How to Make a Sewing Box

If you like to sew but can never find the supplies you need, today might be the day to make a sewing box. While your sewing box may or may not be a great artwork in itself, it can help keep your notions organized. A nice sewing box also makes it easier to work up motivation for sewing projects, and can help you start a collection of project scraps for future inspiration and finishing touches.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Shoe box or other cardboard box Smaller boxes, pouches, or bags Fabric scraps Glue Basic sewing supplies, such as scissors, needles, thread, pins, ribbon and buttons

1. Decorate your box. A shoe box is about the right size to make a sewing box. Cut scraps of old fabric or ribbons and glue them all over the sides and lid of your box. You can cover the bottom and inside of the box too, or leave them bare.

2. Put basic sewing supplies, like fabric shears, a pincushion full of pins and needles, a tape measure, and a few colors of thread in the box. You may be able to keep all your sewing supplies in the box, or it may be a collection of just the most frequently used items.

3. Add several smaller boxes, fabric pouches or plastic baggies to your sewing box. Use these containers to save and organize the tiny items that generally wreak havoc with sewing areas.

4. Start collecting odds and ends from your projects. Stashes of extra buttons, zippers, snaps, laces and pieces of trim really start to make a sewing box a handy resource, but these collections must generally be built up over the course of time.

5. Keep your sewing box organized. It is tempting to leave the box in shambles while you are absorbed in a project, but maintaining a useful collection of supplies requires at least a bit of routine sorting and the occasional removal of items you are unlikely to actually use.

Tips & Warnings

• A sewing box makes a nice gift from an experienced sewer to a newer one. A nice set of basic tools comes in handy, but the real value is a good start on a collection of useful odds and ends.

[dtwelloh]

on 2/23/2009 Good step by step, well written. Give it 5 stars and a recommendation.