Basket

If you read my blog you will know I have a bit of a thing for baskets! This is one I have had for years, I like it because it zips up across the top but it is deep and dark and things can be lost for ever on the bottom. So I searched through my fabric stash for some strong, light coloured fabric. I drew a pattern on paper and made a lining for the basket, adding some side pockets,  putting it in place and hand stitching around the top edge.

French Basket

I've been looking for one of these baskets for a while, I could have bought one online but I didnt really want to pay the prices they are asking. My daughter has a number of these in different sizes, she uses them for carrying washing, toys and beach stuff as well as packing them full of their luggage when they come up to visit us. She bought hers in France.

Yesterday when we were out visiting a market town near where we live we found there was a French street market and I found this basket at a very reasonable price.

So today I went through my fabric to find something to line the basket with, I found some Toile de Jouy that I have had for some years. I used a piece of denim to make a pocket for each side. I will be packing it up on Monday when we leave for a few days trip in our little caravan we are travelling over to the Cotswolds

Basket

I bought this basket a few years back, its just the right size for Bible, note book, net book, phone plus more. But I was always losing small things in the bottom under everything else so I decided to line it. I had a piece of nice, fairly stiff denim and decided to use that.

Making a pattern from newspaper I cut out two rectangles for the base and a wide long rectangle for the sides. I joined the side piece to one base piece, I then put the other base over the wrong side of the fabric to cover the seams around the base. Folded over the side to the correct depth and sewed around the rim. I added pockets to the sides, sewing one down the centre to make  two, one just the right size for my Blackberry :) the other for pens. The pocket on the other side for other small items.

I then used quilting thread (as its stronger) and sewed the rim to the basket, pushing the needle through any gaps in the basketwork.

I now need to start on the moses basket for my grandson...knowing this isn't going to be so easy as the sides aren't straight up and my daughter doesnt want it gathered!