Make a gift basket even more special when it’s packaged in a fabric basket! A pretty fabric basket becomes part of the gift, and something the recipient can use one its own. You can sew your own DIY fabric in less than an hour with my free pattern.
This fabric gift basket is sized perfectly for small gifts! Finished measurements are roughly 9.25” long x 5” deep x 2.75” tall. That’s the right size for gifting a small loaf pan of a handmade bread or cake. It also happens to package up a couple of mugs and some hot chocolate supplies for a nice Christmas gift.
Or for a housewarming gift, how about some rolled up washcloths and a nice bottle of soap? And while the fabric basket makes a nice presentation for the gift, it also makes a nice container for a guest bathroom to hold washcloths and other necessities.
For baby gifts, you could easily roll up some onesies and a handmade baby bib or two, and you’d have the gift that’s the hit of any baby shower. And your recipient could use that fabric basket in the nursery to hold lotions and diapering supplies.
One thing I love about this fabric basket is how it holds its shape. That’s because I used some heavy duty interfacing in there. No saggy baggy sides to this basket! I’m also loving the little handles at the ends – such a cute detail!
You can use quilting weight or home dec weight cottons to make this basket. My favorite combination is a fun quilting cotton on the front, and a home dec weight solid for the lining. The only thing to watch out for is to stay away from directional fabrics. Directional fabrics will end up with your print going upside down or sideways on the different sides of the basket.
Here’s how to make your own DIY fabric basket!
Supplies
Main fabric – fat quarter quilting or home dec weight cotton (or piece at least 18” wide by 16” tall). Not suitable for fabrics with obvious direction.
Lining fabric – fat quarter quilting or home dec weight cotton (or piece at least 18” wide by 16” tall). Not suitable for fabrics with obvious direction.
Pellon 71F Peltex One Sided Fusible Ultra Firm Stabilizer (Pellon 71F) – ½ yard
Liquid Fabric Fuse (or other fabric glue)
Free Pattern – DIY Fabric Basket
All seam allowances ¼” unless otherwise noted. RST = Right Sides Together
Prep
Follow manufacturer’s instructions to fuse the Peltex to the wrong side of the Outside Basket piece.
Make the Handles
Press short ends of the Handle pieces ½” to the wrong side.
Fold the Handle pieces in half lengthwise. Press to create a crease down the middle, then open back out.
With Handle pieces wrong side up, press the raw edges to the center.
Fold the Handle pieces on the center crease. Top stitch down both sides close to the edge.
Sew the Handles to the Basket Outside
Now to sew the handles to the basket. You’ll sew them to the two short ends of the Basket Outside piece. Because of the cuff that gets folded over from the Lining, it’s important to get the placed correctly.
With the Basket Outside piece right side up, use an erasable fabric marker to draw lines where the bottom of the handles will go. The lines should be 1” long, and placed 1 ¾” from the ends and 1 ¼” from the sides. I know that sounds confusing so here’s a diagram. The lines to mark are shown in gray.
Once you’ve got the lines marked, it’s easy to sew down the Handles in the right spot. Just line up the ends of the Handle pieces with the lines you marked. Sew them down with a box stitch that’s roughly 3/8” tall.
Sew the Basket Outside
Sew the Basket Outside corners RST. You’ll need to fold the Basket Outside piece to make the edges meet but try not to crease the Peltex when you do it.
Turn the Basket Outside right side out. It’s starting to look like a basket now!
To give your basket a more squared shape, crease the Peltex at the bottom edges of the basket.
Sew the Basket Lining
Sew the Basket Lining corners RST.
Press ½” to the wrong side around the top of the lining.
Assemble the Basket
Place the Basket Lining inside the Basket Outside, wrong sides together and matching corner seams.
You’ll notice that the Basket Lining is a little bit taller than the Basket Outside. That’s on purpose. That extra bit will become the cuff. Just flip that extra bit over the edge of the Basket Outside to create a cuff.
Use Fabric Fuse to secure the cuff. (I tried sewing it but the stiff Peltex was pretty impossible to maneuver around the corners and short sides. Just glue it and you’ll be happy.)
Your DIY fabric basket is done!
If you love this sewing tutorial you will love these other sewing tutorials from Anne as well! They would all make WONDERFUL gifts!
Quilted Pocket Pot Holders Sewing Tutorial
Tea Towel Apron Sewing Tutorial
Soup Bowl Coaster Sewing Tutorial
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There’s no dimensions or actual pattern shown. You list fabric 16×18 in the supplies, then jump to a picture of fabric that’s been cut with no explanation.
The fabric requirements to make this basket are 16” x 18” of fabric for the main fabric and the lining (along with ½ yard Peltex ultra firm stabilizer). You will ALSO need the free pattern to cut the shape you see in the directions. It’s the last item in the materials list and is a link to a downloadable PDF that has the piece you need to cut out from the 16” x 18” pieces of fabric. Hope that helps! –Anne