An inauspicious start...but here it is..

Welcome to the first of the Buddy's Friday ready set Christmas Tutorials/Pictorials on some easy gifts to make for the rpesetn stash.


This is a basket I orignally made for a swap I was particiapting in but imagine how great it would look in Christmas colours!!! Or to match a friends' (or your) kitchen.



I am going to show you step by step how to make a basket for bread rolls, Christmas chocolates, hand made soaps, handtowels anything really.

I used a couple of tea towels that I had cut up for our potholder swap - but you can use any fabric my preference is for cotton but you may think differently.

Start with two squares of fabric about 16 inches x 16inches. Hem

them as I did (see pic 1) by folding over the edges twice (you may like to pin them ).

Then get out your trusty ruler and a pencil or washable marker and mark 2 1/2 inchs in from all sides, draw these lines, then with wrong sides together carefully sew along THREE of them only. From edge to edge. This will leave you with an open side.

Cut out some template plastic (or ice cream container lids - cardboard if you won't be washing them - you could even use the ironed shopping bag "fabric" that is all the rage at the moment) it needs to be stiff but flexible. Cut this into one 10inch x 10inch square and four 2 1/4 inch x 9 1/4 inch rectangles.

Slide the ten inch square into the pocket you have made in the middle and sew the final line from edge to edge.

Slide the rectangles of plastic into the remaining long open pockets on the four sides - you may have to trim them to get them to fit in snulgy that is fine you may even have to trim a little off the long side - again that is fine. At this point you may want to pin again I don't but I don't use a lot of pins I find they just stay there anyway.

Cut out eight 2" x 14" strips of fabric I used spots but you could use the same fabric as the basket these will be the ties for the sides.

Fold the edges to the middle (ironing them at this point helps keep them flat)

Then fold in half again and sew right on the edge to form a strip

to be used for the ties.

Place them about an inch into the sleeve on the outside of the basket on top of the plastic and pin


Then sew very close to the edge of the basket all the way around (I backstitch over the ties).

This is what it looks like when you are done.

And this is what it looks like when you tie it up -remember it is reversible!!!! And if you have used plastic it is washable!!

And because I did this post at Easter I filled it with Hot Cross Buns.

I hope you have enjoyed sewing along wit this little project.

Next Week: Mug bags and Lunch sacks

Daisymum