DIY Fabric Storage Basket with Pattern and Calculations

Make a DIY Fabric Basket in Any Size you Need

These adorable DIY fabric storage baskets have been around for awhile, I read a few tutorials but could not figure out the directions so I never made them. Recently I purchased a snazzy desk for myself from IKEA and wanted something pretty to organize my drawers, so I grabbed a piece of paper and figured out how others were making them in a way I was able to conceptualize.

To make sure I give you enough direction, I am going to start out giving you step by step directions on how to make these small fabric baskets.

Once we go through the tutorial I will share the calculations so you can make some baskets in any size you need. I strongly suggest reading through this entire post before you get started cutting anything. Lets get started.

Sam @ Raggedy Bits | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Google + | Twitter

Leanna @ Pretty DIY Home | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Google + | Twitter

Welcome back to Waste Not Wednesday! For those who have been following along for a while, you’ll know Waste Not Wednesday as a linky party. But Sam and I decided to change things up. Now each Wednesday we will be bringing you fun projects not only from us but some of our favourite bloggers. This week’s theme is sewing projects!

Make sure to check out Sam’s DIY farmhouse stamped tea towel she made. Her craft is so simple to do, and it looks gorgeous with her lovely decor items.

How to Make a Small DIY Fabric Storage Basket

This fabric basket is 3 by 4 inches and 4 inches tall. Perfect size for holding items like bulletin board pins, alligator clips, planner stickers, post it notes, and odds and sods.

Supplies For Small DIY Fabric Basket

For each basket you will need.

Two coordinating (or identical) pieces of fabric 18″ by 8″. ( I used duck cloth canvas)

Heavy weight fusible interacting 18 by 7 inches.

Pins and Scissors

Dollar store buttons and twine

Hot glue, and glue gun

Creating the Fabric Basket’s Pattern

The Short Way

To make a tiny basket 3 by 4 inches, with four inch high sides like the ones pictured, draw a rectangle 8 inches wide 9 inches tall. Cut out two 2″ squares out of the lower corners.

To cut out the fabric, fold your fabric in half. Lay the 4″ short edge of the pattern shape against the fold, pin in place and cut out. You will end up with the cut fabric shape shown above.

Cut out a second piece of fabric the same way.

Cut out one piece of heavy interfacing the same way, but trim off a half inch around the outside edge so the interfacing is smaller than the fabric. ( thats so your seam’s aren’t too bulky).

Applying the Interfacing

Place one cut fabric shape good side down, center the interfacing over it, and iron to adhere.

Sewing the DIY Fabric Basket

Inner Liner

Fold the piece of fabric with the interfacing in half so that the interfacing is on the outside.

All the seams are sewn at 1/2″.

Sew two seams along the two long edges of the square. ( Forms the sides of your basket.) Iron the two seams open so they lay nice and flat.

To make the bottom of the basket. Starting on one side, pinch the first cut out corner closed, so the center of the seam lined up with where the folded bottom edge was.

Pin in place so the already sewn seam is open and flat.

Sew a half inch seam. Trim off the little nuisance threads.

Repeat the process on the other open end. Now the inner liner is done. Set aside.

Outer Layer

Take the remaining piece of fabric, fold it good sides together. Sew exactly like the inner liner, but this time no interfacing.

Once sewn, turn the outer layer good side out. Make certain the little pointed ends of your bottom seam are pushed out.

Assembling the Fabric Basket

Place the inner liner inside the outer layer, making sure both open seams are together.

Pin in place and using a zig zag stitch, sew a seam along the top of the fabric basket. (Seals the seams, and attaches the two layers).

Fold over the top at an inch twice to form the top edge.

Adding the Embellishments

Using the dollar store buttons add the embellishments in a pretty pattern. All the buttons were sewn on with a needle and thread.

For the double layered buttons I sewed them both on at the same time by aligning the holes. You could glue on the second small button if you like.

The petals and leaves were glued to the back of the buttons, before sewing. Cut out small dime sized pieces of brown paper bags, fold the sides over so they are a basic blossom shape, then glue.

The twine was wrapped around my fingers, knotted and then sewn on.

As I already had the glue gun out, I added little dabs of hot glue to the sewing knots on the inside of the basket.

Creating a Custom Sized Pattern

Going through this is optional if your using my pattern measurements.

