Moms in Compassion’s Survival program learn new skills that will help their kids. Some moms learn to weave baskets to sell. It’s a way for them to earn money to care for their babies.
Here’s an easy version of a basket you can make at home using recycled materials!
Dream Weaving
Adult help needed.
Supplies
- basket template
- piece of smooth recycled cardboard, such as one side of an empty cereal box
- 1 marker
- scissors
- 1 paper hole puncher
- 1 piece of felt
- hot glue or fabric glue
- yarn or twine
- 4 clothespins
- 1 blunt needle with an eye big enough for yarn
Make a cardboard frame
- Print out the template. Cut it out and lay it on the cardboard. Trace the shape onto the cardboard and cut it out. Punch out the holes.
- Fold the flaps toward the center until they point upward.
Make a base
- Cut a circle of felt to the same size as the center of the frame.
- Glue the felt in the center and let dry.
Weave it
- Tie a long piece of yarn around one cardboard flap. Then use your fingers to wind the yarn in and out of the other flaps.
- Weave until your yarn reaches the top.
Finish it
- Wrap a bunch of yarn around the rim, holding it in place with clothespins. Thread the needle with a long piece of yarn. Push it through one of the holes in the cardboard, leaving a small tail of yarn hanging down. Thread the yarn around the rim, in and out of all the holes. When you reach the hole you started on, go the opposite way to make a crisscross. When you reach the first hole again, snip the yarn and tie the loose ends together. Weave them in to hide them.
- Cut a circle of felt to the same size as the bottom of the bowl. Glue the felt on the bottom.
Supplies
- basket template
- piece of smooth recycled cardboard, such as one side of an empty cereal box
- 1 marker
- scissors
- 1 paper hole puncher
- 1 piece of felt
- hot glue or fabric glue
- yarn or twine
- 4 clothespins
- 1 blunt needle with an eye big enough for yarn
Make a cardboard frame
- Print out the template. Cut it out and lay it on the cardboard. Trace the shape onto the cardboard and cut it out. Punch out the holes.
- Fold the flaps toward the center until they point upward.
Make a base
- Cut a circle of felt to the same size as the center of the frame.
- Glue the felt in the center and let dry.
Weave it
- Tie a long piece of yarn around one cardboard flap. Then use your fingers to wind the yarn in and out of the other flaps.
- Weave until your yarn reaches the top.
Finish it
- Wrap a bunch of yarn around the rim, holding it in place with clothespins. Thread the needle with a long piece of yarn. Push it through one of the holes in the cardboard, leaving a small tail of yarn hanging down. Thread the yarn around the rim, in and out of all the holes. When you reach the hole you started on, go the opposite way to make a crisscross. When you reach the first hole again, snip the yarn and tie the loose ends together. Weave them in to hide them.
- Cut a circle of felt to the same size as the bottom of the bowl. Glue the felt on the bottom.
Supplies
- basket template
- piece of smooth recycled cardboard, such as one side of an empty cereal box
- 1 marker
- scissors
- 1 paper hole puncher
- 1 piece of felt
- hot glue or fabric glue
- yarn or twine
- 4 clothespins
- 1 blunt needle with an eye big enough for yarn
Make a cardboard frame
- Print out the template. Cut it out and lay it on the cardboard. Trace the shape onto the cardboard and cut it out. Punch out the holes.
- Fold the flaps toward the center until they point upward.
Make a base
- Cut a circle of felt to the same size as the center of the frame.
- Glue the felt in the center and let dry.
Weave it
- Tie a long piece of yarn around one cardboard flap. Then use your fingers to wind the yarn in and out of the other flaps.
- Weave until your yarn reaches the top.
Finish it
- Wrap a bunch of yarn around the rim, holding it in place with clothespins. Thread the needle with a long piece of yarn. Push it through one of the holes in the cardboard, leaving a small tail of yarn hanging down. Thread the yarn around the rim, in and out of all the holes. When you reach the hole you started on, go the opposite way to make a crisscross. When you reach the first hole again, snip the yarn and tie the loose ends together. Weave them in to hide them.
- Cut a circle of felt to the same size as the bottom of the bowl. Glue the felt on the bottom.
