Basket weaving is usually a balanced weave like plain weaving. It follows two or more threads in the warp and the weft so that two or more weft threads are pulled through the same heddle and the same dent and woven with the same thread count in each pick. Single threads can also lay between the double threads.

Here are two types of plain weave, weft-faced weaving, where the weft covers the warp, and rip weaving where the warp dominates the weft. In weft-faced weaving the warp is usually quite coarse, for example cotton 12/6 or linen 8/4, and a coarse reed 25/10, 30/10 or 35/10 is used, so the weft can be compacted enough to cover the warp. In a rib based weaving the warp is very dense and the weft is coarse so the weft thread can hardly be seen. It is common to use a fine thread, cotton 16/2, 20/2 or linen 16/2 up to 40 threads per cm. Usually there are two threads together in each heddle and four of more threads together in the reed.

The oldest, simplest and the most common draft is called plain weave where the weft thread lies alternately over one and under one warp thread. Plain weave can be woven on two shafts and two treadles on a floor loom, however, modern looms usually do not have fewer than four shafts and the plain weave is therefore threaded on four shafts and woven as shown on the patterns displayed here. When a fine thread is used with a dense warp, it is often more convenient to thread through four shafts and tie up four treadles in a counter balanced loom. The first and the thirds shafts are stepped on simultaneously, then the second and fourth shafts are stepped on to get each warp thread to rise and lower alternately. Sigrún P. Blöndal says in her book that one of the most beautiful weaving that was woven in Iceland in the past, is the woolen plain weave, which was used in clothing for example aprons. A few of her patterns can be seen in this database.

Shadow weaving was often used as cloth fabric in the past. Two, three or more color tones of wool or cotton are used in the fabric.