How to Make a Collapsible Chopstick Folding Basket

Whether you received chopsticks as a gift and you don't know how to use them or you're looking for a creative option to hold fruit, make a collapsible chopstick folding basket. Make the folding baskets from new chopsticks or recycle old chopsticks and save wood. Fold the basket when not in use to save precious space on your countertop. Use the baskets to hold fruits and vegetables. The gaps between the chopsticks provide good air circulation, which increases the shelf-life of the food.

Submerge the 40 chopsticks in a cooking pot. Heat the water to a boil to kill all bacteria and germs. Boil the chopsticks for 30 minutes. Remove the chopsticks. Let them cool and dry for 20 minutes.

Drill a 1/16-inch hole into the thinner ends of the chopsticks, using a power drill and a 1/16-inch drill bit. Position the holes a half inch above the thinner end of the chopsticks. Continue until you drill holes in 40 chopsticks.

Place 20 chopsticks side by side in a row on a level surface. Position the thinner ends of the chopsticks downwards. The 20 chopsticks make half of the collapsible folding basket.

Measure and cut fishing wire to a 2-foot length using a tape measure and scissors. Insert the end of the fishing wire into the hole in a sewing needle and pull the fishing wire halfway through the hole of the needle. Tie the ends of the fishing wire and make a total of three knots. The diameter of the knots needs to be larger than 1/16 inch.

Insert the needle through the holes in the chopsticks. Start at the hole in the left end of the chopsticks. Continue until the needle goes through all 20 of the holes. Pull the needle out of the right end of the chopsticks. Pull the fishing wire from the right end of the chopsticks, over the top surfaces of the chopsticks and into the hole in the left end of the chopsticks. Pull the fishing wire tightly.

Insert the needle through all 20 of the holes. Pull the needle out of the right end of the chopsticks. Pull the fishing wire from the right end of the chopsticks, under the bottom surfaces of the chopsticks and into the hole in the left end of the chopsticks. Pull the fishing wire tightly.

Tie the ends of the fishing wire and make a total of three knots. The diameter of the knots needs to be larger than 1/16 inch.

Reinforce the fishing wire by squeezing a line of hot glue over the top, bottom and sides of the fishing wire. Let the hot glue dry for 20 seconds. Repeat Steps 2 through 7 to make the other half of the collapsible chopstick folding basket.