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Friday, June 13, 2014

Miniature Basket Tutorial

This is a fun project that keeps another bit of plastic out of the landfill. Here are two finished versions of this project.





SUPPLIES:



Empty and clean plastic coffee creamer container
Quilling strip (or strip of paper cut 3/8 inch wide)
Duct tape (optional)
Masking tape (cut into half inch pieces)
Scissors
Punch (optional)
Paper to match or contrast with your quilling strip
Beads (optional)

METHOD:

1. Cut the rim off the creamer container.


2. Carefully cut the container into spokes. (Tip: Follow the indentations.) (Note: You could use a permanent marker and color the base of your basket--the creamer container--at this point.)

3. Tape down the quilling strip.


4. Begin to weave it over and under. (Tip: If you have an even number of spokes, skip two at the start of each round. That gives you a nice alternating woven pattern.)


5. Use bits of masking tape to hold down each new quilling strip row. Otherwise the qulling strip will side up, up and away!

6. When you are as high as you want to go, tape down the end of the quilling strip.
7. Stick a piece of duct tape to a cutting mat or a glass surface. Cut it into a thinner strip. (Tip: Use a craft knife and a cork-backed ruler for this.)


8. Peel off the duct tape and wrap it around your basket. Alternatively, glue a quilling strip around the top of the  basket.


9. Decorate your basket with punched shapes and beads.

Ta-dah! Aren't you smart? (I know YOU are!)

9 comments:

elysabeth said...

What a cute idea to reuse the empty creamer containers. I'm in the process of writing a 50-state mystery series for children and I have study guides or teacher guides that accompany them and one of the states has weaving baskets as a clue and in the study guide I give information about weaving their own basket but mine is made out of foam (two sizes) and any number of materials can be used for the weaving part (yarn, grocery bags cut into strips, ribbon, whatever works and is handy). Thank you for sharing this cute little idea. E :)

Elysabeth Eldering
Author
FINALLY HOME, a Kelly Watson, YA, paranormal mystery

(Author of the JGDS, 50-state, mystery, trivia series - currently on hold)

Susan Reaves said...

What a cute Idea. I will be visiting my grand kids in July and will take some creamer cups home from work and show the kids how to do this. The girls can put their ear ring backs in these cups, they always lose them on their dresser.

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Elysbeth, sounds like a terrific project. I'd love to see your foam version of the basket.

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Susan, I can imagine four of these grouped together and attached to a base. Wouldn't that make a cool spot for the earring backs?

Dawn S. said...

This is adorable! Thanks for the recycling idea.

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

You are welcome, Dawn.

Karla Yungwirth said...

Great idea! I'm always looking for craft ideas, especially for the kids for the summer - thanks for sharing! PS, I'm a big Kiki fan, and a Scrapbooker!

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Karla, more Kiki is coming. I promise!

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Malka, thank you!