Threads 18: A Perfect Wastepaper Basket

The use of cardboard in basketry. A perfect wastepaper basket!

The gathering of materials for this basket is fairly simple, just a trip to the local beer store for boxes! There is usually a stack of old cardboard boxes at the back of the beer store, and given permission, you are allowed to go in and choose whichever coloured boxes you like. The bigger the better.

The next job is to use a pair of heavy scissors and cut the 12 long strips 1”x36”, (you may need to over lap and join pieces together). To make the basket, use the diagonal plating technique. Approximate size 9”x6”.

Materials

12 x1” 36” cardboard strips. You always need a multiple of two for this technique.

You can use the color and pattern from the box, or paint the strips with your own color or pattern. 

Tools 

8 clothes pegs, scissors.

To make

Interweave the strips into a square shape and fasten with pegs at the cornets. See the sketch below. Check that all the stakes are equal lengths. Take the two centre weavers in each side, overlap them and fix with a peg. It is essential that you keep the weave pattern. Each overlap will become the corner of your basket. Repeat on all sides.

Now comes the tricky part. Keep the over and under pattern correct at all times, and fill in the gaps between the pegged sections. As you weave each new section keep it pegged and tight. It will gradually follow the round shape, and as you keep overlapping and pinning, the basket will appear like magic.

At the top, choose one overlapping pair and fold down one to the inside and one to the outside, continue around the top, to make the attractive pointed border.

I am very grateful to Joleen Gordon from Dartmouth N.S., for showing me this clever idea.