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Springtime Basket filled with Mini Multicolored Eggs -Part II 10. To add new raffia strands, just place new ones between the ones you already have, as needed. Since the raffia strands will not all be the same length, you will be adding a strand or two when one or more get thin and begin to run out. The thickness of the coil does not have to be exactly the same throughout, just try to keep it approximately the same thickness. Slight variations will even out overall and give the basket more handmade character! 11. It will take approximately 6 to 8 rows of coils to form the bottom of the basket (about 3 inches wide) and approximately 8 to 10 rolls of coils up the sides of the basket to make it 1 1/2 inches high. You can continue coiling to make it higher if you wish. 12. To finish the basket, stop adding raffia strands and stitch out to end of the coil. If you have been adding strands only as needed to maintain an approximate thickness of the coil throughout, the raffia strands at the end should also taper off and end a different lengths. By stitching around successively smaller coils, the ends will taper off on last stitches, making a smaller and smaller coil which will just blend in with the shape. If you want to end the basket and still have quite a bit of raffia left you can cut the ends in a tapering fashion, from longer to shorter and then follow the same finishing method described above. 13. You may spray the completed basket with a spray clear lacquer or shellac when it is completed and the raffia is completely dry. This will give it a sheen and also a bit more stiffness. Or you can leave it natural. To make the multicolored eggs: Step 14. See our previous Kid's Project, Christmas Ball Tree Ornament, at http://www.caron-net.com/kidfiles/kidsdec.html and follow Steps 1, 2 and 3, substituting your Styrofoam eggs for the Styrofoam ball in the project, and the Watercolours threads chosen for the eggs, instead of the color specified for the ornament. Otherwise, the technique is the same. Your colored eggs will look almost good enough to eat! You can even decorate some real hard boiled Easter eggs this way! Step 15. When the eggs are completed, line your basket with some cellophane grass, if desired, add the eggs and fill in the rest with jelly beans! Spring has Sprung! You can sit back and admire your dramatic centerpiece, but be sure to keep a lookout for the Easter Bunny who's just waiting to hide those eggs! --