Hanging Half Round Basket

As we settle into the new routine of back to school this hanging basket is a great way to keep things organized and handy as you head out the door in the morning. This basket can stand on its own or hang from a hook or doorknob to keep supplies within reach in any room of the house. I plan to keep my basket in my sewing room to keep notions close to my workspace. This basket would be great near the homework station to keep school supplies close to maximize the desktop space or in a dorm room for extra storage. To make this basket I used a fat quarter for the exterior from the Mystery Bundle and for the lining Destination by Banyan Batiks found on the Cotton Cuts website. This free pattern to make this handy basket can be found on Sew4Home.

Materials Needed:

• Fat Quarter for exterior and basket lining

• Coordinating Aurifil Thread from Chroma Membershi[

• 8” wooden dowel

• Sheet of Plastic Canvas

• Pellon fusible (single side) foam interfacing 

• Pellon Shape Flex 101 interfacing 

• Medium weight fusible interfacing 

• Rope or ribbon to hang the basket

To get started you will want to download the Template for the basket base. It is helpful to press and starch your fabric before cutting to size.

Getting Started:

1. Exterior Butterfly fabric: Cut one base from the template and one 21 ½” x 6 ½” piece.

2. Lining Blue Diamond fabric: Cut one base, one 21 ½” x 6 ½”, one 21” x 2 ½” strip and one 5” x 7” piece.

3. From the fusible foam interfacing cut one 12 ¼” x 5 ½” and two 3 ⅞” x 5 ½” pieces. Trim all the edges of the foam at an angle to create a beveled edge to reduce the thickness at the seams.

4. From the Shape Flex 101 fusible interfacing cut one base, one 21 ½” x 6 ½”, one 20” x 2”.

Before cutting the next two base pieces you will trim the template on the dotted line removing the seam allowance. Cut one base from the plastic canvas and one base from the medium weight fusible interfacing.

Finally, cut one 5” x 7” piece of medium weight fusible interfacing.

Iron the Fusible interfacing to fabric pieces in the following way:

1. Iron on the Shape Flex to the wrong side of the exterior Butterfly base piece

2. Iron on the medium weight fusible interfacing smaller base piece centered on the wrong side of the exterior base piece from the previous step. This gives you a double thick interfacing on the base for stability.

3. Iron the matching piece of Shape Flex to the wrong side of the main exterior Butterfly fabric

4. Iron on the foam interfacing to the wrong side of the exterior Butterfly fabric on top of the Shape Flex interfacing adhered in the previous step. Align the pieces so that you have ½” from all the outer edges and ¼” between the large center rectangle and the outer smaller rectangles. I used clips to hold in place and pressed from the fabric side for better adhesion because it takes longer for the heat from the iron to penetrate the layer of the foam to the fabric.

5. Iron on the Shape Flex interfacing to the 21 ½” x 2 ½” strip of blue diamond fabric. Line up the long raw edge of the fabric with the edge of the interfacing leaving a ½’ gap.

Iron on the medium weight interfacing to the wrong side of the 5” x 7” diamond fabric piece.

Sewing the basket:

Take the main exterior Butterfly fabric piece with right sides together and sew a ½” seam. Then mark the center point opposite the seam with a pin. Take the exterior Butterfly base piece and mark the center and the side corners ½’ from the edge with a pin.

With right sides together starting on the straight edge match the center and pin or clip in place. Sew with a ½” seam starting at the ½’ mark and sew to the other end stopping at the ½’ mark.

Clip the seam from the raw edge to before the stitching line at the ½” marking. This will help to create the corners. Align the curve piece by starting with matching the center line pins on the base and curve. Pin or clip to hold in place. Sew with a ½” seam allowance and clip around the curve to help the seam lay flat.

Turn the piece right sides out and give it a press fully pressing out the bottom curved edge. Place the piece of plastic canvas into the bottom of the basket.

Set this exterior basket aside and repeat the process to make the basket lining with the exception of the seams are ¾” to accommodate the thickness of the foam. Give the lining a press and trim the seams to ¼” to help it lay flat. Insert the lining into the exterior basket with the wrong sides together aligning the raw edges and the seams.

I recommend clipping in place and then basting with a long stitch ¼” from the raw edge to hold in place. Be sure to keep the raw edges lined up with each other as you sew.

Take the 5” x 7” piece and along all four sides turn under ¼” press and turn under ¼” topstitch close to the edge.

Turn the short top edge over about 1” to create a casing for the dowel. I usually check the space with the dowel rod to be sure it fits before sewing in place.With the right side facing out, place the rod pocket centered over the back seam. Be sure the rod pocket is at the base. You will fold this piece up in a few steps so it can hang. Pin in place and baste ¼” from the edge.

Take the 21” x 2 ½” diamond fabric strip and press ½” under on the edge without interfacing creating a strong crease. Unfold and bring the short edges together and sew with a ½” seam. Press the seam open.

Line up this band with the center seam of the lining  with the right sides together. Align the raw edges at the top of the basket clip in place and sew with a ½” seam allowance all the way around.

Trim the seam allowance to about ¼”. Fold the band right side out and press along the edge to create an even trim around the exterior of the basket. Fold the rod pocket upwards and press. Topstitch about ⅛” from both edges in a coordinating thread color.

Slide the 8” wooden dowel into the rod pocket. Cut the braided rope or ribbon the desired length and tie it onto the dowel at each end. You may want to secure the knot with a bit of glue.

This is a wonderfully versatile basket that would be a great gift for the special people on your holiday list this year. Check out online fabric store to find the perfect fabric for your new hanging basket! Check out Mug Caddy blog and Chair pocket bag blog with ideas on how to improve your school/work space at home.