How To Make a French Bread Basket

Create this very cute and functional French Bread Basket. Of course it can be used to hold bread, but it can also be used to organize many other items, like fruit, dish towels, pet toys, and children’s toys. Baskets make great gifts too.

Materials and Supplies

• 1/2 yard of face fabric
• 1 yard of contrast fabric(18’’ for the basket and 12’’ for the ties)
• Fabric and Trim Glue
• 1/2 yard of Iron-On Batting
• 18’’ x 18’’ piece of pattern paper (you can also use scrap material or a large piece of regular paper)
• Ruler (at least 18’’ long) - or yardstick
• Basic sewing supplies and sewing machine
• Invisible Marker

Step-By-Step

1. Cut out an 18’’ x 18’’ piece of pattern paper. Make sure it is completely square. (Photo 1)

2. Place the pattern over your face fabric and cut out an 18” x 18” square. (Photo 2)

3. Do the same for the contrast fabric, cutting out an 18” x 18” square. Keep in mind you will need 12’’ of this contrast fabric for the ties, so consider your placement to conserve fabric. (Photo 3)

4. Lay the Iron-On-Batting, beaded side up, on the table. The beads are the glue, so you want them facing up. Place your face fabric, wrong side down, on the Iron- On-Batting. The right side will be facing you. (Photo 4)

a. Iron the fabric to the batting. Do not let the iron touch the Iron-On-Batting; it will stick to your iron. Be very careful around the edges, leaving about 1-2’’ at the edge not ironed. (Photo 5)

b. Once you have the batting adhered to the face fabric, cut off the excess batting. Now you can seal the corners properly since your iron is no longer in danger of touching the batting. (Photo 6)

5. Place your contrast fabric, right side down, on the face fabric, so you have both right sides together. Iron out creases and pin in place. (Photo 7)

6. Sew around the square on three sides, using a 1/2’’ seam allowance. Continue sewing on the fourth side; but leave an opening in the middle about 12” to 14” wide to turn the fabric right side out. (Photo 8)

a. After you finish sewing, clip each corner with scissors, removing the excess fabric. This will make the corners crisper when you turn the fabric right sides out. (Photo 9)

7. Use the opening to turn the fabric right sides out. When you are finished, the batting will be on the inside and the two right sides will be facing out. (Photo 10)

8. Now you need to close the opening. Fold the seam allowance inward as it would have been if it had been sewn. Squeeze a thin line of Fabric and Trim Glue onto the folded fabric. (Photo 11)

9. Use an iron to quickly set the glue. (Photo 12)

10. Use a ruler and pins to mark a 10’’ square in the center. Do this by measuring 4’’ in from each side. Trace out the square using a ruler and invisible marker and set aside. (Photo 13)

11. Next we will create four ties that are 3’’ wide and 32’’ long. To cut the strips for the ties, take the rest of the contrast fabric and fold it over in half width-wise. The fabric should measure at least 16” folded (if not more).

12. You will need to cut four 3” strips from the contrast fabric. To do this, use a ruler, pins, and a marker to mark your strips. (Photo 14 -16)

13. Cut out the strips. You should have four strips of fabric, 3’’ wide and 32’’ long or longer. (Photo 17).

14. Take each strip and fold it in half, cut edge to cut edge, and iron to crease. (Photo 18)

a. Unfold then refold to create two more creases in each of the original halves the same way. You will end up with three creases in the fabric strip, which divides the strip into four equal parts. (Photo 19)

15. Fold in the outer sections so the cut edges are touching in at the center crease. (Photo 20) Then fold together, so the two folded edges are together. (Photo 21)

16. Before you begin sewing, the ends of the ties will need to be tucked in so they don’t show the raw edge. You can pin these in place if you like. (Photo 22)

(Hint: If you choose, you can make fabric tubes instead the ribbons, however this will increase your time at the sewing machine.)

17. Starting with one strip at a time, place the strip on top of the face fabric so that even amounts extend past the start and the end of the fabric square, (these are your ties). Align it with the mark you made in Step 10. Pin in place.

a. Start at the top of the tie, remembering to fold the edge in, and begin to sew a top stitch along the edge, about a 1/4’’ from the outer edge. Sew all the way to the other end. (Photo 23) Again, remember to fold the end of the tie in so you get a smooth edge.

b. Repeat this process on the same tie along the other edge. The tie will have two lines of top stitching when you are finished. (Photo 24)

c. Repeat this for the remaining three ties.

18. Once the ties are sewn on, pinch the corners of the basket together so the ties touch. Tie a knot or a bow. Do this for all four corners. (Photo 25)

19. You now have your very own French Bread Basket. (Photo 26)