To celebrate spring cleaning season, we have put together a quick and easy free sewing tutorial to make your very own fabric basket! Tidying up is most people’s least favourite part of crafting, so we wanted to come up with a way to make it a little more fun! You can use fabric baskets to store crafting supplies, cosmetics, scrap materials and yarn. Using a breathable fabric like cotton means it will also make a great fruit or vegetable storage solution! Basically, fabric baskets are the all-rounder you NEED to stay organized! This sewing pattern is perfect for beginners, so if you are new to sewing, grab your favourite fabric and give this a try.
What You Will Need
– 60 x 15 cm cotton fabric for the outside (we are using cactus fabric)
– 60 x 15 cm cotton fabric for inside
– 60 x 15 cm ironing insert for volume
– Our free template for printing
– A sewing machine and sewing thread
– Iron and ironing board
– Scissors and cloth clips or pins
Let’s Get Started
After downloading and printing the free template, use it to cut out your fabric pieces. You need two of the outer pieces, two of the inner pieces and two of the ironing insert. Add a seam allowance of 1 cm to the edges of your fabric pieces, this will make it easier to sew and ensure that the measurements work correctly.
Next, we are going to iron the cotton fabrics with their corresponding ironing inserts. Remember, we are ironing the inserts onto the back of the fabric, not the pattern side! Follow the instruction from your ironing insert for the correct heat and time.
Next, we are going to put the two ironed parts of your outer fabric together, with their right sides facing (patterned sides facing each other). Use pins or clips to secure the pieces at the sides and bottom. Sew the two layers together with about 1 cm seam allowance. Close only the side edges and the bottom edge (where the clips are) and leave the bottom corners open.
Now, take the bottom edge and bring it together with the seam of the side, we want both seams to touch. Clip or pin the two edges together and sew them with about 1 cm of seam allowance. Repeat this step on the other side. Now our fabric basket has a base!
The next step is to sew the inner fabric that will line our basket. Like we did for the outer fabric, sew the sides and bottom together. Finish off in the same way as the outer fabric, by clipping and sewing the openings at the bottom. Now we have the lining assembled! Woo!
We now have the inner and outer basket made, we just need to put them together!
Put the two baskets together so that the ‘good’ sides are facing each other. The seams should be completely inside out. Clip the fabrics together at the top edge and sew closed all the way around, except for a gap of a few cm. This gap is how we will turn our basket the right side out! 
Turn your basket from the inside out after you have finished sewing. Straighten and adjust until it starts to take shape. Then iron the top edge neatly, this will make it easier to sew.
Now you can top-stitch the entire top edge and close up the opening we used to turn the basket the right side out as well. and you’ve finished, you have made your very own fabric basket! You can fold down the top for a color contrast!
