Recycling and Useful!
MaterialsPlastic bags of different colours
Cardboard
Needle and Thread to finish (optional)
Scissors
Compass or circular objects to draw around.
Step 1:
The Cardboard Template Decide the size of the bowl you wish to make. Decide the size of the inner circle and then the distance from the inner circle to the outer circle will be the height of the sides. The one above is a particularly large one and I used a massive compass for it borrowed from my engineer friends, I guess there are not that many of them lying around!
Now take cardboard and draw an inner circle and an outer circle around it (the centre should be the same point or else your bowl will be lopsided - though this can be nice).
Step 2:
The Cardboard Template - SlitsFrom the image above it should be clear what you are trying to come up with. If you want to be really accurate you can make the slits using a protractor and measuring 36degrees in between each.
Note - when you cut the slits you want them to be V shaped. The fatter you cut the V shapes the more they will come together and the deeper the bowl will be. If they are very narrow then the bowl will be shallower.
Step 3:
Squish the Cardboard Once you have got the template as above then you need to make the cardboard pliable. Do this by pushing your thumbs into it. You can then begin to see what shape your bowl might become. SOry I don't have a picture for this. ALso I wouldn't squish the centre and it might be a good idea to re-inforced the centre with sticky back plastic but this might not be necessary.
Step 4:
Plastic Bags You need to cut your plastic bags into strips which is very easy if you lay the plastic bag flat and then roll/fold it from the bottom to the handles then simply make 4 cuts (usually about right). You will then end up with 4 lovely strips. The end strips will need a little incision into the handles and then slicing down the middle to make them the same as the middle two strips.
Step 5:
Weaving Very simple technique. Just in and out. One strip goes behind and infront and the other will go in front and behind. It is best to go with one strip "out, in, out" and then with the other "in, out, in" rather than getting carried away with one of the strips. This will make your weave tighter.
Overlapping strips - there are a couple of options, you can try and twist them together or you can just start a new strip and over lap and then tuck in the ends and tidy it up later. I prefer the latter.
Step 6:
Finishing I finished mine by folding a strip over the top and sewing it on with some strong thread and a blanket stitch but you could use a running stitch or whatever. I have seen others just fold the remaining cardboard out as a little ridge.
Notes: I have recently made a square one of these and it worked really well too - obviously using a square shaped template with right angle slits at the corner.
Please message me if you have any questions. I have never written a tutorial before and maybe you need more photos. let me know :-)