Figuring out the math for this silly basket took the morning, sewing them was maybe 10 minutes each. But I had to go through the process to figure out whats what. Its much cheaper to fiddle around using with a scratch pad before touching anything.

For whatever reason this was mind boggling to me, so please don’t be offended at the minute details.

I know anytime I go to make a new fabric basket this post will be my reference for the math.

Supplies Needed

If your wanting to make some in various sizes here is how to create a custom sized pattern.

Remember were only sketching and doing math. No pattern making yet.

Decide how big you want your basket to be. ( mine 4″ wide, 3″ deep, 5″ high with 1″ rolled hem).

Step One – Draw out the size of your base ( 3″ by 4′)

Step Two – Decide the height of the basket and width of the hem. ( 5″ high, rolled 1″hem)

Step Three – Add the seam allowance.

Now we have the base size and the front and back measurements. But we need to add some sides.

I made some very tall baskets before using washable fabric where I attached a bottom, and liners with all four sides sewn. As these little baskets are reversible and so forth I wanted to do these in the style with folded over sides in one piece.

Now we need to calculate the measurements for the sides. Checking out the diagram below. If the base is at the bottom and if folded up we have the front and back. The sides will need to be on both sides, front and back. I have marked the parts we need measurements for in Ivory in the diagram below.

Imagining the base on the bottom with the front and back foldered upwards. It makes sense then that the sides sections need to be half the width of the base, plus the 1/2″ for seam allowances.

So the sides need to be 1/2 the width (3 x 1/2 = 1.5″) plus the seam allowance on both sides (2 x 1/2″=1 on each side) Therefore each of the ivory sections need to be 2″ by 7.5″.

The bad part is I was cross eyed visuallizing this, the good news is we have the shape done. Here’s the second calculation.

The base, back and front together measure 18″, so your fabric needs to be 18′ by 8″. But then we can fold it to make the pattern.

I truly would have given up had I attempted to sort this out with the idea of a folded pattern and fabric. Just the thought was enough to have me go for a coffee break.

Remember at the beginning of the post. I showed you the two pieces with the measurements. I just halved everything, and then put it on the fold before cutting it. Here’s the diagrams again. the 4″ is the width of the base.

Once you have the math done, I suggest grabbing some cheap paper like freezer paper, parchment, newspaper, and then transfer the measurements you calculated to the paper first.

Fold them together to see how they fit, if the basket size is right. Once confirmed then its finally time to grab the fabric.

Newspaper, or freezer paper, or even parchment paper that you can draw on. Ruler and pencil.

Sam from Raggedy Bits Sewing Project

This little cushion has so much style, and I really enjoy how Sam paired it up with a second plain one. I can also appreciate the neutral colours, farmhouse feel and you can use it year around.

DIY Farmhouse Stamped Tea Towel Cushion

Some Other Beautiful DIY Fabric Baskets

There are so many tutorials for fabric storage in different sizes, shapes and colours. I found a few I hope to find time to make. They are such a fun way to organize, I love these ideas especially for a craft room.

A Spoon Full of Sugar, shares the tutorial for these Charm Square Fabric Trays. Don’t you think a stack of these would be perfect when beading something? I bet the fabric does a fantastic job of controlling all the round beads when making something.

I chose this Scraptastic basket because of its unique shape. It’s so quirky and fun, I think you could make a cute lid using rope or wood. EmmalineBags shares a great tutorial, and the free pattern is downloadable.

The little applique on this fabric storage bin from Handmadiya is so sweet, this fabric basket is a bit harder to make, but if your more skilled at following directions then I am, it would be so cute to have.

A Never Full Fabric Bucket from Polka Dot Chair has a great sewingthemed applique on the front and its 12″ by 17″, perfect for stashing.. It would be a pretty way to hold all the stuff for an “in progress” craft.

Another popular DIY fabric bin style are these cute hanging bins. As I am one of those hide it behind a door person I wasn’t wanting to make these. That is until I saw this Hanging Storage Pod pattern from My Golden Thimble. She solves an age old problem of stacking wet icky kitchen towels in the laundry so that it can ruin your favorite sweater.

These pods are designed to hold the kitchen linens, and then you can toss the whole thing in the wash. What a brilliant idea, I am so going to make these and hang them in my pantry. And I have some canvas fabric left over.

These little Half Round Hanging Baskets have a unique shape, and I like that the back is flat, so they would have flat against the wall to save space. Its a great way to hold bath supplies, and would make a wonderful DIY gift.