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August 19, 2022 By Brandy Leave a Comment

Home » Craft Tutorials

Fabric Storage Baskets Sewing Tutorial (Video)

Filed Under: Craft Tutorials, Gift Ideas, Sewing

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These fabric storage baskets are so easy to make for everyday use! A 30-minute project. Perfect for storing a variety of things and they make great gifts. Follow our guide for making fabric baskets in a variety of sizes! This post contains an affiliate link.

You might also like our DIY fabric basket liner tutorial, our 15-minute pencil pouch tutorial, or our color block cosmetic bag sewing tutorial! Looking for storage for blankets? Check out our blanket ladder tutorial.

fabric storage baskets

Watch our step by step video!

These fabric baskets are so fun to make—you won’t be able to make just one! They are a great scrap-buster project, tame clutter, and come together in under 30 minutes.

felt nesting boxes and felt easter basket

(Nesting boxes from my SEW WITH ME sewing book for kids. 60 projects!)

My kids sewing book has instructions for making nesting fabric baskets very similar to these. I also used this method to make Easter baskets. They are so easy to make and are kind of addicting too. This time instead of using felt I used cotton, and instead of cutting off the side flaps, I turned them into pockets.

Easy Fabric Storage Baskets

These fabric storage baskets are great storage solutions for cosmetics, art supplies, craft supplies, small toys, and sewing supplies and accessories! They fold flat, are washable, and make great gifts. Use them on a shelf in closets, laundry rooms, bathrooms, offices, and craft rooms! I’m giving these to the teenage girls that I work with at our church as a back-to-school gift. They’ll each get to select one to use to tidy up their dresser or desk in their bedroom. I also made them for my daughters. They loved them and got to work filling them with scrunchies and other odds and ends.

9 fabric baskets stacked on table in 3 rows

I’m loving the bright prints from The Pioneer Woman. I used a combination of her fat quarter bundles and some checked prints from Joann’s to make my stash of baskets. Want to make bigger or smaller baskets? I’ll share a simple conversion chart to make this basket in a variety of sizes.

fabric cosmetic basket

I secured each flap with a simple “x” that I embroidered in a contrasting color. You can add a button if you’d like, but I liked the simplicity of the “x”.

scrunchies and hair clip on basket

I was surprised with how much fit in this little 7″ basket. It’s sturdy and holds its shape great. If I were to make a bigger basket (10″+) I’d probably add a second piece of interfacing for more stability. I like using fusible fleece interfacing. It’s soft and stable without making the project feel stiff. It also works great for quilting. I simply ironed it to the back of one of the squares of fabric before sewing the two squares together. You can use felt as an alternative to fleece and use basting spray to attach it to the back of the fabric or simply cut it to the same size as your fabric and sew it when you sew your fabric together.

fabric storage basket filled with office supplies

Ready to make a basket? Or 2 or 10 of them? Maybe a trio in different sizes? Let’s get started!

fabric storage basket with sewing supplies inside

Fabric Storage Basket Specifications

(scroll to the end for a step by step tutorial and make sure to watch our video.)

Project time: 30 minutes

Skill Level: Beginner

Seam Allowance: 3/8″

Top Stitching: 1/4″

Finished size: 7″ (see cutting guide for other sizes)

 

scissors, pins, measuring tape, stacked fabric

Sewing Supplies

This tutorial will make a 7″ wide basket. For a different size refer to the cutting guide below.

  • 2 (16″) squares of fabric
  • 1 (15 1/2″) square of fusible fleece interfacing
  • sewing thread
  • embroidery thread

Equipment

  • sewing machine
  • iron and ironing board
  • scissors or rotary cutter
  • measuring tape
  • pins
  • sewing needle
  • ruler/straight edge
  • sewing/fabric pen (disappearing ink)/pencil

Recommended Fabrics for Baskets

  • cotton fabrics (quilting, broadcloth, calico prints) are a great choice!
  • lightweight denim
  • lightweight corduroy
  • home decor prints

 

fabric sewing basket

Cutting Guide for Basket Sizes

Interfacing should be 1/2″ smaller than the fabric squares.

  • 5″ basket: 12″ squares of fabric, 2.5″ corners
  • 6″ basket: 14″ squares of fabric, 3″ corners
  • 7″ basket: 16″ squares of fabric, 3.5″ corners
  • 8″ basket: 18″ squares of fabric, 4″ corners
  • 9″ basket: 20″ squares of fabric, 4.5″ corners
  • 10″ basket: 22″ squares of fabric, 5″ corners

A Few Notes

  1. To make other sizes take the size you want your finished basket to be, multiply that number by 2 and add 2 to get the square size. The corner size is half of the finished measurement size. For example: for a 6″ basket you’ll multiply 6×2 and then add 2 to get 14″ squares of fabric. Then 6/2= 3″ corners.
  2. I’ve made these in all different sizes and have found that 5″ is about as small as I like to make them. Any smaller and the side pockets would be too small to actually use.
  3. You can use a piece of interfacing the same size as the fabric squares if you’d like. Having it slightly smaller reduces some of the bulk when pressing it flat, but I’ve made these both ways and the baskets turn out either way!
  4. Felt also works well as a stabilizer. It isn’t fusible, but you can attach it using basting spray or simply cut the felt to the same size as the fabric and sew it all together when you sew around the perimeter. I’ve made baskets with felt and fusible fleece. I prefer fusible fleece, but felt is a great alternative.

