This lovely little project starts out as a set of oddly shaped pieces of paper. When properly woven together, however, the pieces reveal their true identity -- a charming basket whose decorative hearts magically appear when it's finished. It's just the thing for storing Valentine's cards and candies.

Materials

• Printable patterns (see Step 1)
• White or colored paper
• Markers or crayons (if using white paper)

• Scissors
• Glue stick (optional)

Instructions

1. Print two copies of this template. If you are printing the templates on colored paper, print one of them on pink paper and the other on red; otherwise, print both templates on white paper and color them as you wish with markers or crayons.

2. Fold the printouts in half. Carefully cut out the shapes and cut along the dotted lines. The weaving steps will be a bit easier if, as a crafter has pointed out in her comments below, you cut a bit further up the inner dotted lines than indicated. Go slowly -- the more precise your cuts at this step, the better the basket will look.

3. Time to start weaving. Orient the two halves, still folded, at right angles to each other, as shown in the photograph. Be sure that the "bumps" on the strips on each half point away from you.

4. Now thread the left-hand strip furthest away from you through the right-hand strip furthest away from you.

5. Thread the right-hand strip furthest from you through the next left-hand strip, the one second-furthest away from you.

6. Now thread the next left-hand strip, the one third-furthest away from you, through the right-hand strip furthest away from you.

7. Thread the right-hand strip furthest away from you through the left-hand strip second-furthest away from you.

8. Finally, thread the left-hand strip closest to you through the right-hand strip furthest away from you. Whew! One pass down, four to go.

9. Snug the right-hand strip up towards the curved end of the left template as far as it will go and smooth everything down (a process you should repeat after each round of weaving).

10. Thread the right-hand strip second-furthest away from you through the left-hand strip furthest from you. See the pattern? Continue alternating your weaves either through or around the other strips until all the strips are finished.

11. Glue on a paper handle if you like.

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Find more about:

• 1 Hour |
• Gifts |
• Paper Crafts |
• Paper Projects |
• School Age |
• Tween |
• Valentine's Day

Related Categories:

• Valentine's Day Crafts |
• February 2004