Cut down from the top of the cup, stopping when you're just over 1/4 inch from the bottom.Make another cut about 3/4 inch from the previous cut. Continue cutting down around the cup until you have 9 strips (or another odd number - this is very important for the weaving to work.)
Apply a line of glue tape along the bottom of the cup.
Attach the end of your yarn to the glue tape. Make sure the yarn lines up with the bottom edge of the cup.
Wind the yarn around the cup tightly, several times, until the yarn reaches the cuts in the cup.
Step 3: Weave around the cup
Fold back the strips of the cup and set the cup down, bottom up.
With the yarn still attached to the ball, start weaving the yarn through the paper cup strips.Go over one strip, under the next, over, under, over, under and so on, working your way around the cup. Try to keep the yarn fairly tight for the best results.
Continue weaving until you're happy with the height of the basket, and then cut the yarn off, leaving 1 to 2 inches extra at the end.
Take the extra yarn and tuck it inside, between the yarn and the cup, to secure it. (It helps to use a toothpick to push the yarn down.)
Step 4: Trim cup and attach ribbon accents
Cut the paper cup strips so there's about 1/4 inch left above the yarn.
Attach polka dot ribbon around the top of the cup with glue tape or a glue gun.
Tie a bow with silky ribbon. Add glue tape on the back of the bow and attach it to the front of the basket.
Step 5: Make and attach the basket handle
Cut a pipe cleaner to be about 10 inches long.
Tie the yarn to one end of the pipe cleaner.
Begin winding the yarn around the pipe cleaner. We found it easiest to hold the yarn tight while twisting the pipe cleaner with our other hand.
When you've covered the entire pipe cleaner, leave a couple extra inches of loose yarn and then cut the yarn. Tie a double knot on the end of the pipe cleaner and cut off any extra yarn.
Bend the wrapped pipe cleaner in an arch and insert one end on one side of the basket, between the yarn and the cup. Repeat on the other side, using a toothpick to help push the pipe cleaner down, if needed. We left our handles loose, but you can secure them with glue from a glue gun if you'd like.