How to Make a Christmas Card Basket from Recycled Christmas Cards

Copyright © 2006-2011 Jane Lake All Rights Reserved

This recycled Christmas card project is one that many people remember from the past, but they are just not quite sure of how it was done - so here are the complete instructions to make a recycled card basket from old Christmas cards.

This project is more time consuming than I expected, although our free printable pattern will make it a little easier for you. I would suggest cutting out all the card pieces, then settling down to finish the rest of the project while watching your favourite Christmas movie.

The finished card basket is surprisingly sturdy and would look lovely on a hall table filled with scented pine cones or potpourri.

Christmas Card Basket - Supply list:

• 4 used Christmas cards
• white glue
• yarn in Christmas colors
• computer and printer with paper
• printable pattern
• small but sharp-pointed scissors, sharp awl or similar item to poke holes through two cards glued together (or paper punch with small round hole)
• optional: crochet hook

Recycled Card Basket Instructions:

Print the two free printable pattern pieces and cut them out. Trace around the patterns on the back of two old Christmas cards and cut out these patterns to use as templates.

Note: If you don't have a computer printer, you could make your own paper patterns by drawing your own version - each large pencilled square equals one inch, so draw a 1" grid then copy our pattern.

Trace around your templates, then cut out 12 sides and 2 bottom pattern pieces from the front of old Christmas cards. Try to center the nicest part of the card pictures in the middle of each piece.

Glue two sides together, with the pictures facing outwards on each side; do the same for bottom pieces. Let the glue dry.

Perhaps the hardest part of this project is poking holes all around the edge of each pattern piece. These are sewing holes used to frame each piece with blanket stitch. I used a large needle to create the holes at first, but then found the sharp tip of some small steel scissors worked better for me. You could also try the tip of small awl.

Make the holes about 1/4 inch apart and about 1/4 inch from the edge.

Take your yarn and sew a blanket stitch all around each pattern piece. The illustration at right shows how to sew a blanket stitch.

When you have finished edging with blanket stitch, begin sewing all the side pieces to the bottom, then sewing all the sides together.

Your Christmas card basket is now complete. However, if you know how to crochet, you could finish off the top edge with one row of single crochet.

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