Appealing to their sense of not wanting to waste food. That's at least a little clever.
Basket weaving is, as far as I know, traditionally not made specifically by either men or women. Smaller things like sewing or knitting tend to be more on the feminine side, while woodcraft is more manly. Depends on culture, naturally, and what activities they "compete" with.
She's cute with the sweater, though. Even if she's sweaty.
Elves are hungry for inventions.
Can't really compare paper and parchment in terms of cost and availability. Once you figure out how to consistently make good paper (which to be fair, isn't easy), it's just better. While parchment is more durable, you often don't need that extra durability.