weave a traditional apple basket approximately 12 inches in diameter, constructed using a continuous weave technique and a double bottom for added strength and durability. The finished basket includes an oak insert handle, providing both stability and a classic appearance. Because of the technical elements involved—particularly the continuous weave and double bottom—this class is recommended for intermediate weavers who are comfortable with basic basketry skills and techniques.

Throughout the workshop, students learn how the basket’s shape and structure support its intended use. Instruction covers shaping the humped bottom, managing tension in a continuous weave, reinforcing the double bottom, and properly fitting the oak handle insert. Emphasis is placed on craftsmanship, accuracy, and understanding why these design features were historically important for fruit storage and transport.

The Basket Weaving Apple Basket Workshop is taught by Joan Betzold, a nationally recognized basket weaver and instructor with more than 30 years of experience. Joan attends more than 40 art, folk art, colonial, fiber, and gardening shows annually and has been honored as a Featured Artist at several nationally recognized events. She designs, dyes, and weaves her original baskets using centuries-old techniques—without nails, glue, staples, or molds—relying entirely on traditional craftsmanship.

Joan is widely known for her award-winning custom basket designs, including unique pieces that incorporate vintage tools, kitchen items, antlers, or meaningful heirloom objects. She teaches basket weaving at museums throughout the region as well as in private workshops and has served for several years as the basket weaving judge at the Maryland State Fair, a role that reflects her expertise and respected standing in the field.

The class runs from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and participants should expect a full day of focused, hands-on weaving. Students will leave with a finished apple basket suitable for practical use or display, as well as a deeper understanding of traditional basket forms used in agricultural life.

🧺 What to Bring

Students should bring:

• Measuring tape

• Sharpened pencil

• Brick wrapped in plastic wrap

• 12 large wooden clip-style clothespins

• Old towel

• Scissors

• Pocket knife

• Small regular screwdriver

• Spray bottle

• Pail or dish pan (to hold approximately 2 gallons of water)

• Lunch, drinks, and snacks

Please wear comfortable clothing suitable for hands-on craft work.

⚠️ Important Notes

• This class is recommended for intermediate-level weavers

• Class is held in the Museum Store’s second-floor classroom (one flight of stairs)

• All sales are final. No refunds

• Proceeds benefit Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum