Making your own balls,baskets and boxes

[lola13]

Hey!
Any crafy people out there that make their own boxes,balls or baskets out of willow,cane,raffia or any material?
I can't find any small boxes,baskets or balls online or in store and believe me I've looked. Ill find ones that are treated or got metal(fake metal) to hold them together.
If anyone has any tutorials or UK websites please share!

[AJPeter]

Northen Parrots sell bits for making treats www.northernparrots.com
AJpeter

[Kimma]

I just found this tutorial

http://www.christinedebeer.ca/weaving-a ... alm-leaves

Which makes weaving a box from palm leaves look easy. You've inspired me to look for more info on palm-weaving because I have so many palm leaves cluttering up my yard.

If you find any other good tutorials I've love to see them too.

[Kimma]

And I just found this one...

http://www.niftythriftythings.com/2011/ ... -news.html

A basket out of paper.

[Little Buttercup]

Thanks Kimma for those 2 links. Looks so lovely those paper and palm weaving. Also something to keep my kids busy with. Hope they can make a few for my birds.

Ash

[Kimma]

And another cute basket

http://www.elli.com/blog/diy-grocery-bag-easter-basket/

And how to make a ball out of willow

http://www.christinedebeer.ca/weaving-willow-spheres

She uses wire to hold it together, but I am sure it would be possible to do it without.

[Little Buttercup]

Thanks again, really lovely specially that ball. I keep on buying vine balls for Kiwi and he shreds it up in no time when I fill it up with treats. Then I stuff it up with tissue paper so the treats can hold and he can use it further. I have palms in my garden but I don't have willow. Wonder any other tree that can be suitable for those balls?

Ash

[Kimma]

Well, I originally googled for wicker balls, just that was a nice easy-to-follow tutorial.

People talk about making them from wicker, rattan and just twigs.

I think that as long as you have suitably thin and bendy twigs, you could use anything you liked. Most new twigs are quite bendy, but you can soften it further by soaking in hot water. The hard part would be insuring they are bird-safe. On the plus side, the birds aren't going to care if it's pretty.

[Little Buttercup]

True, especially with Kiwi, who is not worried about how the ball is looking as long as he can chew it and get something out of it. I've got acacia, plane, mulberry and peach trees. Also some others that I have to check what its called and if its safe. Anyway, thanks for all the info.

Ash

[Kimma]

More finds!

A palm leaf ball.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/markbguam/6915126567/

His whole flickr stream is full of things made from palms, and he links to youtube tutorials. You tube may be the best place to find ideas, I just can't search on youtube atm.

I am definitely going to try out some of these things, and I'd love to see what you make as well.

[lola13]

Good sites! I made one out of raffia. Turned out good my macaw took it for himself!