Newspaper Vase- Twist Weave

Back here in Sri Lanka we encourage young girls with no income or education or orphans to start small business at home while looking after their kids.
One of the ways we have found is newspaper weaving...it's cheap and very versatile. It's the same as basket weaving...only cheaper as we use newspaper. :-)

Here I have displayed a simple twist weave which looks very difficult...but is in fact  very easy.
I would later try and post another instructable...if requested on how to weave a magazine rack with newspaper...I actually wanted to post it up for the design contest...but that is not up for ages.... :-)

I have posted pictures which i feel would be easy to follow so please ...if you have any questions ...don't forget to ask...I'll be happy to help :-)

Step 1: Materials

Newspaper
a thin dowel or barbecue stick to roll
glue stick
white glue
Varnish
Paint if needed

Step 2: The Paper Rods

Roll up your paper rods tightly....you would need a bit of practice. At first it will tend to get big and loose...so don't use glue in the corners at first only at the end....once you become an expert at rolling...which you would be by your 20th roll you can use the glue stick :-).

Make a lot

Step 3: The Base

Please Follow pictures as it would only confuse you if i wrote the instructions...and pictures are so much better at this part :-) but feel free to ask if you have any questions.

Note: When your rod gets short...simply insert a new rod inside the short one and glue...wait till glue is dry and continue.

place the amount of rods you want across.
Take another rod and place it on top of the rods up most...am i confusing you ...i thought as much :-)
from now on follow pictures :-)

Continue weaving the base till you get the size you want...then clip off one of the rod and slip it inside a weave so it is concealed and glue...hold with a clip till it's firm

Step 4: The Bowl

I wanted to make a bowl so  i took a vase with a wide bottom to weave my bowl.

Remember the rod which was left jutting out...well weave that under the first left rod and pull it down...then take the first left rod and weave it under the second left rod pull it down . then take the 2nd  rod and weave it under and down the 3rd rod...continue weaving ( always remember to twist to the same side. please refer to the picture.)
till you come to the widest part of your vase.
remove the vase and now place your bowl up right. now do the same weave in the same direction but move each rod a little closer to the mouth so as to narrow the opening....If you want to make a vase with a long neck ...place a thin long bottle in the center and weave towards the bottle and then weave upwards till you get the height you want.

When you come to the end  of where you want your vase to be ...you will want to finish it. so trim the excess rod  while you weave and glue it in place. please refer to pictures.

Your vase or bowl is done. now you need to decide what finish you want to give it...:-)
You can paint it however you like ....or you can give it a clear varnish or if you like to have a wood look you can varnish with oil based wood stain.

:-)
Ta da! your vase is done!

This is a great way to recycle and make beautiful item.
Please make some and post some pictures ...i would love to see them :-)

All who liked this instructable please check the below link
https://www.instructables.com/id/Newspaper-Weave-2-Rack-Rustic-Basket-Pencil-Ho/

And if you like the above link....once you go to it  please take a moment to rate and vote... and if you like add to your favorites :-)
Thanks loads in Advance.

Comments

[Boxoffrogs]

I reuse plastic bottles to slowly water my plants, but they're so ugly...
This is great to make them pretty with a little reinforcement, and recycle newspaper too. Thanks so much!

[sdhoot]

Hey!

Loved the tutorial, I'm learning it to teach it to underprivileged kids. But i'm not clear which paints to use which will give it the high quality finish look?

Thanks in advance :)

[shazni]

That is great! you can use enamel paint .
If you use acrylic, finish it with varnish to give it a nice gloss and to protect it.

[sdhoot]

Hey!

Loved the tutorial, I'm learning it to teach it to underprivileged kids. But i'm not clear which paints to use which will give it the high quality finish look?

Thanks in advance :)

[Anwar Hahj]

Thank you for your tutorial! For rolling the paper rod, I have found that a round chopstick works well.

[kmbailey9]

maybe it is sleep-deprivation or i'm clueless but if you wrap the newspaper/magazine with a dowel, how do you bend it wile you are weaving? do you make the roll and pull the dowel/bbq stick out after? this is gorgoues and i am dying to make it, but i can't figure out what i am missing that everyone else seems to understand...

[shazni]

Oh. I must add that bit. Thought it was understood. My mistake. The dowel is slowly pulled out after rolling. It is shown in image 7 of step 2. Let me know if you understand or need any help.

[Keznaa]

I'm sure I might have over looked it but how did you dye the paper? Did you use coffee it tea before hand?

[shazni]

it's there in the last step ....I used teak varnish to get the color.
Once my vase was over...I painted the whole vase with teak varnish....if you like you could also spray with food coloring and then varnish it to preserve it we.....but using teak varnish is much easier.
BTW...
you have overlooked it. :-) it's in the last step.
Please post a picture once you finish...I would love to see it!
and sorry for the late reply...I was out this weekend :-)

[mward-moore]

These are beautiful! What a wonderful to make beautiful things from things that would have been thrown away! I can't wait to try it!

[shazni]

Great! can't wait to see it :-)

[Master97865]

Wow, gorgeous isn't enough of a word to describe it! So you're telling me that, with just a bunch of newspaper, glue, and some tools you can recycle AND make something pretty? You are exactly the kind of person who I would love to have as a friend. It's unbelievable that the vases are newspaper!

[shazni]

:-D Thanks! I would love to have you around as a friend too! Sharing craft ideas is fun...especially with some one who is equally into it!
Sometimes...i get comments like ' You must be really jobless to get in to this stuff...or like where do you have time for this??' and so on :-) haha
Well...i get a fulfillment when i make something cool...and that is good enough for me :-)

[Master97865]

Thanks. I do look forward to finding out what other cool little things you make!

[shazni]

Thanks...did you check out the other tutorial?
hmm...i 'm still wondering if to do another ornamental basket for the reuse...wondering if people will get sick and tired of it??? what say you?? yes? no?

[Master97865]

I've seen the other tutorial and I think it's just as awesome! And if people get tired of instructables on weaving really cool stuff then they can go find other instructables that interest them more, right?

[jennybotha]

If THIS captcha rejects me this time --- then I'll be very frustrated.Wonderful what you can do with newspapers. Love them. Will definitely try my hand at it. Tthanks Sweetie

[shazni]

You are most welcome...for a first time project I would recommend trying the pencil holder... in this 2nd tutorial
the rustic basket is also pretty easy :-)
good luck!

[poofrabbit]

This is wicked!! I'm going to start saving papers to do it thanks for the great instructable!

[shazni]

Great! post a picture when you do...and check back in the fiber contest :-) i have more :-)