Woven Harvest Basket

How to Make

1. Cut out 4 squares from thin card measuring 11.5cm x 11.5cm as a guide for making the sides for the basket.
2. You need 7 craft sticks to make a frame for each side of the basket. Start by placing 4 sticks vertically onto one of the card squares. Position the sticks so they are evenly spaced with the 2 sticks at the ends lined up with the edges of the square. Squeeze glue near the bottom of all 4 sticks then press 2 craft sticks horizontally on top. Glue another craft stick across the middle, positioning it horizontally, about half way down. Carefully adjust the sticks on the frame using the edges of the card to check they are all level. Leave the sticks to dry on the card.
   Repeat to make 3 more sides for the basket in the same way.
3. For each side of the basket, you need 3 x 1cm wide strips cut from the length (aprox. 42cm) of a felt sheet. Cut the strips from different felt colours or use one colour.
4. To start weaving, press a small piece of double-sided tape onto the end of a felt strip
   then peel off the backing. Fold the end of the felt around one of the vertical sticks
   on the frame, starting in a bottom corner.
   Decide if you prefer the horizontal sticks to appear on the outside or the inside of
   the basket, either is fine, but the weaving will look neater with the end of the folded
   felt hidden on the inside. Weave the felt strip over and under the vertical sticks until the lower section on the frame is finished. Fix the end by folding it around one of the side sticks with double-sided tape.
   For the upper section on the frame, stick 2 felt strips together with double-sided tape to make a longer piece then weave it onto the frame. Finish the weaving 1cm down from the top. If the strip is too long, cut off off the end. Fold the end and stick it with double-sided tape.
   Repeat to make 3 more woven sides in the same way.

5. Cut 8 x 12cm lengths of twine to tie the sides together. Place 2 frames side by side. Push a piece of twine through a gap in the felt near the bottom corner on one frame then through the corner on the other frame. Wrap the twine a couple of times around the sticks then tie a knot, keeping the frames at the same level. Tie another piece of twine nearer the top.
   Repeat until all 4 woven frames are tied in a row.
   Fold the 4 sides then tie the end sections together to make a square basket shape.
6. To make the handle cut a felt strip 42cm x 4cm and a thinner 42cm x 2cm strip in a different colour. Stick the thinner strip along the middle of the wider strip with a long piece of double-sided tape.
   Stick pieces of double-sided tape to the ends of the felt handle, on the top side, peel off the backing, stick one end inside the basket, curl it over, then stick down the other end on the facing side, inside the basket.
7. To line the basket, cut 2 felt strips measuring 28cm x 10cm. Stick double-sided tape along the ends of the felt then peel off the backing paper. Stick one of the strips inside the basket, near the top edge. Push the strip into the base then stick it down so both sides of the basket are covered and the ends of handles are hidden. Stick the second felt strip inside the basket to cover the sides.
8. To finish the basket, tie 4 pieces of twine around the sticks in the corners so the felt strips don’t slip off.

Top Tip

It’s easier to tie the sides of the basket together with the woven frames placed over the corners of a box.