Thursday, May 1, 2008

May Basket


May Day is the first day of summer on the Celtic calendar and the real beginning of spring in New England. We celebrate it with a trip to Cambridge MA for May Day festivities where there is singing, dancing, Morris dancers, and a Maypole. On the years when I rise early enough, I deliver May baskets to friends' doors before we leave.

MAKING THE BASKET

You'll need three rectangular pieces of paper (I used pages from a catalog) and a glue stick. Start by gluing two pages together to make a more sturdy basket.

1. Fold the paper in half the long way. When I teach kids bookmaking I say we are folding it like a hot dog. If your paper is different on each side, the one you want on the outside of the basket should be on the outside when you make the fold.




2. Open the paper and fold each side in to meet the middle.


3. Open the paper and fold in half the other way, like a hamburger.


4. Fold each side in to meet the middle.


5. Fold a triangle in each corner by bringing the side edge to meet the fold.


6. At the top of the triangles, fold the edges down to make long narrow rectangles.



7. Put your hands at the corners and raise up the side of the basket one side at a time.



8. Make a handle by
tearing or cutting the last piece of paper in half the long way,
folding it in half the long way
opening it and folding each side in to meet the middle,
putting glue on one side and closing it to make a narrow strip.

9. Glue the handle to the sides of the basket.

10. Put plastic inside the basket (I cut up a plastic bag), fill it with dirt and a plant (mine is a traditional May plant, sweet woodruff). You can also fill it with candy or other treats.

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