How to Sew Fabric Storage Baskets in Three Sizes
Featuring: FreeSpirit Fabrics Mariana by Rachel Hauer
Pattern Design by: Sally Gauntlett
Sewn by: Sally Gauntlett
If you’re anything like me, you’re constantly trying to battle clutter in your home. Particularly if you’re crafty, have kids, or generally just have a reasonable amount of stuff!
Today I’m showing you how to sew up these handy fabric storage baskets in three different sizes which are perfect for storing so many things around the house. I use mine for storing fabric and wool and the smaller ones are great for keeping colouring pens and pencils tidy. I also think these would be a great addition to a bathroom for keeping cotton wool pads, Q-tips, etc handy.
A confident beginner with a little sewing experience will enjoy sewing these up. If you’re a more experienced sewist you’ll be whipping these up in under an hour! I hope you’ll have fun sewing them…
Technique: Machine sewing, sewing curves
Skill Level: Confident Beginner
Finished Size (before folding):
Large: Height 12” (30 cm) Width: 7” (18 cm)
Medium: Height 11” (28 cm) Width 5” (13 cm)
Small: Height 6 ½ “(16.5 cm) Width 4” (10.5 cm)
FABRIC SUPPLIES
Large basket
(2) 5/8 yard (0.57m). I used:
- Mariana Gentle Giants - Aqua | AQUA
- Tula Pink Solids – Whimsy | CSFSESS.WHIMSY
Medium basket
(2) 5/8 yard (0.57m). I used:
- Mariana Coral Critters - Multi | PWRH072.MULTI
- Kaffe Fassett Shot Cotton – Camelia | SCGP109.CAMELIA
Small basket
(2) 5/8 yard (0.57m). I used:
- Mariana Artful Anchovy – Teal | PWRH081.TEAL
- Mariana Anemones – Golden | PWRH080.GOLDEN
Note: Each piece of fabric used measured 5/8 yard (0.57m) or 45 x 21” (115 x 53cm). You will be left with some offcuts from this amount that you can use at a later date.
You will also need approximately 1 yard of medium to heavy weight fusible interfacing depending on which size you are making and how many baskets you intend to make.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
- Cutting mat (optional)
- Rotary cutter (pins and scissors can be used here instead)
- Ruler
- Fabric pen
- Pins
- Scissors
- Thread
- Sewing machine
CUTTING OUT
Using the measurements below, for each size of basket you will need to cut 1 x bottom circle and 1 x basket wall from your main fabric, lining fabric and fusible interfacing.
We will only be interfacing the main fabric pieces to help the basket to keep its shape.
CUTTING MEASUREMENTS
Large basket
Bottom circle – 25” (63.5 cm) circumference
Basket wall – 25” x 13” (63.5 x 33 cm) rectangle
Medium basket
Bottom circle 19” (48.5 cm)
Basket wall – 19 x 8” (48.5 x 20.5 cm)
Small basket
Bottom circle – 15” (38 cm)
Basket wall – 15 x 7” (38 x 18 cm)
Points to note:
All seams are sewn with a ½ “ seam allowance.
Each basket is sewn in exactly the same way whichever size you choose to make. If making one of the smaller baskets, make your gap in the lining seam slightly shorter in step two.
Although I’ve provided measurements for the baskets here, it’s very easy to use whatever you have to hand to create your own size. You can draw around anything circular such as a dinner plate or saucepan lid. To work out how wide you’ll need to cut your basket wall, simply measure the circumference of whatever you’re using and cut a rectangle at this width x however high you would like your basket to be. It’s always good to add extra height since you’ll be folding the top over anyway.
PREPARATION
Before we start sewing, we need to apply our fusible interfacing to our main (outer) fabric pieces. Place the fusible side of your interfacing onto the wrong side of your fabric and press in place using a hot iron, following the instructions included with your fusible interfacing of choice.
INSTRUCTIONS - LET’S GET SEWING
- Place the short sides of your main fabric ‘basket wall’ right sides together. Pin and sew this seam creating a tube.
- Place the short sides of your lining fabric ‘basket wall’ right sides together. Pin and sew this seam leaving a 3” gap in the middle of your stitching for turning through later on. Remember to back tack at the points where you start and stop sewing at the gap.
TIP: You can mark this gap with a fabric pen or pins to remind you where to stop and start stitching again.
- Press your seams open. Continue to press the seams where your gap is in the lining, this will help us when we come to stitch up the hole later on.
- Take the circular bottom pieces of both your main and lining fabric and sew a line of stay stitching all around each piece ½” from the edge of the fabric.
- Snip into the seam allowance of your stay stitching at 1” intervals being careful not to cut into your stitches. This will help us fit the circular bottom into our tube more easily.
- Now we need to sew our circular bottom into our basket wall tube. This part can be tricky so take your time, go slowly, and use lots of pins.
Divide both the basket wall and bottom circle into quarters and mark each corner with a pin. Match up the pins on your circle with the pins on your basket wall and pin in place. Once all of your quarters are pinned, continue easing the rest of the raw edges of your bottom and wall together pinning as you go. The snips we made in step five should help the fabric bend to fit.
Repeat for both the main fabric and the lining pieces.
TIP: If you’re using a fabric with a directional print, make sure you’re pinning your circle bottom onto your wall with the fabric print facing the right way up!
- Sew your circle bottom to your basket wall using your original line of stay stitching as a guide. Sew very slowly and carefully here ensuring you aren’t creating any pleats or puckering on the underside as you go.
- Turn the main fabric section of your basket wall through to the right side and smooth out the bottom circle as best you can.
- Place your main basket into your lining basket right sides together, matching the side seams. Pin all around the top edge matching raw edges and side seams.
- Sew all around the top edge of your basket. Trim the seam allowance by half.
- Reach in through the gap we left in the side seam of our basket lining piece and pull the main fabric through to the right side.
- Sew the gap in your lining closed either with a neat edge stitch on your machine or with a hand stitch.
- Push your lining inside the main fabric of the basket rolling the seam allowance towards the inside of the bag. Finger press the seam allowance and lining into the bag so that the lining isn’t visible from the outside. Press in place with a hot iron.
- Topstitch all around the edge of your basket to keep everything in place.
And that’s it – you’re done! You can now fold the top edge of your basket over your desired amount to reveal your lovely contrast lining and fill it with the contents of your choice!
I really hope you enjoyed sewing up your new fabric basket. Once you get the hang of sewing these, you’ll be whipping them up in no time and using them all around the house. A place for everything and everything in its place!
Thanks so much for reading, if you give this tutorial a go, please do share a photo on Instagram and tag me @secret_life_of_a_seamstress so that I can see it. Don’t forget to tag @siysewityourself too.
Happy sewing!
Sally x
Fabric Details:
To view the complete FreeSpirit Fabrics Mariana collection by Rachel Hauer, click here.
To find a retailer near you click here.
Learn more about Sally here.
Instagram: @secret_life_of_a_seamstress
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