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About Drake Baskets

We are a basket weaving and chair caning family from Genoa-Kingston area in Illinois. We make handwoven baskets that are ready to be used in your home. Because each basket is free-woven, each one is unique.

We participate in two local shows each year. We typically only have baskets for sale during these shows. Visit our event page to learn more.

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Ed Drake started chair caning in the 1960’s. Throughout the years, he caned hundreds of chairs for local people. The basket business started as a hobby for Ed Drake, and his daughters Emily and Pat in about 1986. After taking a basket weaving class at a local museum, they started making baskets for themselves as a hobby. The following year, they started making a few baskets to sell at local craft shows. As the family grew, they taught their children and grandchildren, and the family hobby grew into what it is today. Our craft now encompasses four generations. Learn more about each of our weavers on our Meet Our Weavers page.

All our baskets are made in memory of Pat Astling (1947-1998), Ed Drake (1920-2010), Millie Drake (1923-2015), and George Astling (1946-2018).

Questions? Check out our FAQ page, or contact us through Facebook or our Contact Page.