Featured fabric: The Blank Quilting Corp. Rise with the Sun by Laura Konyndyk

Pattern design by: Lindsay Conner

Sewn by: Lindsay Conner

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? One thing’s for sure—you’ll be ready for both with this charming fabric basket! Perfect for collecting and carrying fresh eggs from the chicken coop, this project makes a thoughtful gift for the chicken enthusiasts in your life. With homesteading on the rise, chances are you know someone raising a backyard flock. Why not surprise them with a handmade fabric basket that’s as practical as it is adorable?

This beginner-friendly sewing pattern includes instructions to create a small basket complete with a clever divider to safely cradle up to 7 eggs. Ready to hatch your next creative project? Let’s get started!

Skills Learned: Machine sewing, hand sewing

Skill Level: Beginner

Finished Size (without handle): 8” long x 4” wide x 3” tall (20.32cm x 10.16cm x 7.62cm)

Fabric Requirements:

·       1/3 yard (.30m) exterior fabric. I used 3748-67 Dk. Teal Wheelbarrows.

·       2/3 yard (.61m) lining and dividers fabric. I used 3747-11 Lt. Blue Sky. (3751-88 Red Cows, Goats, Chickens is featured in the tutorial)

·       19” length (48.26cm) of 20”-wide (50.80cm) lightweight fusible interfacing, like ShapeFlex SF101

Note: If you have just 1 yard of fabric, you can get the exterior, lining, and dividers out of the same fabric!)

Materials:

8”x4” piece of cardboard

Sewing machine

Binding clips or pins

Scissors, rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting mat

Cut the Fabric

For the handle: Cut 1 strip 6” x 20” and make 4-fold strap.

For the basket: Cut 2 exterior and 2 lining pieces 13” long x 6.5” tall.

For the lining: Cut 2 pieces of lightweight fusible interfacing 13” x 6.5” and press them to the wrong side of the 2 exterior pieces for a sturdier finished bag.

For the dividers: Cut 2 strips 6” x WOF.

From interfacing: Cut 1 strip 6” x WOF for the handle. Cut 2 rectangles 13” x 6.5” for the exterior.

Instructions:

Sew the Handle

1. Fuse the lightweight fusible interfacing on the wrong side of the 6” x 20” fabric strip. Fold the strip in half across the width and press. Unfold the strip and refold each of the long raw edges to meet the center fold (wrong sides touching). Press. Fold in half again, trapping the raw edges inside the 4-fold strap.

2. Clip the folds in place and stitch 1/8” along both long edges. Set aside.

Sew the Basket

3. Following the manufacturers' instructions, fuse the lightweight fusible interfacing on the wrong side of the 2 exterior pieces. Place the 2 exterior and 2 lining pieces (13” x 6.5”) in front of you longways. Mark and cut out a 2” square from the bottom left and bottom right of all 4 pieces.

4. With right sides facing, stack 2 exterior pieces together and pin or clip in place. Stitch together along the left, right, and bottom using a 3/8” seam allowance. Repeat with the 2 lining pieces, but leave a 4” gap along the bottom for turning, and make sure to backstitch at both ends.

5. Take one of the cutout corners and open it up with your fingers. Next, flatten it the opposite way, so the seams align. Pinch the seam and clip in place. Repeat with all 4 of the cutout corners (2 exterior, 2 lining). Stitch across the flattened, clipped corner using a 3/8” seam allowance.

6. With the bag exterior turned right side out, line up the raw edges of the handle you sewed earlier with the side seams. Clip one end of the handle to each side seam, placing it on the right side of the fabric. Stitch in place using a 1/8” seam allowance.

7. Slip the bag exterior (with handle, turned right side out) into the bag lining (still turned wrong side out). The right sides of the fabrics should be touching. Clip the bag to the lining, making sure to line up the side seams. Stitch around the clipped top rim using a 3/8” seam allowance.

8. Reaching into the 4” gap in the bottom of the lining, carefully pull the fabric through to reveal the bag and lining. Push the lining inside the bag and press around the top edge. Topstitch 1/8” all around the perimeter of the bag.

9. Insert the 8”x4” piece of cardboard into the lining of the basket. This will create a sturdy bottom layer inside the basket. Stitch the opening of the lining closed.

Make the Dividers

10. Take the (2) 6” x WOF strips and place them in front of you, wrong side up. Fold the first strip in half lengthwise, and then widthwise. Press. Repeat with the second strip.

Topstitch both strips 1/8” from the top folded edge. (Note this is image shows an alternative fabric used only to show the topstitching.)

11. Zig-zag stitch along the bottom raw and side edges. Fold and mark the halfway point of each strap, then stitch a line to make 2 sections. Repeat this again with each of the subsections to make 4 sections.

12. Stack the dividers on top of each other, so the top edges are aligned. Stitch along both short raw edges to join them. Stitch them together along the previously sewn lines to make 4 equal fabric pockets.

13. Take the divider and bring the short raw edges to meet each other. Stitch the raw edges together. This will form a new fabric pocket in the center. Clip these pockets together from the inside with 2 clips, as shown. Stitch a 2” vertical line where you clipped earlier to join the pockets, carefully moving the other fabric out of the way. This is the trickiest step, but you can do it!

14. Finally, edgestitch 1/8” from the edge along the sections clipped together in the above photo (the left and right inner sections). This will create 5 equal egg pockets.

15. Trim the loose threads from the divider. Place the divider into the basket to make a total of 7 egg pockets!

I hope you enjoyed sewing your own egg basket with a lining and divider. This type of project could also help you organize sewing notions, jewelry, cosmetics, or other items. Choose a fabric design that makes you happy, and get sewing!

Fabric Details:

To view the complete The Blank Quilting Corp. Rise with the Sun by Laura Konyndyk, click here.

To find a retailer near you, click here.

Learn more about Lindsay here.