Loofah becomes a household name in the Philippines since the vegetable patola is a favorite ingredient in most Filipino dish. Aside from the kitchen uses of loofah, a dried patola , it can be a nice home accessories and an example of this is a basket out of loofah.
This is how to make a loofah basket.
Materials needed
– 2 pcs. of processed loofah with natural color (for the basket handle, body and the bottom of the basket)
– 2 dyed loofah (in red and green colours as flower accessories)
– Rolling pin
– 6”x16” cartolina ( green and yellow) for the basket body
– 4”x15” cartolina for the basket handle\
– Floral tape
– 6 pieces artificial pollen
– #30 wire
– Silver and gold ribbons
– Lace
– Glue gun
– Glue stick
– White Crepe paper
– Colorless cellophane
– Red ribbon
– 2 scissors
For the body of the basket (Procedure)
1. Cut the chamber of loofah with a natural color vertically and spread it on the table. Get the core sponge. Flattened the loofah using the rolling pin. Set aside.
2. Fold the 6”x16” cartolina into two. Spread the glue at the center. Use the rolling pin to press and secure the glue on the cartolina.
3. Spread glue on the cartolina and attached the loofah you have set aside on the cartolina.
4. Again, flattened the loofah with the cartolina using the rolling pin.
5. Hold both end of the flattened loofah with cartolina to form a circle. Glue it to lock the circle to make the body of the basket. Set aside.
For the basket handle
1. Cut a loofah vertically.
2. Flattened the loofah using a rolling pin.
3. Fold the 4”x15” cartolina vertically into three parts.
4. Put in between two loofah the cartolina to make a strip. glue it. This will make the handle hard.
5. Using glue gun, put glue on both end of the loofah strip to make a basket handle.
For the bottom of the basket
1. Using a rolling pin flattened the remaining loofah with natural color.
2. Form a circle.
3. Cut the circle for the bottom of the basket.
4. Make another one like this. Glue the two loofah circle to have a hard basket bottom.
5. Roll it with a rolling pin to stick the two circles.
6. Fit the bottom to the basket. You can now accessorize the loofah basket using the lace, ribbons and flowers.
