Clutter loves a flat surface, and a good basket is the fastest way to give it somewhere else to go. These 15 DIY basket crafts cover just about every way to make one: coiled rope, crochet, sewn fabric, folded leather and bent wire, plus makeovers that turn thrift store and dollar store baskets into decor nobody will guess was cheap. A DIY basket is any container you build or customize yourself, and most of these need nothing fancier than hot glue, yarn, cord or a little paint. Beginners can start with the painted kilim basket or the 30 minute fabric bin, while the woven tobacco basket is a happy weekend project (put on a podcast). One tip for the rope versions: coil tighter than feels necessary, because a loose base is a floppy basket. Need even more ways to corral the chaos? These DIY storage baskets for organizing everything pick up right where this list leaves off.
1. DIY No Sew Rope Baskets
No sew rope baskets come together with cotton piping cord, hot glue and a pail to use as a mold. Plan on 10 to 15 yards of 3/8 inch cord per basket. Coil the cord tightly into a flat base, gluing every inch. Wrap the pail in parchment paper so the glue will not stick, set the base on it and keep wrapping and gluing up the sides. Lift the pail out when the basket is tall enough. A few stitches at the cord end add strength, and leather handles finish it.
Get the full tutorial at Happiness is Homemade.
2. Chicken Wire Basket Christmas Decor
A wire basket with woven handles makes an easy holiday centerpiece that can stay out well past December. The source post is about simplifying the switch from Christmas to winter decor, so it shows styling rather than a build. Fill a metal wire basket with a potted evergreen, pinecones and a glass candle holder, and set it on a chest or entry table. When the holidays end, swap the ornaments for logs, greenery or an olive bucket and the look still feels cozy and wintery.
Get the full tutorial at At The Picket Fence.
3. Tobacco Basket DIY
A knockoff tobacco basket made from wood veneer gets the look of an antique without the antique price. Stain both sides of the veneer, then work while it is still damp, since the stain makes it more pliable. Cut strips along the grain, here five long ones at 41 inches and seven short ones at 21, all 2 inches wide, plus a few extra long strips for the rim. Weave the short strips over and under the long ones, staple the ends, then wrap and staple a rim strip around the edge.
Get the full tutorial at Craftberry Bush.
4. Kilim Inspired Painted Basket
A Kilim inspired painted basket takes a small corded basket from the dollar section and turns it into something that looks like a tapestry. Corded weaves help keep the paint strokes even, so look for one of those. Use the weave as a ruler, or mark the center with a pencil, and paint a diamond pattern in a mix of bright acrylic colors, nine in this one. Let it dry. Total time is about two and a half hours with drying, and the basket cost about $2.
Get the full tutorial at DIY Candy.
5. Pottery Barn Inspired Dollar Store Gift Basket
A Pottery Barn inspired gift basket starts as a $2 Dollar Tree basket wrapped in twine with a hot glue gun, and it does not even use a whole roll. Tie the twine at the bottom of the basket, then glue as you wrap it around and up the sides, and tuck and glue the ends when done. Fill it with cheese, grapes, coffee, chocolate and a bottle of wine, or roll in a monogrammed hand towel. It works for showers, birthdays, holidays and hard to shop for men.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
6. DIY Wire Laundry Baskets
DIY wire laundry baskets are built from round tomato cages, or a tube of wire mesh fencing from the home improvement store. Trace the cage onto plywood and cut a round base with a jigsaw. Bend the long bottom wires in toward the center, set the cage on the base and staple the wires flat to the wood with an electric stapler. Grind any sharp ends at the top. A drop cloth bag sewn from three rectangles and a round bottom fits inside, with a fold over top.
Get the full tutorial at Twelve On Main.
7. Simple Crochet Mini Basket
A simple crochet mini basket holds hair ties, bobby pins, jewelry or soap, and it works up quickly in cotton yarn. The pattern uses a 4.0 mm hook and worsted weight 100% cotton, worked in single crochet. Start with 8 stitches in a magic ring and increase over seven rounds to 50, then work one round in the inner loops to turn the base edge. Single crochet up the sides, and add handles by chaining 7 and skipping 7 stitches on two sides. Finished baskets are about 3.25 inches across.
