This is a very easy and decorative basket to pull together and would look great on the table during Thanksgiving. The method of putting it together is relatively quick and simple and you can make it with branches from your own garden.
I filled it with apples from the farmers market but latter I think I will fill it with dried flowers and leave it on the front hallway table to great visitors into the house.
You can make these any size that you want just by changing the length of the branches but smaller would be better.
Remember that this is only a decorative basket and will not withstand being lifted when it is full. It is best to carefully carry it from the bottom.
The branches that I used were from a dried out bush that we had in the back yard. If you use branches that are too fresh then they will dry and shrink and the basket could fall apart.
I used a glue gun to glue the branches together. These branches were thin enough that I could cut them with pruning shears. You start by making your base. Cut 5 length about 11 inches long. Lay them out side by side about 3/4 of an inch apart. Measure the distance from the 1st to the 5th branch and add 2 inches. Cut two branches this length. Lay them across the branches at either end. Taking your glue gun, glue these cross branches to the base where they touch.
Cut 2 branches about 13 inches long and lay them across the end branches extending pass the base.Glue them down. Measure 2 branches 2 inches longer than the previous cross branches and glue these ones down.
Continue by cutting 2 branches 2 inches longer than the previous ones and gluing them on top extending further than the previous branches so you will get the flared shape of a basket.
To make decorative handle on the ends take a thin branch about 15 inches long and gently bend it into a loop. Weave this handle in and out of the side branches and glue it in. These branches will not be strong enough to lift the basket but will be strictly decorative.
Since there are large gaps between the branches on the base you would not be able to put anything very small in this basket like nuts unless you line it with a cloth like I did here. This is just a checkered dish towel that I thought looked sweet with the apples and the maple leaves.
While this is not meant to last for ever it is a quick little basket to make that can add a great deal of charm to your decor.
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Copyright Ingrid Talpak 2010
Morestylethancash
I am playing comment tag with Susan, she asked me in another article what kind of glue I used. This basket was made with a hot glue gun but in the past I have made these baskets with white craft glue when I had plenty of time to let them sit and dry,
thank you Ingrid...I really love this basket.. I hope to try it this long weekend! thanks for such a great site!
Post a photo, I want to see how it came out!
:) I wanted to make a hamper for a relative for Christmas but the baskets alone seem expensive. Also can't imagine that they need any more generic baskets. I think i'll give this a try... a bit of good recycling!
This is one of the best home decor ideas I've seen in a long time. I've often thought about saving on table items, especially the showy things. I mean look, $20 for a basket from china? please! This is natural, cheap and looks amazing. I actually read the article about 2 weeks ago and made the basket just this week.
hats off to you guys for the info, really brightened up my table :)