Fabric Gift Basket

I recently created some birthday gifts for a dear friend, and one of the items I made was this little fabric basket / bowl. You can make the basket any size you choose, and it is a really beautiful way to present a gift.

 To make the bowl, you will need two coordinating squares of fabric, some fusible interfacing, four buttons and basic sewing supplies such as a sewing machine, thread, scissors, pins, and a fabric safe marking pen or pencil.

You can adjust the size of the basket or bowl that you want to make, based on how large you cut your fabric squares. After cutting your squares of fabric, you iron the fusible interfacing onto the back of one of the squares. Then sew the two pieces of fabric together, with the right sides facing each other, being sure to leave a small opening where you can the turn the fabric right side out. Once you turn the fabric right side out, you then sew around the perimeter of the entire square. I used a zig zag stitch on my piece but you can use a regular straight stitch or a more decorative one if you prefer. The fusible interfacing adds some stiffness to the fabric that will help it keep it's finished shape.

At this point, you will need to measure down an equal distance from both sides of each corner, and mark the point with a pencil or piece of chalk. For my project I think I cut my fabric 11 inches square and measured down 3 inches form each corner (my daughter and I experimented with various sizes and measurements as we were creating this, and neither one of us could definitely remember what size we ultimately decided on...that will teach us to keep notes next time :( )

You then hand sew the two markings together at each corner...

and then turn the project "inside out". Each corner gets folded down and tacked in place and then you sew a decorative button in place. I know it sounds confusing, and it is a a bit hard to explain, so for a better explanation you can view the You Tube video that I followed here. I will admit, my daughter and I watched the video several times while we were making our bowl, but in the end, it really wasn't hard to do.

The friend that I was making the gift for loves her gardens as much as I do, so I had chosen fabric with a lavender print, and the candles that I put in the basket were lemon lavender scented. Pretty coordinated don't you think? The adorable bee buttons were the perfect whimsical finishing touch. Why use a plain old paper gift bag when you can create this sweet little basket that becomes part of the gift itself? I'll be sharing some other fun projects I made with this beautiful fabric soon, so please be sure to check back.

Linking with: The 36th Avenue Best DIY and Recipe Party
The Enchanting Rose: Roses of Inspiration Link Up 
Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer