Barneblad: Candy Wrapper Weaving

Published November 17, 2015 · Updated December 25, 2020

Photo: Heidi Håvan Grosch
What will you use yours for?

Heidi Håvan Grosch
Sparbu, Norway

Many say that Norwegians eat more chocolate than any other country in the world. I don’t know if that’s so, but we do eat a lot of chocolate. There are two chocolate companies in Norway. Freia is in Oslo and Nidar is in Trondheim. Our chocolate comes in long bars wrapped in colorful plastic wrappers.

The example for this week’s craft with trash is using these chocolate wrappers, but you could also use coffee bags or anything else that has a bit of weight to it. Even brown paper would work! Play. Experiment. That’s what making art is all about.

Photo: Heidi Håvan Grosch
You can see the process of weaving strips together.

Instructions:
1. Find some chocolate.

2. Eat it.

3. Save the wrapper.

4. Cut the wrapper into strips. You can use either side when you weave. Divide the strips into two piles.

5. Lay one set of strips in rows, close together. Tape both the upper and lower ends to the table.

6. Weave, in and out, with the second set of strips.

7. Tape the other two sides to the table to keep the newly woven strips together, then carefully peel the newly woven piece off the table.

8. Fold under all four sides and tape.

9. FINISHED! Now you can use your newly woven candy fabric for a purse, a mat for a picture, a coffee coaster. Any other ideas? You can also laminate or cover the entire thing in contact paper if you wish.

Have fun!

This article is a part of Barneblad, a monthly feature by Heidi Håvan Grosch to share with kids and grandkids.

This article originally appeared in the Nov. 20, 2015, issue of the Norwegian American Weekly. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.