Fabric Basket Tutorial

 These little basket are so easy and fun to make. You can make them in any sizes or colors for storage, room decorations or as gifts! You will love having them around. or at least i did.

Materials Required:

1. Exterior Fabric --> 2 fat quarters.
(one for main print fabric (top) and another for contrast fabric (bottom)) 
2. Lining Fabric --> half a yard of print fabric 
3. Interfacing --> half a yard

Cutting Instructions:

1. Exterior Fabric :
Main print fabric (top) --> cut two pieces of 7.5" x 14.5"
Contrast fabric (bottom) --> cut one piece of 10.5" x 14.5"
2. Lining fabric --> cut one piece of 24.5" x 14.5"
3. Interfacing --> cut one piece of 24.5" x 14.5"
(choose your interfacing based on the result that you are after. For me, i use a medium to heavy weight sew-in interfacing, as i want it to look slightly more sturdy)
4. 29 inch Ric Rac

Note : using 1/4" seam allowance throughout

 1) Sew your first piece of exterior main print fabric to one side of the contrast fabric, right side together as shown.

2) Sew your second piece of exterior main print fabric to the other side of the contrast fabric, right side together as shown.

3) Press seams.

4) Sew the interfacing to the wrong side of the exterior print fabric.
This part is optional : For me, i have quilt 2 straight lines as design and at the same time, it also helps to secure my interface to the exterior print fabric.

If you are using fusible interfacing, fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the exterior print fabric as per the manufacturer's instruction on the packaging.

 5) Fold it in half, right sides together and sew both side of the edges using 1/4" seam allowance. (Sew on the dotted line as shown)

6) This is the side seams.

7) Box the corners by aligning and pressing each corner together.

 8) The folded crease should be aligned with the side seams.
Use a ruler and water soluble marker, mark and draw a line as shown.
The total width of the box corner will be 5".
(Length from crease line to edge will 2.5" on each side)

 9) Sew along the drawn line. Backstitch at the beginning and end.
(if the fabric basket is intend for storing heavy stuff, i would suggest sewing at least 2-3 times along the drawn line)
Using a 1/4" seam allowance, trim the corner away.

Repeat step 6 to 9 for the other corner.

 10) Turn the basket right side out.
Gently push out the corners.
(If the exterior fabric of your basket looks crumpled like mine, don't worry.
we will do the ironing much later. let's continue.

 11) This part is optional.
You may choose to add Ric Rac, Pom Pom Trims, Lace Trims etc.. or none at all.
Is entirely up to you. = )

For adding Ric Rac :
Using a water soluble marker and ruler, measure 1/8" (0.125") from the top edge of the basket, make a mark. Continue to mark along the top edge of the basket leaving a 2" space in between. Connect all the marks to form a line.

Next, position the ric rac around the basket on the drawn line as shown and pin in place.
(Note : distance from the upper "peak" of the ric rac to the drawn line is 1/8" (0.125")) 
Sew the ric rac along the top edge of the basket using 1/8" (0.125") seam allowance.

Now your exterior fabric basket is completed.

  12) Fold the lining fabric in half, right sides together and sew both side of the edges using 1/4" seam allowance. (Sew on the dotted line as shown)
On the right side, from the top sew 2" down as per the dotted line, backstitch. Leave a 4" opening for turning later on. Continue sewing as per dotted line.

13) Repeat Step 6 to 8

 14) Repeat step 9

Repeat step 13 to 14 for the other corner.

Now your lining fabric basket is completed.

 15) Placed your exterior fabric basket in your lining fabric basket right sides together.
Align the top edges and pin them in place.

16) Sew the top edges of your exterior fabric basket and lining fabric basket together using 1/4" seam allowance.

 17) Turn the fabric basket right side out through the lining fabric opening.
Gently push out the corners.

18) You may choose to hand stitch the opening closed if you like.
Usually i will, if is meant to be a gift as i feel it looks nicer if the stitches are not visible.
But for today, we will just stitched the opening close using a small seam allowance.

 19) Placed the lining fabric into the basket and press well.

 Ta- daaaa!! Is all done!
You can have two style options!
Style 1 : With the top edge not folded.
Style 2 : With the top edge folded.