Traditional Apache baskets were made of plants that were harvested and aged. Suitable plants for Apache baskets included cattails, willows, and sedge roots. Apache basket weavers wove contrasting patterns into their baskets, so they looked for a variety of plants that added color to the patterns. Often, weavers soaked their aged plants in water before they began weaving to make them pliable enough to work with.
Apache basket weavers used four basic weaving techniques to create their baskets: wicker, plaiting, twining, and coiling. Plaiting looks like a checkerboard and consists of two different elements woven together at right angles. Wicker uses the weft material under and over a foundation of fiber bundles. This technique was most often employed in making trays and serving baskets. In twining, several weft elements are woven around a foundation of warp rods. Coiling, most often used for round baskets, begins at the center of the basket and resembles sewing. New bundles of grass and sticks are added to the basket in a spiral pattern.
Once Apache basket weavers perfected their weaving abilities, they made baskets in a variety of shapes. From rectangular trays to the curvy silhouettes of Apache jars, baskets were shaped to fit a particular function. When Apache basket weavers began trading their baskets with other groups of people, they made baskets in smaller sizes than they would have made for themselves. Often, particular groups of Apaches became known for a particular shape of basket as they taught each other new techniques.
Because they were so durable and strong, traditional Apache baskets served many purposes. In the fields, baskets held the harvested grain and seeds. Baskets also carried produce, firewood, and even water, because they were so tightly woven. A special type of Apache basket, the Burden basket, was worn around the neck, shoulder, or hip for carrying food while hunting and gathering. Apache basket makers also wove hats to shield wearers from the sun.