*TUTORIAL* DIY Custom Basket Liner

by Kelsey Norwood

in For the Home,Patterns,Tutorials

It’s almost Spring again, are you getting in the mood to reorganize and freshen up your house? I am.

One of my favorite baskets is the SKUBB collection at IKEA. They come in various sizes, are my favorite color, and are perfectly rectanglar/square so they fit really efficiently in a variety of spaces.

Sometimes my favorite white can get a little sterile and boring feeling, so this Spring I’m making basket liners to brighten things up.

My DIY custom basket liners are very easy to make. I’ve included instructions below to customize a liner for any shaped basket, and tomorrow I’ll post a liner pattern specific to this SKUBB basket.

I used the beautiful BEKKO fabric from Michael Miller, this is the Swell pattern in navy and I love how clean the navy and white lines look. This cotton sateen home dec fabric is the perfect weight for this project and the line comes in plenty of different colors and patterns to choose from.

Want to make some?

Here’s how to make a liner to fit any size basket:

1. Measure the basket:

  • width and length from the outside edges and ADD 1/2″ for seam allowances.
  • height from the inside edge up to the top and ADD 3″. ( 1/4″ seam allowance on the bottom edge, 2 1/4″ to fold up and over the basket edge, and a 1/2″ hem.)
 
2. Cut:
  • Cut 2  – width x height
  • Cut 2 – length x height
  • Cut 1 – width x length
Be sure to add seam allowances!
 
3.Now for a little fitting.
 
The basket liner will fold up and over the top edge of the basket and because of that, you have to make the liner a little wider at the top than it is at the bottom.
 
You measured from the outside of the basket, so now you just have to adjust each piece a tiny bit so it’s smaller to fit down on the inside.
 
You could do this one of two ways, so read both and decide which you like best.
 

METHOD 1

is much more confusing to explain/read than it actually is to do.

Basically you’re going to make the liner the shape of your basket so it’s narrower where it will be inside the basket (up to the height of the basket) and a little wider where it folds over the basket edge.

  • The total height of this piece is 7.25″ (height of the basket plus seam allowances and extra to fold over the edge and hem)
  • My actual basket is 4.25″ tall + 1/4″ extra for seam allowances, so 4.5″
  • Measure the thickness of the side of the basket – mine is 1/4″
  • Cut 1/4″ (the thickness of the basket) off both sides, but only 4.5″ up (the actual height of the basket + 1/4″ seam allowance)

Make sense?

No?

How bout this one:

METHOD 2

Take a 1/2″ seam when sewing the portion that will be inside the basket and 1/4″ seam where it folds over the top edge.

That’s sure a lot easier to explain…

If you choose Method 1, this is what your pieces should look like before you start sewing them together.

4. Sew all four sides together so you have a square. Tuck it inside your basket to check the fit.

5. Press the seams open, first the smaller part that will fit inside the basket.

Flip it around and press open the other end.

6. Finish the top edge, the one that will be hanging outside the basket, and press the seam under 1/2″ and sew down at 3/8″.

7. The walls of the basket liner are sewed together, now you just have to sew the bottom on.

Starting with one side section, line the bottom piece up to one side section between the seams. The edges of the bottom piece should line up with the outer edge of the seam allowance, as shown in the picture.

Start sewing DIRECTLY on the seam connecting the two side pieces so you are only sewing the finished portion of the wide piece to the bottom piece. Sew from the center of the seam allowance on the side piece to the center of the other seam allowance and don’t go any further!

This is what it will look like from the other side – notice how the stitching begins and ends DIRECTLY in the center of the seam allowance where the actual seam is.

8. To sew the next side, twist the corner of the fabric where you just finished sewing so it lines up with the side you’re working on now. There’ll be some folds in the fabric, just make sure there aren’t any folds where you’ll be sewing.

Place the needle down in the fabric DIRECTLY where the stitching line from the previous side stops and sew the next side, stopping in the center of the seam allowance just like before.

Keep sewing this way until the bottom is completely attached to the sides.

That’s it! Fit it down inside the basket and fill ’em up.

I need to make about a dozen more…good thing they’re quick!

Happy Spring!

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