Tuesday, January 20, 2009

My first tutorial!

I know there are several basket patterns out there. I decided to call this one a round bottom basket because the bottom is not flat. I didn't come up with this idea on my own; my upline, Crystal Terracina, taught me how to make it years ago. But I'm not sure if there is a tutorial around, and I've never made a tutorial before, so here you go. I'll put the description below the pictures. Please leave me a comment if you have any questions or ideas on how I can improve future tutorials. And I do apologize for the lighting. We made this on my dining room table at 10:00 last night. Start with a 12x12 piece of card stock (CS). Score along both sides at 3", 6", & 9". I made some small pen marks to show where I had already scored. Notice I used the black scoring blade with my paper cutter. You could also use a bone folder or stylus tool to make your score lines. Just be sure to remove the orange cutting blade before inserting your 12x12 paper.
Next cut away the 4 corners using the score lines as guides. You will be cutting away a 3" square.
Then you will want to cut along the remaining score line (the one that was made at 6"), up to the first score line on each side. So you will be cutting in 3 inches from each edge. I lifted up the flaps on two sides so you could see where I cut and how deep.
Apply your adhesive next. I used my SNAIL. I applied the adhesive to the flap on the right hand side of each edge (I wrote the word "Adhesive" for you to see more easily). It doesn't really matter, but it makes it easier for me when I put it all together if I'm always folding the same side over the top.
Now it's time to start putting it together. You'll take the right flap and fold it over the left flap to make a diamond shape, and secure the adhesive. A quick disclaimer: I used SU!'s old not-quite-12x12 CS, so that's why my corners aren't quite matching up. One edge was perfect, and another was pretty close, but this one was way off.
Continue around to all sides until you have made four diamonds and formed the base of your basket. See, that front one lined up great.
Next take a strip of paper for your handle. My handle is 11"x 1 1/8" because I wanted to get 7 out of one 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of CS. The handle on the basket that I disassembled was wider (probably 1 1/2"), so it's up to you how wide to make it, but 11" seems to be a good length. Put adhesive on both edges.
Secure one edge on the inside of one diamond. Be sure to center it before pressing hard. Then secure the other edge to the inside of the diamond on the opposite side.
That's it. Decorate each diamond as desired, and fill your basket with goodies. My Gable Green layer is 2 1/2" square and the Whisper White layer is 2" square.
If you are worried about your handle coming unstuck, you could always reinforce the adhesive with a brad or eyelet. It would also be cute with a ribbon tied on the handle.
Here's a picture (with horrible lighting) of the coordinating peppermint patty covers we made.
Sweet wishes!

2 comments:

Beth said...

SUPER cute and a fantastic tutorial - thanks!!

Tina Reeves said...

This is a great, unique basket! Like you said, there are a lot of basket templates out there, but I've never seen one like this! GREAT JOB!