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DIY Recycled Newspaper Basket Project

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Two weeks ago I posted a list of several different ways you could reuse or repurpose newspaper instead of tossing it in the recycling bin. If you missed it, you can read it here. One of the ideas I found was to make a basket to hold your recyclables from newspaper. I decided to give this project a try to see how hard it would be to make my own newspaper basket.

How To Make A Recycled Newspaper Basket

 

a recycle bin made out of newspaper with title text reading Newspaper Recycling Bin

 

First, I cut all of the two-page sections in half.

a hand Cutting a Newspaper in Half

 

Then, I took each piece of newspaper and folded it half lengthwise.

a person Folding a Newspaper in Half

 

 

And then again.

a person Folding a Newspaper in Half Again

 

And once more to form a thin strip. Then I laid two strips down in a T-shape.

Newspaper Strips in the shape of a T

 

After that, it was just a matter of adding new strips and weaving them together over and under alternately.

Newspaper Strips Weaved together

 

After weaving enough strips together to form the basket size I wanted, I made sure to push the strips together and close the gaps in between them that are visible in the picture above.

Next, I creased each of the strips to form the bend where the sides would begin. This part of the process wasn’t exactly picture perfect so I don’t have any photos to share. I basically continued the weave on each of the four sides, then folded the sides up and interwove the strips at the corners. This required extra sets of hands to hold the walls up while I wove.

I folded the vertical strips over the top edges and wove them into the horizontal strips. This is what the basket looked like when I was all done.

Newspaper Basket on a wood background

 

 

And what better way to use a basket made from newspaper than as a recycling bin for newspapers?

newspapers weaved together to make a Newspaper Recycling Bin

 

 

Fun Project To Make With The Kids

This was a fun project and my kids thought it was super cool that we made a basket from newspapers that we normally would have tossed in the recycling bin.

The project took MUCH longer than I expected though. I needed several dozen strips of folded newspaper so that step alone took about half an hour (in my mind it was only going to take 10 minutes).

The weaving was pretty simple, but when it came time to fold up the sides it became a much trickier endeavor and required a great deal of patience.

If I had anticipated the time required for this project in advance (about two hours total), I would have allocated more time for it and paid better attention to details which I think would have resulted in a sturdier, and more symmetrical, basket. So, if you decide to make your own basket, leave yourself plenty of time.

16 thoughts on “DIY Recycled Newspaper Basket Project”

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  6. I think this is a really awesome craft project. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. I think my kids would love to do this one.

    Reply
  7. What a fantastic idea!!! The newspapers alone tend to fill up my recycle basket inside the house. Pinning from the Pintastic Party with Called to be a Mom!

    Reply
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  9. What a wonderful project. I have to pin because my granddaughter will be doing this sometime in the near future. She’ll want to paint hers of course.

    Reply
  10. Corinne, you know I lo-ove this project! I wouldn’t have expected it to take 2 hours, so I’m glad you gave me a head’s up. I’m going to start collecting newspapers to make my own basket.

    Reply
  11. Hi Corinne – A newspaper recycling basket made out of… recycled newspapers! I’m loving the irony on this one. Right now our newspapers are kindling for the fire, but this would be a perfect craft for the summer when we have extra to spare. Hugs, Holly

    Reply

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