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Mini Pop-up Fabric Baskets




These baskets are so cute, useful and easy to make. 

The larger versions are great as thread catchers for 'travelling' sewing!  But the smaller versions I made are perfect for holding earrings in for safety.  My girls both recently had their ears pierced but have to take their earrings out when they play hockey on the turf a couple of times a week, so I thought they might like one each for that!



I made them using this YouTube video tutorial from AngiesBitsandPieces.  The video is about 12 minutes long and is very clear and easy to understand.  It's mostly made using hand-stitching, only one seam stitched by machine.  I also later found an earlier version of this tutorial in PDF form from Red Hen Fabrics if you prefer a printed and written version!

Here's some photos of mine being made!


The video tutorial I followed uses a section cut from a Pringles can for the top section of the thread catcher, and cardboard for the base.

For batting I used some scraps of fleece.  I love that this project uses all recycled materials and scraps of fabric!
Here's my first one cut out and ready to go!

There was a lot of hand stitching.
The cardboard bases with the batting are covered with fabric stitched like you would stitch a fabric yoyo. The outer fabric drawn up around the card.

These circles are stitched together to form the base of your basket.

Then the rectangle that is the main part of the basket is stitched into a tube using a sewing machine - the raw edges pressed over first, then the seam pressed open.


Next the ring cut from your Pringles can is pushed over this tube into the middle.

Then the tube is folded over the ring, enclosing the ring at the bottom.

The ring is then stitched into place using a simple running stitch.


Then you push the inside of the basket up through the ring and  hand stitch the base to it.


Last of all, you push the base back through the ring and hand stitch it to the other side of the main basket.


And that's your pop-up basket finished! Simply twist and push the base up into the ring to fold and seal!


I made another slightly larger basket using a ring from a drinking chocolate container we'd just finished!




The tiny baskets I made using the plastic rings from the top of plastic milk jugs, just under the lid.

Cardboard circles just smaller than the ring, and the rectangle of fabric 13 x 13 cm (5 x 5 ").


I really like these pop-up baskets.
My girls claimed these four, so I'll have to make more if I want any for myself!





Do you like them too?
Will you try making them?

You could use any firm kind of ring for the top of these baskets - an embroidery hoop, kid's plastic bracelet... the only limit is your imagination!




28 comments:

  1. Ingenious! I never would have thought to use those resources for a pop-up fabric bin, great job!

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  2. Looove this! The tiny ones are cuter than cute - such a clever use for that little plastic ring. Awesome, Jill! So now you need to teach the girls to make their own earrings, right? Think of the fun they will have with that!

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    1. Thanks Mich!
      Yep the girls are keen to try making their own earrings - I'm sure we're going to have plenty of fun with that!

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  3. What a clever idea Jill! Looks easy to make, I would love to try!
    Have a lovely day!

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    1. Thanks so much Anna! You should try - they are so cute and not too hard to make!

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  4. wow! I will have to try! yours look great!

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  5. Great idea! They'd be perfect for the tiny bits of Lego I find when I'm hoovering :)

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    1. Thanks Anna - yes, they would be perfect for Lego!!

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  6. Super cute and I love your fabric choices, but as for making my own, that's too much hand-sewing for me! On the other hand, I found your Cadbury container to be interesting in that it's labelled as "drinking chocolate". Have never seen that term used up here. :-)

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    1. Hi Rochelle

      Yes it was rather too much hand-sewing for me too. I might play around with them and see if I can come up with a machine stitched version! The Drinking Chocolate is one that you can just add hot water to make your hot chocolate rather than having to warm milk. Maybe it's an Australian/British term! :)

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  7. These are so sweet, what an amazing idea!! Love them ..

    Thanks for sharing at Creative Mondays, pinning :)

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  8. These are so cute! I might have to give them a try.

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  9. I love your cute fabric baskets you made Jill! Thanks for sharing this at Cooking and Crafting with J&J! Enjoy the weekend.
    Julie

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  10. Oh gosh. These are so cute!

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

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  11. Super clever and creative! Visiting from Craftastic Monday party.
    Victoria @ dazzlewhilefrazzled.com

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  12. Wow, Jill!

    I loved your mini thread catchers so much, I had to make one, which will be the first of many!

    Just blogged about it here: http://theflashingscissors.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/a-mini-finish-few-quilting-wips.html

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  13. I don't have a Pringles container so I'm wondering how sturdy the ring is. I've looked at doing this with some other things that are round but the materials don't seem to be stiff enough to hold up under a lot of use.

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