How to fold an origami basket
A masu box makes the body; a strip folded in four along its length makes a strong strap. Glue its ends inside the walls and it springs up into a handle.
You need: 1 square sheet, 15 × 15 cm, and a 14 × 3 cm strip in a darker colour. Medium, 10 steps, about 12 minutes.
Steps
- Crease the middle. Fold the left corner onto the right corner, crease, then unfold.
- Crease the other way. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner, crease, then unfold. The creases cross at the centre.
- Corners to the centre. Fold all four corners in so their tips meet at the centre. You now have a smaller square.
- Crease the side walls. Fold the left and right edges in to the middle, crease well, then unfold.
- Crease the end walls. Fold the top and bottom edges in to the middle, crease well, then unfold.
- Handle: new strip. Set the body aside. Take the brown strip, white side up, lying across.
- Handle: fold in half. Fold the top edge of the strip down to the bottom edge.
- Handle: in half again. Fold the bottom edge up to the top edge. The strap is now thin and strong.
- Lay the strap across. Lay the body under the strap so the strap runs across the middle. Glue its very ends to the left and right walls.
- Raise the basket. Lift the four walls and tuck each corner flat inside. The strap ends stay glued inside the side walls and the middle arches up into a handle.
Off to a picnic!
Fill it with paper fruit, sweets or Easter eggs and carry it by the handle.