How to Make Liners for Small Baskets
Decorative wicker baskets can be used to hold many things, from papers to food items. By dressing up your small baskets with fabric liners, you can display them more prominently than you would display simple storage containers. After you've made your first basket liner, adapt the techniques to make basket liners for baskets of all shapes and sizes. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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1
Measure the inside bottom of your basket from side to side in both directions. Measure the height of the sides and the outside perimeter at the top.
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2
Cut paper or tissue paper patterns for the liner. To make the piece for the bottom of the basket, add 1 inch to the dimensions of the inside bottom and draw a square or rectangle that size. To make the sides, add 4 inches to the height of the basket. Multiply the measurement of the outside perimeter of the basket by 1.5 to be the length of the pattern. Draw a rectangle on paper to the above dimensions and cut it out.
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3
Place the pattern pieces on the fabric and pin around the edges. Cut the pieces out.
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4
Set your sewing machine to the longest straight stitch. Sew two rows of stitching about 1/2 inch from one of the long edges of the fabric piece that will be the side of the liner. Leave the thread ends extra long and do not trim them. Be careful not to overlap the two rows of stitching.
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On one end of the double row of stitches, tie a knot with the top two thread ends. (Using a double row of stitches is extra insurance in case you break the thread while gathering; simply pick up and use the second row of stitching and you won't have to start gathering from the beginning.) Beginning on the other end of the double row of stitches, gently pull on one of the threads. This gathers the fabric, giving it fullness. It's also more forgiving--you don't have to make the liner the exact size of the basket for it to look good.
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6
As you gather the side piece for the basket liner, stop occasionally and wrap it around the basket to see if it is the right size. The side piece should be large enough to fit completely around the outside of the basket, plus 1 inch. When it is the correct size, tie off the other end of gathering thread.
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7
With right sides together, pin the gathered edge of the side piece to the edge of the bottom piece, beginning in the middle of one of the sides. When you get to a corner, don't try to make it "square." Feed the gathered edge around the corner. You'll end up with a slightly rounded corner, a perfect fit for the inside corner of a basket.
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8
Where the ends of the side piece meet, overlap them slightly with their right sides together. Sew a seam joining the edges of the basket liner side piece. Finally, sew the side piece to the bottom piece along the pinned edge.
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9
Fit the liner into the basket with the wrong side of the liner facing the basket and the right side facing you. Let the top of the liner drape over the top of the basket. Make a mark at the length you want the liner to overlap the top edge.
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10
Remove from basket and sew a hem on the top edge of the basket liner. Fold over the fabric 1/4 inch from the edge. Then fold it over again at the place you marked in Step 9. Hem by hand or machine.
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Tips & Warnings
This method works for all sizes of baskets, from small to large.
