Newspaper Baskets

A few years ago I put in three cherry tomato plants... three. They went wild and wouldn't stop producing.

I wanted to give the extra tomatoes away to family and friends and needed little baskets that they would not have to return.

I came up with this newspaper basket that is ideal since it didn't cost me any extra money and could be easily recycled.

This little newspaper basket can be used for all sorts of small produce so keep it in mind the next time you have a bumper crop.

Take 1 full sheet of newspaper that is folded so you have the front page on the front and the back page on the back.

Fold top to bottom so you have a quarter sheet approximately 11.5 inches by 11.5 inches.

Fold in the top and bottom so they meet in the middle.

Fold in both sides so they meet in the middle, the paper will be about 6 inches by 6 inches.

Fold up each side about 1 1/2 inches.

Looking at the photo you can see I made a corner just by tucking one corner behind the other and stapling it close to the edge. Do this on all sides.

To make the handle take another full sheet and cut about 6 inches off the long edge (your strip will be about 6 inches by 23 inches). Fold this over three times to make a handle and slip the middle of your strip under the middle of you basket.

Fill your basket with goodies and then bringing your handle over on each side of the basket and pinch the newspaper just above your tomatoes so they are snugly secured by the handle, staple the handle.

Leaving about an inch cut off any excess handle and fold this inch over and staple again.

I was lifting my baskets up by the little tab at the top of the handle and they seemed quite secure but I was not carrying them long distances. You can tell you friends that when they are through with these little baskets that they can just remove the staples and put it in with their recycling.

This is a very eco friendly basket that I am sure you will find many uses for.