Easter basket made from woven paper

 

The first basket I made from two pieces of white paper and painted on eggs. The second I painted two pieces of white paper, one pink, and one blue because I didn't have colored paper. If you have color paper all the better!

First I folded the pink paper in half lengthwise.

Second I marked out 1 inch increments.

Third I cut 10 slits one inch apart on the markings. I stopped cutting one inch before getting to the top.

Forth I marked one inch increments across the width of the blue paper and cut down the length of the paper 6, one inch wide strips.

Fifth after opening up the pink paper, I wove the blue strips across lengthwise. Here's where the kids like to take over.

Sixth after all the strips were woven in, I glued the end of the strips to the side of the pink paper, so they didn't slip.

Seventh I gently folded the woven paper without creasing it, and cut two pieces of crape paper about arm's length. I used crape paper because we were all out of ribbon and yarn. One of my goals in this blog is to use what's in the house. The craft should be able to be done without running to the store for supplies, but I don't recommend crape paper. Ribbon or yarn would be much better.

Eighth I punched holes up both sides of the basket. I used a scissors which again I don't recommend but because of my own personal saga of buying hole punches that don't work, I turned to the scissors. I really recommend using a hole punch! ;)

Ninth I wrapped the end of the crape paper with tape to make it go through the holes easily. Then I started from the bottom bringing the taped point up and all the way through. I pulled the crape paper through almost to the end, and then tied a knot. Then I just sewed all the way to the top, did the same thing on the other side, and tied the ends of the leftover crape paper together to form the handle of the Easter basket. 

Sewing up the sides is another favorite with kids. Of course you know your children best and what they are able to do, and what they need help with.

The bow was made from some strips of paper cut like those used to weave with, and then the end were taped together at the middle and to the basket.