A few weeks ago, Rosie from StitchCraftCreate invited me to participate in a blog hop to promote two new books with stash-busting projects (small projects which are ideal to use up fabric scraps).
The first book is 50 Fat Quarter Makes by Amy Verso. The number of fat quarters you needs for the projects ranges from just 1 to 10. Here is a little video which gives you a peek into the book. My favorite projects are both on the cover: the cat and the teddy bear. So cute!
The second book is Scrap Happy Sewing by Retro Mama (Kim Kruzich). I know Kim from the beautiful fabric doll patterns she has been making for so many years now, but her shop and the book also feature many other projects. My favorites are the Pyjama Bear Softies..
… and the Sweet Sailor Dress Doll:
If you’d like to learn more about the book, Abbie from While She Naps has written a great review of it, here.
Participants to this blog hop could choose between making a project from one of the books, writing a review, interviewing one of the authors, or creating their own stash busting project. I went for the latter option, as it gave me the opportunity to finally make work of a project which had been on my mind for such a long time.
I got the idea when I made the Matryoshka bins. In an effort to very quickly clean up Norah’s drawing table, I put a lot of her stuff in the bins back then. Her felt markers went into the smallest bin, but of course it often tips over, because, well, it’s just fabric. This gave me the idea to use the fabric bins as a cover for a more solid container. And if that container is waterproof, you can also use it a flower pot.
These bins I’m showing here today do not come with pdf patterns – they are made-to-measure for the container you’re using. Also, they have a round instead of a square bottom.
TUTORIAL
Time needed:
I spent 1.5 hours on making all three bins (including cutting the fabrics).
Materials:
- waterproof container (tin can, cup, glass, jug, …). I used an empty tin can of peas.
- woven fabrics (main and lining)
- optional: interfacing. I wanted to go for a bit of a slouchy look, so I didn’t use interfacing. If you do decide to use interfacing, use it on the lining, not the main. As interfacing makes it more difficult to stitch side to bottom, it is better to use it on the lining (it doesn’t really matter if your fabric might be pinched there).
Instructions:
1. First, let’s draw the pattern for the bottom. I used an empty tin can as a container. Instead of doing calculations and looking for a compass, I simply took a bowl with a bigger radius from my cupboard, and traced around it. Keep in mind that the bowl should be big enough to include seam allowance (tip: go for presser foot width!) and a bit of extra so that the bin is not too tight around the container. Cut this circle from the main and lining fabrics.
2. Next, let’s make the pattern for the sides. This is just a rectangle with the following dimensions:
– HEIGHT: [height of finished bin] + [2 x seam allowance] + [height of fold-over edge]
– WIDTH: [(radius of bottom pattern – 1) x 6.28] + [2 x seam allowance] Tip: when measuring the radius of your bottom pattern, you can easily find the middle of the circle by folding it in half vertically and horizontally.
Cut this rectangle from the main and lining fabrics.
3. Let’s get stitching! Put the main and lining rectangles with right sides together. Stitch along the top. Press seam open.
4. Fold the piece as illustrated below, with right sides together, and stitch the side seam. Press seam open.
5. This will give you a kind of ‘tube’. Pin the main bottom piece onto the main side of the tube, with right sides together, and stitch. Repeat for the lining, but leave a turning hole here. Next, reduce the seam allowance to about half its current width.
Tip: if you first divide the side and the bottom in four (by folding them in two twice), and then pin the markings together, it is easier to fit them together.
8. Pull the piece right side out through the turning hole. Close the hole with a machine stitch near the edge. Press the top edge, put the bin around the container, and fold the edge over. Done!
The fabrics I used are from Carolyn Friedlander’s beautiful Doe line (the black triangles and the blue lines) and from Cloud 9’s Cirrus Solids line (the solids).
Speaking of fabrics, if you are a UK resident, you can win 10 fat quarters AND both books, here!
Make sure to also visit the other participants in the blog hop:
Retro Mama – SCC – S.O.T.A.K Handmade – Fabricworm – Clover & Violet – Robot Mom Sews – Vivid Felicity – Cut To Pieces – Straight Grain – Sew Take A Hike – Vintage Grey – Miss Print – Pink Penguin – Sew Creative Blog – Follow the White Bunny – A Bright Corner – Sew Justine Sew – LRstitched – Pieced Brain
