Paper baskets are useful around the house and for wrapping pretty gifts. They can be made using materials you already have at home and are a great pastime suitable for any age. Develop your creativity and experiment with various shapes, sizes and colors of your baskets; you will become a real expert in no time.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Creating a Simple Recycle Bin
Step 1. Prepare the paper strips for the bin
Use three 21.59 x 27.94 cm sheets of colored cardstock. On the sheet intended to become the base of the basket, draw a horizontal line of 8.89 cm at the top and another 8.89 cm at the bottom. These lines will help you define the base. Cut the paper lengthwise into 1.27 cm wide strips.
This will be the base of the basket. The other two sheets can be of the color you prefer instead. They will form the decorative sides
Step 2. Weave the base of the basket together
Spread 8 strips of paper (of the color you have chosen for the base), side by side, to form a solid line. Starting with the top row, weave another strip of the same color through the ones you have already laid out, passing it first over and then under. Center the strip horizontally from the ones you have already laid. Weave another strip of the same color on the opposite side of the first, so that it passes under the other strips. Then, slide the strips together, aligning the edges well.
- Repeat for a total of eight strips.
- The base, once finished, should measure as much as a 10, 16 x 10, 16 cm square formed by the previously intertwined strips. Simply put, you should have a square with eight evenly fitting strips measuring 8.89cm per side.
Step 3. Fold the protruding strips on the sides of the basket
Each side must be the same height.
It may be helpful to place a box or piece of wood measuring 10, 16 x 10, 16cm in the center of the basket and fold the strips over it. This will make the next steps easier
Step 4. Weave a strip of colored paper between the vertical strips that form the base, fitting it to the corner of the basket
- You will need to use approximately one and a half strips to cover the entire perimeter of the basket. Just glue them together with duct tape or glue. Try to position the seam inside the basket, so that it is hidden in the folds of the base. This will give your basket a neater look.
- Weave the strip all around the basket. When the two ends meet, glue them together, hiding the tape as suggested.
Step 5. Repeat the same operation with another strip of the same color
Make sure to alternate the stripes above and below the base for a final checkerboard effect.
Keep repeating the procedure until you reach the top
Step 6. Refine and complete the basket
Glue the ends of the base strips to the twisted ones on top. Then glue a stripe slightly wider than the base color on top of the basket from the inside, resting it on top of the vertical strips. Add a similar panel to the outside of the basket, securing it both inside and outside of it.
If you want to add a handle, just glue a long strip of paper to each end before adding the top panel
Step 7. Finished
Method 2 of 2: Trash with Rolled Newspapers
Step 1. Roll the newspaper into a tube shape
First cut a sheet of newspaper into four parts vertically - you don't have to be precise in doing this. Then insert a wooden skewer into one corner of the sheet of paper. Place it at a slight angle so that the rolled tube is longer than the sheet of paper itself. Then roll the paper around the stick, being careful to hold it tight. Once you have finished rolling it, put a drop of glue on the final corner to secure the roll.
- You will need a lot of paper tubes, so repeat the process several times.
- Instead of the wooden skewer you can use a fine knitting needle, a 3mm dowel or something similar, long, narrow and round.
Step 2. Use a circular piece of construction paper to form the base
This can be large or small, depending on how you want your basket. Glue the paper tubes to the cardboard so that they run away from the center in a radial pattern. Make sure you use an odd number of tubes.
It is necessary to use more radii for larger bases. The closer the spokes are, the tighter the weave will be
Step 3. Use a second piece of cardboard, identical to the first, to finish the base
Glue the second piece of construction paper to the first so that the paper tubes are compressed between the two.
Place a weight on top of the base to make the glue adhere better and let it dry
Step 4. Bend the spokes and start weaving
Fold a new paper tube over one of the spokes and glue the folded end to the end. Then weave the tube in and out of the spokes, over the first and under the next. Make sure it's as snug as possible - first at the base and then at the top of the tubes.
As you weave them, the coiled tubes will tend to flatten. This will make your basket more durable
Step 5. When you get to the end of the tube, connect it to the next one by sliding the end into the next tube
Basically you will have only one long tube that will form the basket.
Step 6. Continue braiding until you reach the top of the spokes or the desired height for your basket
To finish the weave, fold the end of the tube you are weaving over a spoke and glue it.
Step 7. Fold back the spokes to complete the basket
Cut each beam about an inch beyond the top of the basket. Therefore:
- For each spoke that is on the outside (the last braided tube ends inside the spoke), fold the end over the basket and glue it inside. Use a clothespin to hold it in place while the glue dries.
- For each spoke that is on the inside (the last braided tube ends outside the spoke), fold the end over the basket. Instead of gluing it on the outside, tuck the end into the basket and pin it to fit the texture.
Step 8. Finished
Things You Will Need:
- Colored cardstock or newspaper sheets
- Duct tape or glue
- Scissors
- Cardboard for the base
- Wooden skewer or thin rod
