In my book one can never have too many little baskets to decorate a table or sideboard, or to leave on a dresser top for safekeeping of jewelry and small items. These heart shaped plastic canvas baskets are also nesting baskets, so they're easy to store and fun to use when the moment strikes! One could even make them to hold treats for a special occasion, and then use them afterwards just for fun.
You can choose to leave the plastic canvas blank, as I have, or spend some time embroidering the baskets as you see fit. It really is all a matter of how you choose to spend your precious time, and in this case, the simple metallic edge gives these baskets just enough interest, that spending hours and hours filling up the canvas in my opinion may not result in something that much more wonderful, if you know what I mean? Then again it really is just a matter of personal taste, embroidering the sides with peach or pink could be lovely indeed, and if you use long stitches, maybe diagonal ones, it could go fairly quickly. Hmmm, now maybe I've convinced myself, whoops!
You'll Need:
- 2 plastic canvas hearts
- 7 count plastic canvas, or as desired. Plastic canvas with larger holes is thicker and will result in a basket that holds its shape better than mine do, though I actually like that they're not perfect
- metallic silver craft cord (sold as a supply for plastic canvas crafts)
- a large yarn needle
How To:
- One heart is worked with in its full size, while the second heart is trimmed in order to make a basket that will fit inside the full size heart. I trimmed off two rows all the way around. If you'd like to make a box which is really the same as two nesting baskets, trim only one row all around.
- The sides are worked in two pieces of plastic canvas per heart, and joined to the base with a whip stitch. The side pieces are then joined to one another at the tip of the heart and the top of the heart. You can see the vertical seams in the photographs above.
- You can make the sides any height you desire, and if using stiff plastic canvas, one could make a very tall basket for almost the same amount of work. Or of course a very tall heart shaped box!
I hope you have enjoyed this simple plastic canvas project, and while I do love these little baskets, I've actually come up with a way to use them to make a fun wall hanging in which you don't even realize that they are hearts, at least not right away. Got you curious? Stay tuned!
