I've always admired anyone who could weave a real basket - one made of some type of reed! You can find lots of DIYs on YouTube and Pinterest for woven baskets! And I really wanted to try making one. But I didn't want to go to the expense of buying flat and round reed and having to soak it in buckets of water to make a basket, so I tried using the next best thing - or so I thought. lol! Wood Veneer Edging!
I had done some crafting using wood veneer edging that you can check out here and here. But making a basket - especially an envelope shaped basket had it's challenges and is perfect to share on this month's Creative Craft Hop! Hosted this month by Donna @ Modern on Monticello. Donna and Sara @ @Birdz of a Feather take turns hosting each month! Thank you ladies for hosting this awesome Creative Craft Hop! Welcome All! We are so glad you're here!
If you're coming over from Ann @ The Apple Street Cottage, wasn't her Wall Vase Makeover amazing!
At the bottom of my post I'll tell you the next stop on this hop! But be sure to visit all of the creative crafters who join this hop for some amazing inspirations!
So let's get started with how I made my wood veneer edging door basket!
Materials Used:
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How To:
First off, this is not my design. I came across a tutorial by Juliana Deen on Pinterest for a Christmas Basket Ornament where she used flat and oval reed to make it. I enlarged the basket ornament to a size that I could use on a door or wall, plus, as I mentioned before, used wood veneer edging and round plastic rattan to make a door basket.
First, cut sixteen strips of edging 24" long. These are actually called stakes in weaving. Turn the edging strips over to the wrong side and mark each one with a pencil line at the 12" center. Can you see the marks in the picture below? Lay out eight pieces of edging strips in a vertical position. I used yard sticks to weigh the strip ends down.
Begin weaving the second group of eight strips - one at a time. Line up the first strip by the 12" pencil mark first. Starting on the right side, begin weaving it over and under across all eight vertical strips. Then the next strip, begin weaving under then over, etc., alternating each strip until all eight strips are woven. 
Once all the strips were woven, I used a small 1/2" edging strip that I cut out to try to evenly space in between the woven areas and used clothespins to hold the corners down.
Then turned the whole piece with the longer ends at the bottom (left, right) with the "V" shape of strips in the center.
Begin weaving by taking the first right strip over the left strip.
And the left strip over the right strip. You will notice if using wood veneer edging, that it will crack when folding it over. Luckily, the strip is still intact by the backing. I tried to be very careful folding the edging over for a clean look.
Here is a larger view.
Take the next right strip over the left strip and . . .
under the left strip. Continue alternating with the left and right strips going over and under and so on as you pick up a new strip to weave.Here, I'm on the last strip to weave.
Then visually adjust the stakes (strips) so that they’re even as best as you can.
The weaving is looking pretty good!
Now it's time for twining - which helps to hold all the strips or stakes in place. We need to make four rows of twining. Take a long piece of round plastic rattan leaving one end longer - about twelve inches - than the other. Find the center for the uneven length and bend it in the center. Loop the center around one of the middle strips, as shown.
Use the two rattans to twine, one before and one behind the strip. The top twiner should always go behind the next stake, creating an "X", crossover, or twist between each stake. Maintain even tension as you twine the first row while alternating the round rattan. Continue this pattern until you come to a corner.
Continue with the same pattern, the top piece sliding behind the next stake and the piece underneath floats on the front.
If your run out of a rattan, get another long piece. Hold the short end aside and insert the longer piece behind the stake or strip right there. Continue twining with the new piece as before.
Twining around the basket until . . .you've created four rows. Cut off excess rattan, leaving enough to tuck behind a stake on the inside. Tuck any exposed rattan ends inside and behind the stakes.
To finish the look, tuck all the stakes or strips ends inside the basket. Use the over and under tuck for a neat and uniform look.
To add handles, one for each top, cut a piece of round rattan and insert one end through the twining at the corner center of the basket thru both sides. Wrap the rattan in a circle, overlapping several times all the way around, securing both ends inside the twining.Look at the finished piece! I love how it turned out!
And I am loving this envelope shaped door basket!
Especially filled with flowers!
I hope you enjoyed how I made my Wood Veneer Edging Door Basket!
Welcome once again to our Creative Craft Hop!
Up next is Terri @ Decorate and More with Tip sharing her adorable Patriotic Gnome -Just in time for the Fourth of July celebrations! Be sure to check out all of the talented bloggers sharing their awesome creations listed below:
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