- 1). Blow up your balloon until it is about 12 inches long and tie it at the end. Try to get a good quality heavy latex balloon so it won't pop in the process.
- 2). Tie the end of the string to the knot on the balloon. Begin wrapping the string around the entire balloon, constantly changing direction slightly, until a fairly woven netted look is achieved all over the balloon. Tie off the end around the balloon's knot and cut off the excess string.
- 3). Place the balloon in the basin. Begin pouring the fabric stiffener, available at most craft stores, over the string. Be sure to cover all of the string so that it absorbs the product. This can get a bit messy, so make sure the basin has plenty of room for moving the balloon around.
- 4). Suspend the balloon from something, such as a clothes line or shower rod. Place a drop cloth beneath the balloon as some of the product will drip off as it dries. Allow the balloon to dry for as long as the fabric stiffener package suggests.
- 5). When the stiffener is completely dry, the string will be hardened and maintain its shape. Pop the balloon. It will shrivel up inside and pull away from the string. Cut the knotted end of the balloon away and discard it. The string will be a netted shell, shaped like an egg.
- 6). Hold the cardboard circle to one side of the netted shell and trace around it very gently onto the string. Use scissors to clip away the circle and make a round opening.
- 7). With a hot glue gun, glue lace around the edges of the opening. Glue the bow to the top of the basket, where the balloon knot once was. If you like, you can glue some ribbon trailing down the sides.
- 8). Attach the grapevine wreath to the bottom, rounded part of the basket as a stand. Glue it with the hot glue, then weave ribbon around the grapevine wreath, going into the basket between the openings in the netting. This will secure it better than glue alone.
- 9). Fill the bottom of the basket through the main circular opening with a layer of Easter basket grass or cotton. Place a small stuffed animal, such as a chick or bunny, into the basket and surround it with small trinkets, candy and eggs.
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