5 Fabulous ways to personalise a Cesto shopping tote
As someone who loves to cross stitch and craft I am always on the look out for different ways to experiment with the technique. Which is why I jumped at the chance to customise the Cesto shopping basket from Red Gorilla. In fact I didn’t stop at one and I didn’t stop with just cross stitch! Here are five fabulous ways to personalise your Cesto shopping tote.
What is a Cesto shopping tote?
A classic 70’s design, it’s having a resurgence in popularity and it’s clear to see why. Not only is it durable and roomy, it’s perfect for shopping, gardening and the beach. Plus it comes in a range of fabulous colours. Now they are perfect as they are, but if you want to personalise them, check out my five ideas for customisation;
Cross Stitch with Yarn
It’s grid format makes it perfect for cross stitch, but you will need to scale up from regular floss as the squares are quite large. I opted for a chunky yarn in two colours that complimented the basket and went for a simple but effective zig zag design around the top edge.
Ribbon Weaving
Weaving is also having a rise in popularity and I knew the pink basket would be perfect for this. I chose two colours of satin ribbon and for added durability I folded these in half along the length and secured with double sided tape. This also meant they were the perfect width to fit the holes. I then wove alternate colours around the basket and secured the ends with more tape on the inside.
This basket really reminds me of the basket I had on the front of my bike as a child and for the reason, I think it might be my favourite.
Pom Poms and Chain Stitch
I mixed up the techniques on this basket as I wanted to show some other yarn ideas. This basket has a simple boarder of chain stitch made from the chunky yarn used previously along with a swag of fluffy pom poms below.
Tassels
This basket is perfect for festival season! With it’s multicoloured rainbow yarn tassels that are simply tied around the top edge at regular intervals.
Felt Stars
The quickest customisation but one of the most eye catching are the felt stars. Simply cut from thick felt in rainbow colours and strung on one length of raffia, they are then pulled tight around the basket and tied in place.
Grab the felt star template here.
Which was your favourite? Let me know in the comments.
Customisation and making some extra personal is why I love crafting. The possibilities for these Cesto totes are endless. Why don’t you experiment with your own designs and share your customized bags with me on social media. Just remember to tag @craftcartwright so I spot them.
Buy your Cesto shopping tote from Red Gorilla for £9.99 here
