Wednesday, May 14, 2008

My take on the fabric basket

Yesterday I had the luxury of Liv being at school all day, and having no schoolwork of my own to do! This only happens about two or three weeks a year, when my school has let out before hers has.

So what did I do with my time? No cleaning, nothing productive. Instead, I made this.



I'm a bit ashamed to say that it took me nearly the entire day (minus my trip to Hancock's and my lunch run to Taco Bell). I followed Pink Penguin's fabric basket tutorial. Her instructions are easy to follow, but I was more than a little braindead after the end of the semester so I had to make friends with my seam ripper some.

My straps are roughly twice as long as they needed to be. I misread the instructions and prepared two long straps, instead of preparing one strip of fabric and then cutting it in half to make two straps. DOH. At first I thought they looked ridiculous, like a pair of bunny ears or something. But then I took it to the park with me and realized that those long straps fit perfectly around my wrist. Fabric basket meets wristlet! Woohoo!! Uh, I MEANT to do that, yeah....

After I made the basket I thought I'd try a little fabric flower for an embellishment. I don't have the link to the tutorial I followed, but it's one of those Japanese folded fabric flowers. Google "Japanese folded fabric flower tutorial" and I'm sure you can find plenty of tutorials to show you how to make them.



I made it as a brooch so I can take it on or off as I see fit. I actually finished it up this morning during storytime at the library. I think I'll start bringing a small needlework project with me every week. Lots more fun that listening to, "Rum pum pum, this is my drum" for each kid.

9 comments:

ScrapbookDBA said...

Anne -
That is very cute!!! Let me know if you start selling them in your shop.

-- Kimberly

Julie Anne of Diamondmeenuh Creations said...

That came out adorable! It looks like the same method I use to make my grocery bags. Not having checked out the tutorial, but did you sew the lining, handles and outter shell together like you would a pillow? (Inside out, leave small opening to turn right side out, close up opening and top stitch to hold lining in place?) It works pretty easily like that.

Love that flower, too! That I will look up!

Julie Anne of Diamondmeenuh Creations said...

Ah, you do sorta sew it like my grocery bags. I forget sewing machine works differently than hand sewing.....

Love the pattern and the tutorial!

idyll hands said...

Love the fabric basket!

Janna said...

Love this! I also love that you are able to take stuff with you and do it while Liv plays someplace. Wish I could get away with that...maybe in a couple more years.

I need to make some bags and stop using the plastic ones at the store.

Denise Felton said...

Oh. My. Gawd. It is adorable! And I am grooving on the origami flower! I'm surprised to hear how tiny it is, though. The same design would make an excellent purse.

Unknown said...

Okay, when you say you didn't do anything productive... I realized that I must never do anything productive myself, because all me time = crafting time! I love your *wristlet*!! And that flower is fab! Great job!

ayumills said...

Excellent job on your fabric basket! I like yours a lot since it kind of reminds me of where I'm from: Japan.
Thanks so much for using my tutorial & putting the link on your post!

Debbie Nelson said...

Very cute...you never cease to amaze me.