Make a Shabby Chic Easter Basket Charm

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Disclosure: I received product from Austiner’s for a review. I only review and endorse products that I enjoy and believe that my readers will, too. All opinions (and crafting mistakes) are my own.

This year is the first time John and I are celebrating Easter as a couple. For the past four years, John hasn’t been able to really celebrate– he’s been in Boot Camp, on watch, TAD, and in Afghanistan. I got pretty excited and made him a big basket (which I can’t show you because John is a reader).

I just had to bling it up a little! So I made a double-sided Easter Basket Charm that I can tie onto the handle. If we had kids (or other people to give baskets to) I’d make a different one for each basket.

Both of these eggs were from the Mill Hill Spring line from Austiner’s . I used the Butterfly Egg and Chick Egg, but as long as you have two sides that are symmetrical when placed back-to-back, you can create the Easter Basket Charm. (And if you’re a cross stitch nut like me, you’ll probably notice that this process is similar to the one for turning cross stitch into ornaments.)

You’ll Need:

small scissors (I use embroidery scissors– they are sharp and precise enough to cut the cardboard canvas.)
2 projects that are symmetrical when placed back-to-back
fabric glue (I live and die by Aleene’s Fabric Fusion)
ribbon or cord to match your project (I used jute cording to give the project a little country flair, but a matched silk ribbon would work well, too!)

Directions:

1. Cut out both projects leaving a one-block perimeter around the stitched project.

2. Cut the ribbon or cord into at least 8-inch lengths (more if you have a bigger basket or a thicker handle).

3. Spread a thick layer of glue onto the back of one project. Make sure that you spread to the edge of the project.

4. Press your cording into the glue and spread glue on top of the cording. Carefully press the other project onto the first project and hold for 10 seconds. Wipe excess glue from the edges and let dry for an hour. (For good measure, I placed a book onto the top of the project so that the cording securely bonded with both sides of the project.)