Craft Tuesday: Danish Heart Baskets

These beautiful heart baskets are simple to make and, even though they are a Danish Christmas tradition, they are now used for many different things. This year, I am making some to give as Valentine's Day presents! They are perfect to stuff with candy, cookies, or small presents. The baskets are so simple to make, it would be a great thing to make with children to give to their friends!

I made my baskets out of felt, but you can use paper too. Don't limit yourself to solid colors either! If you are doing paper, try different patterns of paper, or even something fun like an old map or sheet music.

You will need:

• Felt or paper
• Scissors
• Ruler

The first thing you need to do is cut your material. You will need two 9" x 3" strips for each heart.

After you cut your strips, fold each one in half and round the corners. Then, make three cuts from the folded end, up towards the open end. Leave about a 1.5" gap between the end of the felt and your cut. It's easiest to start with the middle cut, and then doing the outer two.

Once your pieces are cut, you can weave them together. It's simple! Take your first strip from one piece of your heart weave it in the strips of the other piece. Go around, then through, around then through. Weave each strip in this manner, alternating how you start. For example, for strips 1 and 3 you would start weaving buy going around, and for 2 and 4 you would start by going through. Hopefully that makes sense!

Now that you have finished weaving them, adjust them and make the pretty! Stuff them and give them as a gift, or hang them on a garland.

Happy crafting!