Bonkers for Baskets

"Bonkers for Baskets"

By Missy Rose

If you hadn't guessed already, I love baskets!  They are not just cute but great for organization and much prettier then ordinary bins.  If you have recently looked at the price baskets in the store, you may have been as shocked as I was to see how much they coast!  Well, there is still hope!  Here are a bunch of baskets that I have found at thrift stores and yard sales for a fraction of what it would coast in the store.

My first basket I found at a yard sale for $1.00.  When I checked the price of baskets like it in the store, I found that this one was worth $15 - $20!!!  It had a little bit of

dirt on the inside lining but that came out with a good washing and even if there was a small stain left on the inside, who can see it when it's filled with stuff?!?  I use this one on top of my desk to keep manuals and power cords.  A great, cheap, and cute way to organize my room!

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This is a little basket I found at a thrift store for 0.43.  It's obviously handmade and was made out of pine needles. I love the handmade look and needed something to keep my hair clips (as seen around the edge) and hair pins in.  Handmade items are always very expensive and I would guess this little basket would normally be $5 - $8.

Clipped to my hair basket I also have a cute little hair rose that Chip made for me.  It only took her minutes to make and coast only pennies to but buy something like that would probably coast $3-$5 or more.

Maybe sometime I can get her to post how to make one.... maybe. ;)

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Here is a medium size basket that I found at a thrift store for $1.00.   This basket is work between  $8 - $10.  It was actually a boring looking little basket but was the perfect size for a shelf on a stand I have inside of my bedroom door.  To perk it up a little bit, I cut a strip of fabric and wove it around the top of the basket and then tied a little bow - as seen.  This only took me a few minutes but turned a boring looking basket into something cute!  I now use it to keep hats, gloves, and scarves in.

My apologies, I was never able to get a good picture of this basket.

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This cute little basket I again found at a thrift store for only 0.49!!  It is the perfect size to keep CD's in to I am currently keeping master CD's of my photography in it.  This basket is worth about $5.

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Here is another basket that is the perfect size for CD's and that's exactly what I keep in it!  This basket again coast me 0.49 and it's worth between $5-$8.

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Ok, one more "little" basket.  This is the same as the last two and coast 0.49 but is worth $5-$8.  It's the perfect size for me to keep small sewing items in.

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Here is a very large basket that I found for $2.50 and I price checked it at $15-$20!!  

I keep it in the top of my closet and keep fabric and patterns in it for future projects.

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Here again is a large basket that was originally $2 at a thrift store but was 50% off!  So for $1 I bought a basket that is worth $25-$30!!!   In this basket I keep all of my sewing and other projects that I am currently working on.

Speaking of current projects... In this basket right now is an afghan that I have been working on that is made out of yarn scraps.  My mom had picked up three apple boxes of yarn at a yard sale for $3 and so I went through it and picked out all of the browns and creams and have been making them into this!  It is almost twin size now.  I don't know if you have checked the price of blankets in a store lately but they are so expensive!

You can't see it well in this picture, but below my craft basket is another large basket that I am keeping quilts and blankets in right now.  It is rectangular with four handle openings and is the perfect size for a folded up blanket.  Since it's long and short, it would also be perfect for under a bed or in top of a closet.  This basket coast me $2.50 and is worth about $20. Again, HUGE savings!!!

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Ok, last basket for today even though I have bunches more!  This basket, though not the prettiest, I made out of cattails that were in our pound.  It turned out lopsided but it was a challenge and it's one of my favorites!   I also added fabric to the edge of this one but I think I will replace it with something a bit more bright and cheerful.  This was a fun project but very challenging. I would only recommend trying this to someone who is already good at crafting.  I hope to try it again when the cattails come out of the snow.

Thank you for reading this post!  I hope this has been an encouragement to you of what you can accomplish with just a bit of pocket change!

~~~ Missy Rose ~~~