Introduction: DIY Paper Baskets

About: Hey, I'm Muhaimina! A Craftaholic person (or Witch if you may say!). Obsessed with swirls and polka dots... and Instructables is pretty much my second home! Follow my IG Blog https://www.instagram.com/the_craf…

I always try to use recycled materials for crafting projects. Almost everyone have piles of papers (newspaper, brown paper, magazine paper etc.) around their houses. It's about time we turned them into something useful!
In this instructable I've tried to show 5 easy patterns for paper basket weaving. I used small number of strips and tried to simplify the steps as much as possible. These paper baskets can be really useful and cheap as well! :)

Materials needed to make these paper baskets are:-
1) Paper (newspaper, brown paper, colored paper, magazine paper... any kind of paper)
2) Anti-cutter,
3) Scissor,
4) Glue
5) Scotch tape,
6) Cardboard or thick paper.

Step 1: Paper Strips

I used brown paper strips to make the baskets. At first, you have to cut the papers into strips of 1.5 inch width. Then fold them into half inch width and keep the length about 12 inches or more. Make as many as you can.

Step 2: Paper Basket - 1

First, take 16 strips and divide them into half. Lay out 8 strips vertically and 8 strips horizontally as shown in the first picture of this step. Tighten the weave carefully to make sure that all the sides are even. Now build up the sides. Take a strip and go around the sides as shown in the picture. Keep about half to 1 inch of the strip to fold at the end. while folding the remaining part of the strip use scotch tape or glue to make sure they don't come out. The square paper basket is ready! 

Step 3: Paper Basket - 2

You'll need cardboard or thick paper to make a round figure (to make the base of the basket) and of course, paper strips. Take 8 paper strips. At first take 2 strips and glue them at the middle, which forms a cross. Now, do the same with the rest of the strips and make sure to glue them at the middle. After laying all the 8 strips together they should look like a star (as shown in the picture). Now glue the round cardboard plate at the middle of the star shape. Hold few of the remaining strips up, as shown in the picture. Take another strip and circle around. After weaving the first strip you won't need to hold the paper strips up as they will remain straight themselves. Keep weaving around the basket, but keep about half to 1 inch of the strips at the end. Fold the remaining parts of the strips inside and glue them.

Step 4: Paper Basket - 3

To make this basket you'll need a round piece cut out from cardboard and strips of 0.5 cm width. Use super glue to stick 12 strips with the round cardboard plate. Now hold few strips up as shown in the picture. Take another strip and start weaving by circling around. After weaving the first strip you won't need to hold the paper strips up as they will remain straight themselves. Keep weaving around the basket, but keep about half to 1 inch of the strips at the end. Fold the remaining parts of the strips inside and glue them. You can use extra papers to make borders to. This basket turns out really cute!

Step 5: Paper Basket - 4

Take even number of strips to make this basket, it makes it easier. Lay out 4 strips (regular strips as I've shown at the first step) vertically and 4 strips horizontally. Tighten the weave carefully and make sure the strips are even. I've shown the folding lines in the first picture of this step. Fold up the strips of any one side and start weaving by placing one strip over the other (as shown in the second-1 picture of this step). This kind of weaving will form a corner as you can see in the second-2 picture. Continue weaving like this and after few a steps it'll form a figure like the second-4 picture. You can fold the remaining strips inside or cut them into smaller parts and then fold inside. Use glue while folding , so that they don't come out.

These are the 5 easy and simple paper basket weaving. I'll be crafting more paper baskets using different patterns very soon and try to add more details in the crafting. 

I hope you enjoy making them. :)

Step 6: Paper Basket - 5

To make this basket you can use all the remaining strips, so that they don't get wasted. Stick all the remaining strips together vertically with glue or scotch tape. 
Cut out an oval shape from cardboard or thick paper. Now take the strip and glue it with the oval shaped cardboard plate (as shown in the picture). Start coiling up carefully and continue gluing the strip until it's finish. When the strip comes to an end fold it inside and use glue to make sure it doesn't come out.

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