Cereal Box/Birch bark basket tutorial

[Fenlander]

Begin by cutting your birch bark/cereal boxes into strips, by whichever method you find easiest;) .

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/Cuttingstrips.jpg

Decide on the size of base you want for your basket and then weave the strips together (the strips should be butted up together in one direction, with a slight gap between each strip in the other direction). To help hold the base together while working you can weave string around and tie off.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/tiedbase.jpg

Then bend up the projecting strips to form the sides (birch bark is best warmed first prior to doing this).

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/P1030699.jpg

Make the following cuts in either end of a longer strip……

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/Bandjoin-1.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/Bandjoin-2.jpg

Then place the square tab through the triangular cut to form a band for the sides of the basket.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/Bandjoined.jpg

Weave the first band around the sides of the basket, ensuring the weaves are opposite to those on the base below. Then weave a second band opposite to the previous. Continue to weave bands around the sides until your basket is the desired height. If a strip becomes to short overlap it with a new one and continue weaving.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/P1030700.jpg

Continue to weave bands around the sides until your basket is the desired height (it is not important for the bands to look neat yet). Cut the ends of the strips so that they project above the top band the same width as the band itself.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/P1030701.jpg

This next bit is much more difficult to describe than to actually do!

To finish off the basket you will need two long strips laid either side of the top band. From this point I will refer to the ends of the woven strips as tabs. As you work through steps 1 and 2, pull each tab to tighten the basket and pull the side bands tighter together.

1. Tuck the end of the inner strip behind one of the tabs. Take the next tab and bend over the outer strip and top band, and tuck it inside the inner strip which holds the tab in place and then tuck the inner strip behind the next tab.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/P1030702.jpg

2. Take the next tab and bend over the inner strip and top band, then tuck it inside the outer strip and tuck the outer strip behind the next tab (as shown in the two pictures below).

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/P1030703.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/P1030704.jpg

Continue alternating this process until the basket is completed.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/P1030705.jpg

[nitram55]

Great tutorial, basket making is a skill I want to learn probably more useful than spoon carving.

Was that heresy :)

Martin

[Jodie]

Cereal box - inspired!

I hope the last photo is called "Here's one I made earlier" :)

Thanks for posting that.
Jo

[Mirius]

Thats great thanks. I could have guessed most of it, but I'd have no idea how to finish it off.

[seany boy]

Thanks for posting, inspired to give this a go now.

[scanker]

Great. Something else to add to the list of things I haven't tried yet! :rolleyes: Cheers, Kev. :D

[jon r]

Wow! Top quality! Ive already asked my mum to save all the cerial boxes! Will be eating the cerials up just for the boxes now!;)

Thanks for that Tutorial! Its really great and easy to follow! Shame i dont have enough Birch bark.

Loz will be happy to see this tutorial! He was wanting me to do one but im sure you have done a better job that what i would have done!

Thanks Fenlander!

Jon

[loz.]

Loz will be happy to see this tutorial!



He sure is !!!

I know what the kids and i will be doing tonight !!1

Thank you very much !!!! -

[BushJohn]

That birch looks the perfect thickness for crafts, is it imported from somewhere cooler or is it homegrown stuff?

[Fenlander]

Cereal box - inspired!

I hope the last photo is called "Here's one I made earlier" :)

Thanks for posting that.
Jo

Here's one (or two) I made earlier Jodie;)

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/BirchBarkbaskets.jpg

[Fenlander]

That birch looks the perfect thickness for crafts, is it imported from somewhere cooler or is it homegrown stuff?

I collected the bark while in Canada a few weeks ago.

[Neanderthal]

I collected a few bits of birch bark from a downed tree at The Delamere meet last week. Not particularly big pieces but I never thought of harvesting strips of bark.

Thanks for the tutorial and the inspiration

Stu

[jon r]

With all the rain today i spent some time indoors making one of those cerial box baskets! Ive made a Birch bark one in the past but never knew how to propperly finish off the rim so it was great to see how in your tutorial Fenlander!

I am amazed at the strength of these little cerial box baskets. I am inspired to make something big. I think using card like this is a fantastic idea because normaly it would just end up in the bin. You can also test out your techniques and get to grips with basket making before using more precious materials like Birch bark.

Heres what i did today:

Jon:D

http://ridgeonnet.com/other/jon_bowdrills/Cerial.jpg

[Fenlander]

You can make some larger baskets with the cereal packets Jon.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/Cornflakepacketcontainer.jpg

[Wayne]

Nice tutorial Kevin. Good quality pics

[Fenlander]

Now you've done the basics, you can do something a bit more advanced.

A lid is a simple addition.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/sufguy1/Wovenbasketswithlids.jpg

The box on the right I've just made from the plastic bands used around large boxes and parcels.

[jon r]

:Wow: That birch one is a beauty! A bet that plastic one is as strong as an oxx! Our homes will be filled with cardboard and packaging that might become usefull one day for basketary work!:beerchug: