Soda Can Basket

"...much of what was said did not matter, and that much of what mattered could not be said."    -Katherine Boo, Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity

This months book club book was Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo.  This was a great look into life in the Mumbai undercity and the disparities in one of the largest cities in the world.  One of the characters in the book is Abdul, who buys and sells recycling.  His profession inspired this recycling project.

Materials:

• Soda can
• Scissors
• Two different colors of plastic grocery bags
• Hot glue gun

Directions:

1. Cut the top off the soda can.
2. Cut 16 spokes in the can. All the way down to the base of the can.
3. Cut one long strip out of the grocery bag.  Do the same thing to the other grocery bag.
4. Tuck the end of the grocery bag strip behind one of the spokes.  Tuck the next grocery bag strip behind the next spoke. 
5. Weave the strips around the spokes.  Make sure to pull tight for the best basket shape.
6. Weave up to one inch from the top. Fold the can spokes down over the strips.  
7. Cut off any excess of the grocery bag strip.  Tuck behind the folded over spoke.
8. Cut three strips of grocery bag about 6-7 inches long.
9. Tuck  the ends of the three strips under one of the links of the woven basket (leaving 1-2 inches over hanging).  Do the same on the other side.
10. Fold the excess strip up, and wrap excess grocery bag strip around to cover the handle.
11. If you want to decorate the basket, tie a bow (or two) and hot glue them onto the basket.

Enjoy your very recycled basket!