String Baskets

My grandchildren and I decided to do some string baskets for Easter this year.  These make beautiful gifts and are so easy to do. 

What you will need:

Balloons
Fabric Stiffener
Cotton String 
Large bowl
Aluminum foil
Plastic to cover your table
Glue gun
Paint Brush (Optional)
Ribbon
Various items to use for decorating

   Blow up your balloon as big as you want the basket to be

  Line your bowl with the aluminum foil. 

Lay string in your bowl and pour fabric stiffener over the string getting it soaked through.  You can add a little water if it is too thick. 

  Begin wrapping your balloon with the string.  Hold the end until you get it started to where it will hold itself.  Make sure the string is always wet with the stiffener.  You don't have to go in any order, just randomly and keep it tight.  You can use as much or as little string as you want to.  Once you are satisfied take more fabric stiffener and thin it out a little bit.  Using your hands pat more of it all over the basket or if you have one,  use the paint brush and brush it on.  You will need to tie it up to dry and make sure you leave something under to catch drips.

It should look like this

Let this hang and dry completely.  Usually overnight.

Once completely dry, take a pin and pop the balloon.  It will pull away from the basket and shrivel up.  You will end up with a pretty egg shaped basket like this.

Take scissors and cut your opening as big or small as you want it to be.  Decorate with ribbons or anything else you like.  My grandson is making his into a bunny with google eyes, teeth and bunny ears.  Get creative and make it unique. 

You can either make a bean bag to put in the bottom under the grass to weigh it down so that it will sit up or do what I plan to...I am using a bag of jelly beans!!

We still have some to finish, but here's a picture of a few things we are doing.  Of course there is

a mess behind them...We still have clean-up to do!!

 

These will be filled with home made Fudge, Coconut Bon Bons, Oreo Balls...and a few other goodies!   

 

 

My grandson went for funny & cute...I love it!!

 

 

Note:  Once you have popped the balloon and cut out your hole, you can use a spray glue and give it a good spray to make it extra stiff if you choose.  You will need to let it dry longer once doing this.