Recycle burlap coffee bags to make pleasing rustic baskets for holiday surprises.
Instead of buying plastic Easter baskets that are ultimately thrown away (after which they clog the landfill), make your own whimsical, rustic Easter baskets from burlap coffee bean bags. These simple baskets can be made easily and quickly. They not only suit Easter but May Day as well and can be modified for any holiday where you want a simple basket.
Supplies
- burlap sacks
- glue
- water
- a bowl or other form to shape the fabric
- waxed paper
- brush
- ribbon
- tissue paper, Easter grass
Instructions
- Cover the form with waxed paper.
- Place the form on top of cans or some other platform so that the burlap has room to hang below the edge of the form.
- Cut two or three rectangular or square shapes (depending on the shape of the basket) out of the burlap. Make the shapes large enough to drape over the form you are using with an additional 2-3 inches all around the margin.
- After the shapes are cut, fray the edges by pulling threads of burlap from along each edge.
- Mix 1-part glue to 1-part water.
- Soak a piece of burlap in the mixture.
- Squeeze out excess fluid.
- Hang the burlap over the form and shape it.
- Use a brush to paint some undiluted glue along the sides that will overlap the next layer of burlap.
- Soak a second piece of burlap and repeat steps 6-8
- Use a brush to paint more undiluted glue on the bottom and on any side of the basket that might need extra strength.
- Let it dry.
- When the basket is dry, decorate it.
Ideas and Suggestions
- Instead of using a glue water mixture to stiffen the projects, use liquid starch at full strength. Note: If you use this technique, you will need to glue the layers together with glue as starch will not hold the layers together very well.
- Check the label of the glue you use for the project. Do not use glue that dries flexible. Find glue that dries hard. Cheap brands of children’s craft glue often dry hard. Decoupage medium also dries hard and can be used instead of glue.
- Check with your local coffee house. Most coffee houses give away their used burlap coffee bean bags for free.
- Fill the baskets with Easter grass and Easter eggs
- Make spring chicks to nest in the baskets.
- Shape the burlap over a funnel and thread it with ribbon for a rustic May basket. Fill the basket with flowers and hang it on the neighbors doorknob for a delightful Easter surprise. If you choose fresh flowers rather than silk flowers, you will want to wrap a damp towel around the stems of the flowers and enclose them in a plastic bag to prevent the flowers from wilting and to prevent the dampness from ruining the basket.
The copyright of the article How to Make Rustic Baskets in Crafts is owned by Melissa Howard. Permission to republish How to Make Rustic Baskets in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
 |
