Fabric Baskets

Easter Craft Projects - Fabric Baskets

Size: 4" x 7 1/2"

Materials: (For each basket) Closely woven cotton print fabric 45" wide, 1/2 yard. Empty cardboard oatmeal container, 4" diameter. Batting. Heavy cording 1/2" wide, 45". White flat lace trim 2" wide, 1 1/2 yards. Satin ribbon 1/8" wide, one yard each white and color to match fabric. Thread to match fabric. All purpose glue; pencil; ruler, compass; scissors; sewing machine and large safety pin.

Instructions: Measure 3 1/2" up from bottom of oatmeal container and mark a line all around. Cut container along marked line and discard top section. Cut a 3 1/2" wide strip of batting to fit around outside of bottom section (basket); glue batting around basket.

Using compass, draw a 13" diameter circle on fabric and cut out. Machine baste all around circle 1/2" from raw edge. Place basket in center of fabric circle on wrong side; gather fabric to fit around basket. Fold gathered edge to inside of basket and glue in place; let dry.

Piece together 1 1/2" x 45" bias strip from fabric. Fold lengthwise with right side in and edges even; pin. Sew 1/4" seam on long edges. Using safety pin to draw end through, turn tube right side out. Use safety pin to draw cording through tube. Cut tube into three 15" lengths. Hold 3 ends together, overlapping slightly; stitch across ends, to anchor. Braid the tubes very tightly and stitch across other ends, for handle. Glue 1" ends of handle to inside of basket; let dry. Cut 13 1/2" piece of lace trim and glue around inside edge, overlapping ends, to cover braid ends and raw fabric edges. Machine baste 1/4" from edge along one side of remaining lace. Gather lace to fit around basket with 1" overlap and glue around top, folding in overlapping edge 1/2".

Cut ribbons in half. Holding one white and one colored ribbon together with ends even, tie a bow; repeat with remaining ribbons. Glue one bow to each side of basket, below handle.

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