Woven Fabric Basket

My mom is a quilter and I was rifling through her binder of random quilting stuff (that is the official binder title) and I saw this cute basket.  I just had to give it a try!  It turns out to be such an easy project but it looks really complicated.  If you can sew a straight line, you can make this basket.  I use mine to hold a few diapers and wipes.  But, it could be used to hold rolls for Thanksgiving Day.  Or you could fill it with a bag of coffee or tea and give it to someone for Christmas. Basically, it is the most versatile item in my home right after the Mason Jar.

What you need:

sewing machine

thread

scissors

safety pin

foam board (you can get one from walmart for about $1.50)

And also:

1) Cut your material and interfacing into strips as shown in the following pictures.

2) Match each of your inside fabric pieces with an outside fabric piece of the same size.  Once they are all matched up, you will have 11 pairs and one extra 2.5" x 32" piece.  The extra piece will be used at the end.  Set it aside.

note:  All sewing is done using a 0.25" seam allowance.

3) Place the pieces together, right sides facing, and sew along the two long sides to form tubes.

4) Turn the tubes right side out.

5) Grab your interfacing strips and using the safety pin, slide a strip into each tube.

6) Iron all of your strips flat.

Now it is time to start weaving.  The fun part!

7) Grab your foam board and lay out the three 22" long pieces.  Alternating the colors, weave in the five 18" long pieces.

This is the basket upside down, but it shows you how the strips should be woven.

8) With the inside of the strips facing up, make sure that there is an even amount on each side and on the top and bottom.  Weave the strips as tightly as possible and pin them down into the foam board.

9) Take the three 32" pieces and sew the ends together to form a 30" ring.  Once you have three rings, weave them onto the basket (make sure to alternate your fabrics) and pin as you go.

note:  You will want to hide the part where the rings are sewn together behind one of the vertical strips so that it is not seen from the outside of the basket.

10) Once all three rings are woven, trim the vertical pieces so that they are even with the top edge of the top ring.

Now all of the pins can be removed except for the ones at the top.

11) Take the 32" piece that was set aside at the very beginning.  This piece will be used to bind the basket.  Fold one of the short sides down about 1" and iron.  Then iron the entire piece (right side out) in half the long way.

12)  With the raw edges of the binding piece at the top, pin it around the top of the inside of the basket.  Where the ends come together, tuck the raw end of the binding into the folded end.  Sew around the top edge of the basket.

13) Flip the binding over the top and to the outside of the basket.  Sew it in place and you are done.

It is beautiful and functional!  Enjoy your finished product!