How to make a Basket from Old Newspapers, paper and Telephone Directories

Making a basket is a very interesting hobby and could be turned into a lucrative business.  If you are planning to have a basket business, you can create your own design and make use of materials that you discover yourself.  In the past, baskets are made of materials from plants but recently many baskets have been innovated and made from different materials aside from bamboo, wood, wires and other materials.

Paper basket is now widely marketed all over the world.  There are plenty of paper materials to choose from but the best paper basket to make if you are planning to put up a business in basket making are old newspapers and telephone directories.  These materials can never be out of stock because they are considered waste materials that you can buy from the junk shops.  The newspapers that you read everyday could be made into useful and beautiful baskets that you are very good gift ideas to your friends, relatives and neighbors.  You can sell also your products.

Baskets are always in demand.  They are not seasonal products so this is your advantage.  People always need baskets for give away, gifts for any occasion and home use. 

Here’s how to make baskets out of old newspapers and telephone directories.

Step # 1

Cut the newspapers into half, then paste the ends so that they will be joined together to make a long strip of paper.  Make sure that the ends are pasted properly to avoid opening.  Let the paste dry then make a twine by crumpling the paper first then twisting it to make a paper twine.  To make it easier to make a paper twine, spray the paper with water to moisten it a little. Make sure that the paper is not wet, just moist because it will be torn if it gets wet.  The purpose of moistening the paper is to make it easier for you to twist it into a twine.

Step # 2

Cut also the telephone directory into strips then paste the ends.  Do not make the strips too long because it will be very hard to handle it.  When the joints are dried thoroughly, crumple them also so that you can make paper twines. The paper twines from the telephone directory is what you will use to sew the basket.

Step # 3

Form a circle with the newspaper twine and use the telephone directory twine to sew the coil.  You should buy the biggest needle that has at least one cm long eye hole so that it is easier to thread the paper twine.  You have to make small baskets first as a start.  Once you have perfected your first basket, you are set to follow it with more baskets.

Making paper baskets is hard because the paper twine usually snaps and you have to add another twine but when you have the patience it will prove a very rewarding kind of craft.