Get the full tutorial at Just Be Crafty.
8. Wire Mesh Baskets
Wire mesh baskets can be made in any size from hardware cloth, a pair of wire cutters and needle nose pliers. That makes them perfect for an oddly sized cubby or a tiny desk basket that stores never seem to carry. Cut the mesh to size, fold up the sides and bend the cut wire ends to lock the corners together. Watch the sharp edges as you go. Spray paint one oil rubbed bronze for a vintage industrial look, or leave it bright.
Get the full tutorial at Cozy DIY Home.
9. Simple And Sweet Fabric Basket
This simple fabric basket goes together in about 30 minutes with basic straight sewing. Each basket needs 1/3 yard of outer fabric, 1/3 yard of lining and 2/3 yard of heavyweight fusible interfacing so it holds its shape. Cut two 11 by 22 inch pieces from each, fuse the interfacing to the outer fabric and sew the sides and bottom with a 1/2 inch seam. Box the corners by marking a 6 inch triangle and stitching across it. Handles come from 2 by 10 inch strips.
Get the full tutorial at Flamingo Toes.
10. DIY Pom Pom Tassel Basket
A pom pom tassel basket dresses up a plain lidded basket with yarn pom poms, mini tassels and felt balls. A pom pom maker and wool blend yarn give the fullest, neatest poms, about 1 inch here. Thread an embroidery needle, pass it through a tassel loop, double knot and add a dot of quick dry craft glue. Slide on a felt ball, then a pom pom, and tie the strand to the basket’s lid loop, or push the needle through the top weave. It makes a fun craft night project.
Get the full tutorial at Alice and Lois.
11. Hanging Basket Craft Project
Hanging wicker baskets add storage in a small bathroom, bedroom or kitchen without taking floor space. Cut four 2 yard lengths of heavy cord and tie one to each corner of the largest of three nesting baskets, nudging the ends through the weave with a slim screwdriver. Measure about 12 inches up each cord, tie a small knot and thread the cords through the corners of the medium basket. Repeat for the small one. Screw a cup hook into the wall, then tie the cords so the baskets hang flat.
Get the full tutorial at Woman's Day.
12. DIY Fabric Basket
Lined fabric baskets make soft little buckets for nursery supplies, and they can be personalized with hand painted fabric. These are lined, so the top can fold over to show a pop of the inside color or stay tall for more room. A charm square variation is also shown, with video instructions. Fill one with diapers, wipes, a onesie and socks for a diaper kit, or a washcloth, baby wash and a bath toy for a bath kit. Tissue paper finishes it as a gift.
Get the full tutorial at see kate sew.
13. Easy DIY Woven Rope Basket
This woven rope basket uses sisal rope wrapped together with yarn, two rows at a time, no crochet hook required. A hair clip makes a surprisingly good tool for pulling yarn around the lower coil. Keep the rope in one continuous length and cut the yarn into yard long pieces, tying on a new piece when about 4 inches remain. Go heavy on the yarn at the very start or the center of the base will have a gap. The finished basket is about 10 inches wide and slouchy.
Get the full tutorial at CeciBean.
14. Folded Leather Basket
A folded leather basket goes from flat to three dimensional with just a square of leather, a hole punch and rivets. A 15 cm square makes a basket about 7 by 7 by 4 cm, and a 10 cm square makes one about 5 by 5 by 2.5 cm. Make a paper version first to check the folds before cutting good leather. Punch the holes, fold up the corners and set a rivet at each one. Heavy felt, craft foam or card stock with eyelets work too.
Get the full tutorial at Between the Lines.
15. DIY Yarn Woven Heart Shaped Basket
A yarn woven heart shaped basket starts with a cardboard heart and a ring of toothpicks or wooden skewers. Cut out the heart template and push the toothpicks in all around the edge. Tie the yarn to one toothpick and weave over and under, round after round, until the walls are as tall as you like. Glue beads and trims along the rim, then lay a heart cut from felt inside the bottom. It needs no special skills, and it makes a sweet jewelry box or Valentine’s gift holder.
Get the full tutorial at i Creative Ideas.
