[MR] basket weaving

[Tracie Brown]

There was a Compleat Anachronism on medieval baskets a few years ago, and I think it is still in print.  I don't remember if it covers what you're interested in, or if the drawings are very good, but it does have a bibliography.

You can often find depictions of baskets in period artwork, particularly from the 15th century onward, often detailed enough to reproduce. Some styles are still being produced today and can be purchased in Walmart, IKEA and such.

Look in books that deal with food and have a lot of pictures. Or go to the Web Gallery of Art. Type basket or food into the text box on the search page and it will return over 100 artworks with baskets in them (not all period). Look for baskets in the pictures that come up.  http://www.wga.hu/index1.html
If you want to bookmark the picture, click on the "i" on the right side of the picture's entry, and up will pop more information on the picture and the capability to bookmark.

Compare baskets in artwork with baskets in modern basket-making books.  Most of them are still being made, and the techniques are certainly being taught.  Even if you don't find a basket in the picture, you may find something really interesting -- what the back of a dress looks like, cooking implements, glasses (some of which look surprisingly modern).  I learn a lot by looking carefully at the background of artwork. 

Very few baskets have survived from the middle ages, but there are links to some Viking baskets on the Atlantian Arts & Sciences web page:
http://www.geocities.com/baldurstrand/basket.html

Visit the SCA Basketry group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCAbasketry/

Hope this helps.

-- Signy