Paper Power: Make a Basket from Paper Strips

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There will be four weavers forming the sides. The sides of these baskets are woven from the top down. To maintain the basket-weave pattern you started on the bottom, simply pick any rib and count up "in, out, in, out" to know how to position the first weaver.

With the open edge of the weaver pointed down, use a standard in-out-in-out weave to weave the straps around through the ribs. Tuck the ends one into the other as you did for the rim, and glue them in place. Slide the strap around so the joining spot is hidden behind a rib. The last one might be a little difficult, but it will go in. The tightness of this basket is what makes it so handsome and durable.

If your basket is not quite as straight as you would like, keep in mind that more shaping can be done when you stain it.

Now, take the remaining long strap and glue it over the stapled rim to hide the staples. For a simple handle, make two straps any length you want and glue them shut along their entire lengths. Next, with a nail and hammer or a punch of some kind, make hole on each side of the basket in the rim where you want the handle to go. Also, make a hole in each end of the handle, about an inch from the end. Match up the rim holes with the handle and connect with brass brads, which are available in the stationary section of your department store. Another cute way to attach the handles is to line up the holes and sew buttons on either side to hold rim and handle-end together.

To stain the basket, dilute three or four parts water to one part acrylic paint. Brush or sponge on. After staining, and while the basket is still wet, you can push and shape it a bit and flatten the bottom if you wish. Dry it on a piece of wax paper so it won't stick. Burnt sienna and burnt umber give the baskets a warm color, while white gives it a whitewashed country look.

You might want to try several colors on a scrap piece of paper and allow them to dry to see what colors you like. You can also stain the ribs and weavers before you make the baskets for a two-toned look. A final coat of water-based varnish will give your basket a rich glow, but it isn't absolutely necessary.

The large basket, because of its size, can be a bit awkward to make, but is well worth the time. It uses twelve paper bags. The fifteen ribs are the size of the smaller basket weavers. The six weavers and the rim will use the full length of the paper bag, which you cut in half lengthwise to make two weavers per bag. To start the weaving on the bottom, count back eight.

There are many ways to decorate these baskets. I like to use rubber stamps since they come in about any design you could want. A cute party basket has balloons painted all around. Just paint a blob roughly the shape of an egg. When dry, add a white swipe when to the upper left portion of the balloon to create a reflection. Then add a squiggly line for a string and you have a party! In fact, I like to keep a few extra baskets on hand since they make perfect gifts. Just tuck some homebaked cookies or other goodies inside, add a bow, and you are ready to go. If you are painting-impaired as I am, there are several clever ways to get around this step and still have a well-decorated basket.

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