February 10, 2014
Ok, so it has been a long while!!!! School and life but I want to share my valentine baskets I make by weaving scrapbook paper. I use the baskets every year to put a few kisses in and give to the staff at school, my students in my exercise classes (seems counter productive but you got to live a little), etc. etc. They are so easy once you get the hang of it and you can do it while watching the hockey game your husband insists on :} Here are some pictures
The steps are as follows:
1. I use 3" x 9" scrapbook paper. If you want a smaller heart use a smaller size but it is harder to weave. Vice versa if you want a bigger basket. I pick lots of different colors that are lighter in nature. It is amazing how 2 colors you think won't look good together do, so be brave and experiment with paper. You want the paper to have some body but not too stiff or when you are weaving it makes it harder.
2. Pick two papers you want to weave together. Stack on top of each
other. Fold in half. Round the tops off. I use a paper pattern to keep
me somewhere even. Cut 3 equal lines from the fold to the rounded part
staying about an inch away from the top. Be sure to hold the two pieces
of paper tight so it won't shift too much.
3. Take the papers apart. Start the weaving at the fold. Take one valentine and slid it over the first cut, then slid it between the papers of the second cut, then over the 3rd cut and through the last section. Slide that section up just a bit. You will have to bend each section to get it between the through papers.
4. Take the second piece and reverse the weaving, slide the piece through the first set of papers, over the 2nd set of papers, through the 3rd set and over the last set. Again slide the section up.
5. Do the same for the third piece, this time start over the first set of papers through the 2nd set of papers, over the 3rd set and through the 4th set. You should start to be able to see the weave pattern. Slide that section up so you have room for the last section of weaving.
6. Take the last piece and start opposite. Slide over the first piece, through the second piece, over the third piece and through the last piece. Gently slide sections next to each other so the weave is tight. I often pull gently on the rounded part to help get the strips of paper next to each other. TA DA!
I have also fuse fabric together and done this with fabric hearts although it is not quite as stiff and can be a bit tricky to work with.
