Tutorial Tuesday

Easter is almost here! I looked online for an Easter basket tutorial, but couldn't find exactly what I wanted, so I made my own! :)

An Easter basket for Leah:

This is the perfect project for a couple of fat quarters!

First, I cut out 18" squares from two fabrics and batting:

and four handle pieces, each 2" by 16" and two of batting:

I wanted a bit of stability for the bottom, so I cut a piece of cardboard, 7" by 7":

I put the cardboard between my outer layer and the batting:

centered it and pinned around it:

and then carefully sewed right around the cardboard edge:

Next, I sewed around the outer edge of the fabric and batting to keep them together and marked 5 1/2" from each corner on the outer fabric:

and the lining:

Then, with right sides together, I matched the marks and drew stitching lines to each inner corner:

and sewed along these lines:

and repeated for the lining:

I trimmed the corners close to the stitching for the outer fabric and lining:

Next, I arranged my handle layers to sew. Batting, then fabrics, right sides together:

and sewed them up. Turned them right side out and topstitched the edges:

After turning the outer basket right side out, I pinned the handles on to the basket. I put one handle edge in each corner to be sturdy, matching up the raw edges:

and sewed each handle on. Then I sewed the handles where they crossed:

Next, I folded the handles back around the bottom of the basket and pinned the lining around the outside (I should have left a bigger opening to turn it right side out because of the cardboard. It was kind of fiddley!):

So after wrestling turning the basket right side out, I pinned the opening closed:

and topstitched the opening closed and around the top.

Basket done!

And if you get tired of the outside, you can turn it inside out!

Since I wanted this basket to be for Leah, I decided to add her name. I cut it out on my Silhouette, using the fabric interfacing and appliqued it on:

(I would HIGHLY recommend putting any names or decorations on before assembling the basket! It was a little difficult with the cardboard in the way!) :)

Time to try it out!

She found one!

And another one!

A personalized Easter basket just for my Lee-Lee! :)

Linked to:

Running with Glitter

Creative Itch
Tatertots and Jello