Adirondack Baskets and Heritage Designs

Home
United States
Chateaugay, NY
Adirondack Baskets and Heritage Designs

I am an artisan in the Northern Adirondack foothills. All pieces are hand-made by me in my own shop/weaving studio.

I specialize in authentically designed Adirondack packbaskets, creels, and vintage-style pieces, such as punched tin cabinetry.

03/23/2025

I closed my weaving business at the end of 2024. Thank you to all my customers over the last 25 years. Your support was much appreciated.

I will be gathering my tools, remaining materials, etc. together and offering everything for sale. I will post a complete list as I get everything ready. Watch this space for future availability of those supplies, etc.

04/04/2024

Haven't posted any basket photos in several months. Here are my most recent packs. Had two orders for oversized versions with two pouches for water bottles, two for medium sizes and two for traditional large ones. All three of my stain mixtures are here: Golden Oak, Black Walnut, and Red Oak.

After 25 years, I still enjoy weaving packbaskets, but the process is not as continuous as it was when I began the business in 1999. These old hands have had the course. Too many aches and pains after each weaving session. Time to close the business. 2024 will close it out. It's time.

I currently am working on an existing order list and will fulfill all of those. So, if someone has ordered already, rest assured that you will have your basket completed.

Then, I will continue to take additional orders that I can deliver by December 31, but the end of the year will mark the end of the business. Any remaining material inventory, my patterns, weaving tools and accessories will be available for sale at the end of the year.

One thing I wish I'd done is numbered the baskets beginning with the first one. I'm curious as to what the actual total would be.

10/15/2023

This photo came up on my memories yesterday. It was originally posted ten years ago. Thanks for the current comments made yesterday and today.

Some thoughts on the sign... It was done for me by the late Bill Boyea, a local artist, my relative, and close friend. Bill went above and beyond when creating the sign.

Ever the stickler for detail, he didn't do just a sign for me, he did a painting. He included wildflowers in the grass, birds in the sky and added amazing texture to the sky, mountains and the baskets.

Not only did he do this work of art once, but he did it twice!! He created a two-sided piece of art! The second photo here shows the sign in his studio just before we installed it on my front lawn. The last image shows the detail in the baskets!

The community misses Bill as a creative force and artist. I miss him as a cousin and dear friend. We had many, many talks over the years about local history, family history, and a million other topics.

When I finally close my weaving business, the sign will be taken down and moved into the house. It will be a reminder, not only of my business, but of Bill...

12/06/2022

Haven't posted in a while. Working on Christmas orders.

Here are the two latest packbaskets. Both are 21" tall - my "large" size.

All of my baskets take on a distinct personality as the weaving is done. All shapes are different; partly by design and how I weave them, and partly because the reed sometimes has a mind of its own as the basket is taking on its final shape.

There are companies out there that weave all of their baskets on molds or fixed shapes - the result is basket after basket with exactly the same shape.

Mine are the polar opposite. No two look exactly alike. I think that adds to the authenticity of my pieces. The old-time traditional Adirondack basket makers did everything freehand, as do I.

Guess it has struck a chord with my customers. I've managed to produce baskets since 1999.

Can't weave as steadily as I once did as my old hands really feel it if I push too much. I keep saying that I should close the business but can't quite seem to actually do it. One of these days, I guess...

The two baskets shown here are finished in Golden Oak and Black Walnut stain mixtures. The boiled linseed oil in the stain mix keeps the baskets water-resistant and pliable. Properly reconditioned each year, so the material doesn't get brittle and start breaking, these baskets should outlast me by many, many years.

I've tried many different backpacks and pack frames over the years while in the woods hunting and fishing, but I think that nothing is as comfortable on your back as one of these traditional baskets.

12/09/2021

Latest batch of baskets: a large pack for ice fishing, a medium pack for home decor and light hiking, a small pack for a front door hanger (I really like how the the gray stain came out) and a fishing creel.

11/30/2021

Four (three large and one medium) packbaskets being picked up this week. I seem to be on a run of black walnut stain requests.

08/17/2021

Haven't posted packbasket photos in a while. Here are shots of my last few completed orders.

First photo shows 17" and 21" full-sized packs. Stains are Golden Oak and Red Oak.

The second shows one 10" and five 8" ornamental packs. They have hand cut leather straps with copper rivets. All are stained in Golden Oak.

Back to my order list...

05/12/2021

Last fall I was asked to design a smaller, creel-style picnic basket with a two piece lid. An order was placed for two. Below are photos of my version of the design.

The baskets were recently presented to the young ladies shown below. One of them commented that this was "the best gift I've ever received".

I feel so pleased when one of my pieces is that appreciated. Creating an object is one thing but having a new owner express a thought like that, makes the whole weaving process that much more gratifying.

11/09/2020

Good Morning, My website is temporarily down. Working to correct the problem. Any questions on my woven pieces or ordering can be posted here. Thanks.

09/05/2020

Weaving steadily since March. These poor old hands and fingers seem to be surviving fairly well. Here are the latest 17" packs. All are ready for local pickup. One is a gift, one is headed for the mushroom hunting woods and the one with the water bottle pockets is about to have an Alaskan adventure.

If only I was privy to all the scenic vistas my packbaskets and creels have seen over the last 20+ years... Bet it would be an interesting travelogue!

Address

6169 State Route 11
Chateaugay, NY
12920

Telephone

(518) 651-5348

Website

http://www.adkbaskets.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Adirondack Baskets and Heritage Designs posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your business to be the top-listed Shop in Chateaugay?