This DIY Easter basket is soft as can be, but sturdy enough to hold all the eggs from the Easter egg hunt.
When you were a kid, do you remember running around the backyard excitedly searching for Easter eggs on Easter morning? Maybe getting your fancy clothes dirty from rolling around in the grass afterwards, in celebration? Or waking up early and seeing a cute little Easter basket on the table with all of your favorite things inside?
As a kid, I remember thinking Easter was so fun. And as an adult, I’m determined to bring some of that childhood magic into my son’s life, for these holidays that have less meaning / excitement as an adult. So, a couple of years ago, I made Hayes a DIY Easter basket in his favorite color, in hopes that we could use it year after year for egg hunts and Easter morning surprises.
So far, so good! It took a little while to make, but it was very, VERY easy. And has held up really well, so I thought I would share the tutorial ahead of Easter this year, in case you want to make your own. No sewing required!
I’ve made a couple of homemade Easter baskets over the years – including one that only takes 15 minutes to make and some Easter gift bags too. But this one is my favorite and I hope to keep it forever. It was a labor of love…but I also used hot glue. So there were parts of it that went faster, if that helps.
Supplies
- 10 yards cotton piping cord (I used 11/16 inch in size)
- yarn
- hot glue gun and hot glue
- needle and thread (optional)
- scissors
A note about supplies
Yarn: Using a variegated / multicolor yarn for this project, like mine, makes its super easy. You don’t even have to think about stopping one color for the next to start, and it all just flows together nicely.
Hot glue: I know that hot glue probably doesn’t sound like the most logical way to make a rope Easter basket. BUT at the time that I’m posting this, it’s been two years since I made it and we are still using it with no issues. It’s surprisingly sturdy…and you can always add some reinforcement with a needle and thread in certain places (like where the handle connects) if you’re worried about how it will hold up.
Honestly, any time I can get away with using a hot glue gun though, I’m gonna take it. So here’s how you make a cute Easter basket from scratch with just a few materials.
How to Make a DIY Easter Basket
1. Start by double knotting a piece of yarn at the end of the cotton piping.
Then begin wrapping the yarn around and around the piping, pulling it securely / tightly as you go to make it strong.
2. As you wrap the yarn, you’ll find that it becomes more difficult to manage if you don’t wrap the completed piping into a ball of some kind.
You’ll have to continue wrapping the completed piping into a ball as you go, which takes a little time. But then the wrapping process will go faster again.
3. Continue this process of wrapping and then situating the wrapped piping into a ball, until you’ve reached the desired length.
4. Tie off the end of the yarn with several knots. My basket is 11 inches wide and took 10 yards of piping to complete (which includes the handle).
It’s helpful to leave roughly 2-3 yards of piping unwrapped to save time. The unwrapped portion will be used for the base of the basket and the handle (which will be wrapped separately).
r basket
5. Now it’s time to start hot glueing. Begin with the unwrapped side of the piping. Roll it up and add a line of hot glue (3-6 inches in length). Then apply pressure until it’s secure. Make sure the glue is secure before continuing on.
Repeat this process every few inches.
Once you’ve reached the desired base size, it’s time to start glueing the piping up into a wall. Again, you’ll want to take your time when glueing the layers together.
To create a strong bond, go slow and apply pressure for 20-30 seconds per 3-6 inch section.
6. When the basket base is complete, make the handle with roughly a yard of piping (could be more or less depending on desired handle size).
Wrap the piece of piping with yarn as you did before, but this time add a long piece of wire that will run the length of the handle. This will help keep it stiff and strong.
7. Once the handle is complete, attach it to the base (interior) of the basket with hot glue, to keep it in position.
8. Now that the handle and base of the basket are complete, use a needle and thread to go through the handle and in parts of the wall and base that might need some additional reinforcement.
Then it’s ready to use.
