by Katie-Ellen

Created on: November 09, 2009

There's something authentic and real about rustic style crafts in our preparations for Christmas. It's the art of capturing the spirit of this exciting season and transforming our homes into spaces that are welcoming.

Basket of Pine Cones - choose your favourite basket with a handle and fill it with pine cones of varying sizes so that it looks full, earthy and enticing, regardless of what hemisphere you live in.

Starting on one side of the handle, glue or pin in place a length of wide Christmas ribbon and wrap it around the handle in an under and over motion, leaving space in-between for the natural fibres of the handle to show through. Attach it at the other end so that it stays firmly in place.

Now repeat the process with a narrow Christmas ribbon and centre it over the middle of the wide ribbon and attach it in place. If you have any pine nuts, natural leaves or grasses, draw them together and wrap a ribbon around them with a few longer lengths to hang down. Glue or pin to the top of the handle.

Basket Ruffle - you will need a piece of Christmas material long enough to go round the circumference of the top edge of a basket two and a half times; elastic and ribbon. It won't matter if it has joins in it as they won't be noticeable. The depth of the ruffle depends on your tastes. A quarter or a third of the depth of your basket is a good estimate.

Join the small side edges and sew together. Turn up a narrow hem at the bottom of the ruffle and sew in place. Depending on the size of the basket you will need a piece of elastic that will sit firmly around the top edge or lip of the basket, minus a little as it will stretch and need to sit firmly around your basket.

On the top of the ruffle piece turn under a narrow hem and sew in place. Then turn the piece over again, inserting and stretching the elastic as you go, being careful not to catch it into the stitching. Stretch the elastic as you go and move the gathered material around to fit.

A wide piece of Christmas ribbon can be placed over the top edge of the ruffle and tied together in a large bow.

Creating rustic style Christmas crafts is a wonderful option because you can use so many items from both indoors and outdoors to authenticate the theme.

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