Woven Baskets - Make-Origami.com

These woven baskets are classic! Children in first grade can make them (kindergarteners are still a bit too young, but not an impossible task it you help one-on-one). A bit tricky at first, but once you figure out how to make them, they are a delight: looks good almost all the time.

Step 1:

Start with an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of paper. Fold in half bottom to top.

Step 2:

Cut a section off that is 3 inches wide (dimensions can vary but 3″ is a good enough size for children to work with).

Step 3:

Cut the top corners a little so they are rounded. This would be the loose (unfolded) edge of the paper.

Cut the strips about 3¼ inches long
For a 3 x 3 woven baskets, cut the paper so it has 3 strips. Start cutting from the folded-edge up towards the rounded top.

Step 4:

Prepare a second sheet of paper of contrasting color. Rotate one of the papers so it is perpendicular to the first sheet as shown below.

Step 5A:

Pry open the papers of strip 1 and slide strip A in between the layers of 1. Push the paper so strip A is beyond strip 2.

Step 5B:

In the next step, you want the white paper to be on top so you can start the checkerboard pattern.
Pry open strip A and slide strip 2 in between the layers of A. Push the white paper past strip 3.

Step 5C:

Now you want the red paper to be visible again, so pry open strip 3 and slide strip A in between the layers of 3.

Step 6:

The first row is done. Shuffle the paper up a little so you can work on row 2. Repeat the process with strip B except now, you want the first panel to be white so you can perpetuate the checkerboard pattern.

Step 7A:

Pry open layer B and slide strip 1 in between the layers of B.

Step 7B:

Pry open strip 2 and slide strip B in between the layers of 2.

Step 7C:

Pry open strip B and slide strip 3 in between the layers of B.

Step 8:

The second row is done. Notice the checkerboard pattern. Turn the model over and check that the back side has a checkerboard pattern too. If not, you will need to undo some of the steps and try again.
Shuffle the paper up a little so you can work on the final row.

Step 9A:

Pry open strip 1, slide in strip C.

Step 9B:

Pry open strip C, slide in strip 2.

Step 9C:

Finally, pry open strip 3, slide in strip C.

This is how the back side looks like.

This is how it looks like on the inside.

Cut a strip of paper from the leftover paper and make a handle. Use tape, glue, or staples to attach the handle to the basket.

If you are working with a young child and the instructions above are too hard, you can try making a 2 x 2 basket. Here, in step 3 above, cut the paper into two strips instead of three. This will give you a reduced, more manageable pattern.

If you are working with older children, you can get creative!. Cut the paper strips into different sizes to get a number of different patterns. It’s not hard; just keep the checkerboard pattern and you can’t go wrong. The left panel shows you how to cut the paper to achieve the basket shown on the right panel.