Amish baskets aren't souvenirs. They're working tools: collecting eggs, carrying laundry, storing vegetables.
Materials
Willow: flexible, light, grows by water. Cut one-year rods in winter. Soak before weaving. Split oak: strongest. Split a log into strips, shave smooth. An oak basket lasts 100 years. Ash: flexible, strong, bends well.
Technique
Stakes (uprights) vertical. Weave horizontal (weft). Bottom: cross or spiral. Walls: plain weave or herringbone. Handle: thick rod bent into an arch, woven into walls.
Types
For eggs: shallow, soft bottom (so they don't break). For laundry: large, open, with handles. For vegetables: medium-deep, tight weave. For shopping: with lid (rain protection).
Price
Handmade basket: $30-150. Material: free (from the property). Time: 4-8 hours. Lasts 20-50 years. Plastic bucket: $5, lasts 3-5 years, then garbage forever.