Flowery Basket from Recycled Cans

Been playing a lot in my “metal studio” and decided to try making one of those woven heart baskets we used to make when I was a kidlet.
But out of recycled beverage cans instead of paper.

It was surprisingly difficult, and the result was underwhelming. Also a bit dangerous, because there are lots of sharp little edges all around.

Adding some flowers and a handle made from braided vintage telephone wire helped the appearance a bit, but still not my finest hour… Maybe okay as a Valentine’s Day decoration? Felt I had to give it a topic because of how long it took me and how troublesome it was.

Here’s the back of it (which gives you a better idea what it looked like before the extra decorations.)

I’m thinking about adding some metal tape all around the edge to try to reduce the danger factor. What do you think? Would that help or hurt the appearance of it?

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It sure is pretty…but I get that it can be injurious!

I have a candle holder made from a recycled can…it looks like all the edges were finished with some sort of blow torch…not sure how practical that is for you…lol…

I have been saving some cans to try a few pieces, but once I get cut, I am done…I am a big baby.

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If you are able @AIMR, can you post a picture below, showing me the edge of your candle holder?

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Dangerous hearts deserve their own thread, if only to stand as a warning to others. The colors are nice, and I love the flowers.

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I have it in a box of stuff that I didn’t have room to display in my new house, but I think I know which box it is in. I made one in a swap in the old place, and nearly cut myself several times, despite wearing reinforced gloves.

The one I have was purchased at a craft fair…it is black and now you also have me curious about the edges because I have never cut myself on it at all…as I recall, they seemed “rounded” in some way. I’ll look tomorrow afternoon.

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The finished front is pretty dang adorable if you ask me! As to the edges… if love can cut like a knife, it can cut like a soda can. Everything has risks! :wink:

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I think this would look lovely as a Valentines decoration! Can you tuck things (carefully!) inside the basket?

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That’s really cool, right down to the phone wire handle, wow. I wouldn’t change a thing on that little work of art. Some pretty stuff is just for looking at and that’s a-ok.

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Thanks, guys! Yes, it is an actual basket that would hold things.

The top edge isn’t too sharp; it’s the bottom edge as well as a few spots where the interlocking strips tore into each other, making burrs in the metal. I filed them down as best I could and tried rounding off the edges that I could reach. Nevertheless, it remains a “dangerous heart”! Would love to find a good solution for those sharp edges.

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@Magpie stole the words right out of my mouth so I’ll just say ditto to her comments :smiley:

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I don’t have a solution for the rough edges, but I think it looks amazing.

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:hibiscus: :blossom: :tulip: :sunflower: CONGRATULATIONS! Your beautiful craft is one of this week’s Featured Projects! :hibiscus: :blossom: :tulip: :sunflower:

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Thanks! I think it’s funny that this troublesome little heart is on the “featured” list.

I like the look without the edges fixed, but I understand the need to fox them.

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You are brave to weave with sharp metal, but it looks so great! I think as long as it is hung away from little hands with a warning for everyone else, it looks absolutely stunning and nothing else is needed. What a fun little project!

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I used to make stuff from aluminum cans, and don’t recall the edges being dangerous. I cut them with kitchen shears, which have a little serration on the blades. Maybe that crinkly effect makes the edges safer.

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So the edges cut with scissors (like the top edges) aren’t very sharp or dangerous. But the bottom edge has a bunch of loose ends with little pointy tips. (Tried to round off and file the ones I could reach, but it was impossible to address all of them.) If I glued all those ends down, it might solve the problem, but I was really trying to avoid glue to maintain the item’s future recyclability.

There are also some places in the woven areas where the strips fought the weave and gouged into the edges of each other, creating burrs. Again, worked on them to reduce the injury potential…but don’t feel it was entirely successful.

It is what it is. I’ll probably use it as a Valentine season decoration. Will have to figure out what to tuck inside it.

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I think it looks really cool, but I can understand the danger factor makes is not so versatile. You did a great job with it, I’m glad you shared it even though you’re not 100% satisfied.

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How about Sugru? Sticks to everything, comes in all colours or can be custom blended, cures in 24 hours, and it can be shaped like clay tho it is quite sticky to handle. The fix could be a design element that wouldn’t interfere too much with the overall look, or even add to it.

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Interesting product! I wasn’t familiar with it, but maybe could work to create a rounded edge for safety. It would render the item non-recyclable, though.