stack of 3 fabric sewing baskets

How To Make an Easy Storage Basket

fabric sewing basket
Print
5 from 1 vote

Fabric Storage Baskets

These fabric storage baskets are so easy to make! A 30-minute project. Perfect for storing a variety of things and they make great gifts. Follow our guide for making fabric baskets in a variety of sizes!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Active Time20 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Yield: 1 7" basket
Cost: $2-$3

Equipment

  • sewing machine
  • iron
  • ironing board
  • scissors
  • pins
  • sewing pen (disappearing ink)
  • ruler or straight edge
  • sewing needle
  • measuring tape

Materials

  • 2 16" squares of fabric
  • 1 15.5" piece of fusible fleece interfacing
  • embroidery thread
  • thread

Instructions

  • Place fusible fleece square on top of one of the 16" squares of fabric (on the back/wrong side of the fabric.)
    Iron interfacing in place.
    square of fabric and square of fusible fleece
  • Place the other square of fabric onto your work surface (right side up).
    square of yellow floral fabric
  • Place the fabric fused with interfacing on top with right sides together and interfacing on top.
    hand pressing on fabric
  • Place two straight pins on one side, 4" apart.
    hands pinning fabric
  • Starting at one straight pin, sew a 3/8" seam around the entire perimeter, ending at the second straight pin.
    sewing machine and hands pushing fabric through machine
  • Clip corners to reduce bulk.
    scissors cutting corner of fabric
  • Turn right side out. Press seams flat and poke out corners so that they are pointy.
    hand turning fabric right side out
  • Fold the edges of the 4" opening over and pin in place.
    open seam of yellow and orange fabric
  • Top stitch around the entire square. This will give it a finished look and close off the opening where you turned it right side out.
    yellow fabric sewn in sewing machine
  • Fold the finished square in half.
    hand folding fabric square in half
  • Make 2 markings 3.5" up from one corner and 3.5" to the left of the corner, along the bottom.
    Use a straight edge to draw a line connecting the two dots. This should create a triangle in the corner.
    Note: My daughter misplaced my sewing pen so I used a pencil. You don’t really notice the light pencil markings when it’s finished, but a sewing pen with disappearing ink works best! You can also simply make two dots and eyeball it as you sew.
    ruler on fabric
  • Stitch along the line from one dot to the other.
    Repeat this step on the other corner.
    sewing machine and orange checked fabric sewn at the corners
  • Fold the square the opposite way and repeat the steps of marking the sides and bottom, connecting the dots and sewing across the line for the other two corners.
    orange checked fabric
  • Flatten each corner to create a pocket.
    pocket of fabric storage basket pressed flat
  • Tack down the top of each pocket by sewing over the top stitched seam.
    basket pockets being sewn across the top
  • Fold flaps over and pin into place.
    hand folding over basket flap
  • Secure flap by hand stitching an "x" onto each one.
    Note: I started and ended my x's under the flap to hide the knots, but you don't have to do that.
    small hand stitched "x" on basket flap
  • Your fabric basket is now complete. Admire your work and make a second one! 🙂
    9 fabric baskets stacked on table in 3 rows

Video

Notes

Cutting Guide For Different Sizes.
Interfacing should be 1/2" smaller than the fabric squares to reduce bulk, but for ease of cutting you can use a piece the same size as the fabric squares if you'd like.
  • 5" basket: 12" squares of fabric, 2.5" corners
  • 6" basket: 14" squares of fabric, 3" corners
  • 7" basket: 16" squares of fabric, 3.5" corners
  • 8" basket: 18" squares of fabric, 4" corners
  • 9" basket: 20" squares of fabric, 4.5" corners
  • 10" basket: 22" squares of fabric, 5" corners
  1. To make other sizes take the size you want your finished basket to be, multiply that number by 2 and add 2 to get the square size. The corner size is half of the finished measurement size. For example: for a 6" basket you'll multiply 6x2 and then add 2 to get 14" squares of fabric. Then 6/2= 3" corners.
  2. I've made these in all different sizes and have found that 5" is about as small as I like to make them. Any smaller and the side pockets would be too small to actually use. 
  3. You can use a piece of interfacing the same size as the fabric squares if you'd like. Having it slightly smaller reduces some of the bulk when pressing it flat, but I've made these both ways and the baskets turn out either way!
  4. Felt also works well as a stabilizer. It isn't fusible, but you can attach it using basting spray or simply cut the felt to the same size as the fabric and sew it all together when you sew around the perimeter. I've made baskets with felt and fusible fleece. I prefer fusible fleece, but felt is a great alternative.
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Brandy
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Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you!

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About Brandy

Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you!

Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com without any additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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