Butter Tub Easter Basket 2 - The Sewn Version

Okay, I created an Easter basket using a butter tub and crochet for my younger daughter because I thought I was short an Easter Basket.  Well turns out I was short both Easter baskets since I can not recall where I stashed the one good one. 

My older daughter was thrilled to hear the news that I was going to have to quickly whip her up an Easter basket.  She immediately told me she didn't want hers to be like her sister Tate's but that I needed to sew her basket. 

Okay, bossy elder child of mine.  So I went scrounging through my meager fabric and trim stash and found some super cute animal print flannel and some white ruffled trim and using a butter tub as a base and created a really simple and cute Easter basket that looks entirely different from the first one. 

I always seem to be saving all sorts of close-able containers as long as I can think of two immediate ideas on how to reuse it, other wise it goes into the recycling/garbage bin.  I don't just keep things I think I can reuse, I have to have an actual idea and need in mind because I sure don't like clutter and I definitely don't want to become some crazy hoarder or garbage.

This basket was really easy to sew up, and stitch onto the butter tub.  I punched holes at the top just like I did to the first tub I created.

Hope you like it.  I sure do love sewing on my new machine.  So much nicer than that old mechanical Singer that the timing kept needing to be reset.

Easter,recycling and other projects.

I have been busy, with many different projects and thought I would share some of what I am working on or have completed these last couple of days. 

My daughters love, and I mean LOVE to draw.  So I try to make it a habit to always have something to write with and something to write on for the girls on my person and am often picking up cheap or discounted notebooks, pads, journals when I spot them.  Big Lots and the dollar store are two of my favorite stores for these types of items. 

Recently I decided to make a few out of leftover cuts of scrap paper.  Here are two that I made, with plans to make more of varying shapes, and sizes since these are a HUGE hit with my girls. Might be because they get to help scrounge up the paper or simply helping push the handle on the paper punch but hey, if it entertains them and gets the job done that's a win win in my book. 

I think these first ones came out well, and am excited to work on more.  Wish I had more scrapbook stuff on hand.  Wow! It sure can take a while to build up a decent variety to work with.  It has been fun though, hunting discounts for things I or more daughters might use.

Okay, this next project was a last minute idea when I realized that only one of last years Easter baskets had survived.  I didn't want to purchase one so decided to recycle a butter tub and sacrifice it to my Easter Basket idea.  It actually came out awesome if I do say so myself, and I do. 

This is how I did it.  

1.  Took a large butter tub and used a small hole punch to punch holes around the entire top lip of the container.

2.  Used a small crochet hook that fit easily through the holes to thread my yarn through creating a foundation from which I can crochet.

3.  Crocheted around the tub doing a double crochet until I had enough rows crocheted to wrap around the bottom a bit.  (The first row is the hardest and I had to use the small hook to pull the yarn through and up to the larger hook but this is only necessary for the first row as it is so tight.)

4.  Took a long length of yarn the same color and threaded a yarn needle which I used to pull in the bottom of the crocheted basket and then tied off in a secure knot, cut and hid the tail.

5.  Crocheted a handle to desired length and stitched it on through the holes in the tub. 

Voila! Recycled Easter Basket.  It was a pretty quick, super easy, and cute last minute project to complete.  Obviously you could further embellish the basket or do fancy stitches but this one does the trick.  Probably could have made it look like a bunny head but really this was a fly by the seat of my pants project.  I didn't have any instructions, just created as I went.

Complete Easter Basket from butter tub and yarn. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday!