how to make a fabric basket in ten(ish) steps

I’ve made a few fabric baskets lately – and I plan to make more as I’ve decided that perhaps the fabric basket is the key to an organised sewing space and maybe even the organised life that I so desperately seek.  Most recently I made this fabric basket for a friend as a birthday present. Angelina of Norwood Walkabouts expressed interest in how to make one a ages ago (sorry it has taken me all this time!) …so here goes how in ten(ish) steps:

Step 1: Make a patternI decided that I wanted this basket to be a 10cm cube, so the length of the square on the pattern piece is 12cm to allow for a 1cm seam allowance. The section of the pattern that lies on the fold of the material is 6cm high and 36cm in total length (if I’d thought ahead I would have written the lengths on the paper – sorry!)

Step 2: Cut the materialsYou will need – a piece of material for the outer, a piece of material for the lining and wadding.

Step 3: Pin the wadding and the lining together

  Step 4: Sew lining to waddingTrim excess seam allowance, particularly wadding.

Step 5: Sew seams (side edges of baskets)To sew the side seams together just fold the material right sides together and sew. Do this for the outer piece of material as well, again making sure that right sides are together. 

Step 6: Make handles

Decide on the length and width of handles that you want for your basket. Then cut a piece of material four times the width you desire and a couple of centimetres longer. That is – if you want a handle that is two centimetres wide and ten centimetres long then cut a piece of material 8cm x 12cm. The handles are made in the same way that binding is made. Fold the piece of material in half, and then fold half again towards the centre.

Sew the handle together down the loose edge.

Step 7: Attach handles to outer materialNote that the handles are on the right side of the outer of the basket.

Step 8: Pin outer and lining together and sew together around top of basketA few things to note here. Firstly right sides of material are facing together – so that is the back of my embroidery that you can see there in all its knotted mess. Secondly try to match the corners together because it just looks better. Sew around the top of the basket – ensuring to capture the handles and also remembering to leave a hole a couple of centimetres wide.

Step 9: Turn the basket out    Pull the basket through the hole so that the basket is now right side out and almost finished.

Step 10: Slip stitch closed the hole

… and voila – you’re done.

If you have any questions about the process be sure to email me and I’ll try to explain. Good luck!