This woven paper Easter basket starts as flat strips of construction paper and ends as a small square basket with a handle. You weave a checkerboard base, fold the ends up, and weave the walls around them. The method comes from the Cramahe Library, a public library in Ontario that shares craft tutorials on its YouTube channel. It needs paper, scissors, a glue stick and two paper fasteners, so it is an easy afternoon craft to do with a grandchild.
The whole basket is one over-under pattern. Four strips of one colour lie flat. Four strips of the second colour weave through them to make the base. The loose ends become the uprights of the walls, and new strips weave around them two rows high. A paper strip handle goes on last.
Materials and swaps from home
- Paper. The library uses light and dark blue. For Easter, pick two pastels that contrast, like pink and yellow or lilac and mint. Cardstock is sturdier but harder to weave, so keep it for the handle.
- Glue. A glue stick holds the corners without soaking the paper. Tape works too.
- Brads. Paper fasteners hold the handle. No brads? Staple it or glue it inside.
Sizes in plain words
Cut 9 x 12 inch sheets the long way into strips 1 inch wide and 12 inches long. One sheet of each colour gives nine strips, which is enough with a spare. The finished basket is about 4 inches square and 2 inches deep. That holds a handful of foil eggs or a small chocolate bunny.
How long it takes and who it suits
Plan on 30 to 45 minutes the first time. Children around seven and up can weave the base. Younger ones do well if you fold the corners and they weave and glue. Make one per child for an egg hunt, a row of them for a church or class party, or set one at each place on the Easter table.
Easter variations
- Colours. Weave in a third pastel on the walls for stripes.
- Kid-friendly. Use 2 inch strips. Fewer, wider strips are quicker to weave.
- A spring version. Green and yellow paper makes a basket you can leave out after Easter. Fill it with paper flowers or an egg carton butterfly.
For a matching door decoration, try a paper wreath. If you would rather work with yarn, a crochet basket holds up to years of egg hunts, and a crochet bunny fits right inside.
Troubleshooting
- The base keeps sliding apart. Push each strip snug against the last one and dab glue under the corner squares.
- The pattern breaks at a corner. Check the colour of the last square before you start the next wall. It should change.
- The walls lean out. Glue the folded tab at each corner and hold it a few seconds.
Storing it for next year
Paper baskets crush in a bin. Stack them inside each other in a shoebox, and keep them dry. Keep a few spare strips cut and you can repair a torn wall in a minute.
