Nesting Fabric Baskets Tutorial

Keep your things organised and tidy with these sturdy fabric baskets. 
Use them anywhere in the house; your workroom to store threads and notions, in the bedroom for scarves and jewellery or even in the bathroom –  however you use them you are sure to have stylish storage!

 MATERIALS
Quantities given make one small, medium and large basket. 
- 0.5m Cotton fabric for outer basket (I used Irish Linen) 
- 1m Sew in heavy weight Vilene 
- 0.5m Compressed wadding (optional)
- 0.5m Cotton fabric for lining 
- Scraps of fabric and lace for appliqué labels (varying widths)
- 0.5m Bondaweb  
- 2m of 2.5cm (1") wide bias binding for piping 
- 2m upholstery cord 
- Ribbon, buttons (optional)  
- Basting spray (505) 
- Chalk pen/non-permanent marking too

GOOD TO KNOW
To create the ‘sketch’ writing, you will need a darning/free motion foot. Alternatively you can hand embroider text onto the labels with embroidery floss.
Assume 6mm (¼• ") seam allowances unless advised otherwise
All measurements assume cuts from 112cm (44") wide bolts
Finished baskets: Large 20.5cm x 20.5cm (8" x 8") diameter; 
medium 15cm x 15cm (6" x 6") diameter; small 11.5cm x 11.5cm (4½" x 4½") diameter
Cutting measurements are listed as width x height
If using heavier weight fabrics e.g. curtaining, omit the vilene  

 TO CUT
For Large Basket:
– Cut 1, 60cm x 27cm (23½" x 10½") from outer, lining, wadding and Vilene
– Cut 1 large base from outer and lining fabric
– Cut 1, 24cm x 10cm (9½" x 4") fabric for label background
– Cut 1, 16.5cm x 4cm (6½" x 1½") fabric for label top 
– Cut 1, 68.5cm (27") length of both piping and cord
For Medium Basket:
– Cut 1, 48.5cm x 20.5cm (19" x 8") from outer, lining, wadding and Vilene
– Cut 1 medium base from outer and  lining fabric
– Cut 1, 15cm x 6.5cm (6" x 2½") fabric for label background
– Cut 1, 10cm x 2.5cm (4" x 1") fabric for label top
– Cut 1, 56cm (22") length of both piping and cord
For Small Basket:
– Cut 1, 38cm x 16.5cm (15" x 6½") from outer, lining, wadding and Vilene
– Cut 1 small base from outer and lining fabric
– Cut 1, 10cm x 6.5cm (4" x 2½") fabric for label background
– Cut 1, 5cm x 2.5cm (2" x 1") fabric for label top
– Cut 1, 46cm (18") length of both piping and cord

TO SEW
1. Spray baste the Vilene and wadding to the wrong side of the outer fabric sides and base. Quilt base as desired, I quilted lines radiating out from the centre. 

2. On the right side of the main outer fabric, find the centre point along the length and mark with a pin. Measure up from the bottom edge (following the measurements listed below for each size basket) and mark a line using the chalk pen. For the large size basket measure – 4cm (1½") up from bottom edge, medium size – 2.5cm (1") up from bottom edge and small – 2cm (¾") up from bottom edge.

3. Take the background label fabric and fold and iron under all four sides by 6mm (¼").

4. Position the label background onto the outer fabric so that it sits centrally and is aligned with the marked line, pin in place. Topstitch around the sides of the label, close to the edge. Echo quilt around the outer edge of the label.

 5. Place a piece of lace/ribbon on top of the label fabric and stitch in place. 

 6. Trace the ‘Stuff & Nonsense’ wording onto the piece of top label fabric. Position this onto the fixed label and stitch in place around the outer edges. 

TIP: You may find it easier to iron a piece of Bondaweb onto the wrong side of this fabric and iron in position before stitching in place.

7. Attach your darning foot and either drop the feed dogs on your machine, or reduce the stitch length to 0. Free motion ‘sketch’ the lettering onto the label. It is advisable to practise this on a scrap of fabric and wadding first to make sure your tension and technique is correct.

8.  Pin and sew the two shorts sides of the outer fabric right sides together, using a reverse stitch at the start and finish. Put to one side.

9.  Make the piping: open out the bias binding and wrap this around the length of cord so the cord fits snugly inside the fold of the binding. Sew across the end of the cord and binding to stop the cord slipping through the binding as you sew. 

10.  Using a piping or adjustable zipper foot, sew the cording inside the binding, making sure you get really close to the bulge of the cording. Leave a few inches of binding un-sewn at the end.

11. Sew the piping onto the right side of the base. Leave 5cm (2") of piping free at the start and keep the raw edges of the piping level with the raw edges of the base. It is important to sew on the same line of stitching that is already on the piping.

12.  Before you reach full circle, stop sewing to leave a 5cm (2") gap. Remove from the machine.

13.  Overlap cord by 5cm (2") and trim off excess piping. Pull back the binding from the cording on the end you finished at, by unpicking a few stitches. Lay the two ends of cording side by side and cut them in the same place so they will butt neatly together.

14. Bring the folded binding section back down over the starting end of the piping and tuck the raw edge under by 6mm (¼"). Both ends of the cording should be nestled together inside the binding and not overlapping. 

15. Pin binding in place and sew along the un-sewn length of this section.  

16. Pin the outer basket to the base, with right sides together and lining up the centre points. This is important in order to evenly distribute the rest of the curve along the outer edge of the basket.

17. Still using the piping/zipper foot, sew the base to the outer basket from the base side and again stitching along the existing line of stitching. Make sure you get really close to the piping here, as the bulk will push the foot away.

18. Turn the basket right side out and put to one side.

19. With right sides together, sew the lining short sides together taking a 1cm (3⁄8") seam allowance and
leaving a 8cm (3") gap in the middle of the seam (for turning out later). Iron the base in half and
then again to mark the centre points. Attach the base in the same way as for the outer basket,
again taking a 1cm (3⁄8") seam allowance.

20. Place the outer basket inside the lining, right sides together. Pin and sew together around the top edge, taking a 6mm (¼") seam allowance and starting and finishing with a reverse stitch. Try to open the side seams as you sew over them.

21. Turn right side out through the gap in the lining. Sew the gap closed using by hand using Ladder stitch or a topstitch on your machine. Push the lining inside the basket and iron the top edge to neaten.

22. Finish with a line of stitching around the top edge of the basket and fold the top down approx. 5cm (2") to make a cuff and show off the lining fabric.