Fabric Scrap Easter Basket

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Sewing machine (with zigzag stitch capability)
• Machine Needle 100/16 (JEANS/DENIM)
• One pkg Dritz® premium clothesline (3/16"x 100ft.)
• Nine fabric quarters, coordinating prints and colors
• Two spools thread, matching colors
• Ruler
• Measuring tape
• Rotary cutter & mat
• Scissors
• Pins
• Twelve wonder clips or small binder clips or small clothespins

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut out and wrap fabric:
• Layer all of your fabric and cut into 1" bias strips (bias = 45 degree angle from selvage).
• Begin wrapping the bias on the end of the cording to cover it, overlapping about a 1/4", so that it sits flat.
• Add another bias strip by overlapping strips slightly and hold in place with a clip. Wrap about 8-10 pieces to start.


2. Make the basket:
• Set your sewing machine to a wide zig zag with an average length.
• Spiral the end of the wrapped cord into a pinwheel, about 6 rounds or 2-2.5" across.
• Zig zag stitch across the flat pinwheel, then do the same in the opposite direction to form a zig zagged X across the pinwheel.
• With the end of the cord on the right-hand side, start zigzag stitching around the pinwheel shape keeping it circular and flat. Do this until the flat base is about 6.5" across. Keep the project under the machine.
• To transition to the sides, start by angling the flay piece up with your left hand as you continue to stitch the cording through the machine. Angle will be slight at first so that the stitches continue to join with both sides of the cording. Continue working around the base until the base is perpendicular to the machine bed and new cord is being stitched into a tube, forming the sides of the basket.
• When the wrapped section of cording comes to an end, continue to add new strips of bias tape, wrapping 8-10 strips at a time.
• Continue sewing sides of the basket until it reaches the desired size. For the basket shown, sides are about 5 1/2" tall.
• Before adding the top row, remove from the machine but do not cut cord. Measure the top of the basket straight across. Mark a 1" space on opposite sides of the top of the basket for the handle placement.
• Reinsert the basket into the machine and stitch the top row, stop the stitching, and restart after the 1" gap on each side, so that there are two, 1" spaces to thread the handle through.


3. Make the handle:
• Wrap enough cording for 2 pieces that are 39"and one that is 32".
• For these pieces sew across the bottom and top to secure the ends that are covered - either zigzag or straight stitch.
• Zig zag 3 strips together: 2 longer strips on the outside, shorter strip line up 3.5" down, so it is centered between the longer strips. There should be 2 cord tails at the top and bottom of the handle.
• Thread handle through the slit on the basket from inside to outside, pulling through so that 3" of the handle is overlapping on the outside (not including the tails).
• Stitch across both layers of the handle, on both sides of the basket at top (before the tails) - either zig zag or straight stitch.
• Stitch down the 3" as close as possible to the basket to give the handle more stability - zig zag over the other zigzag stitches made to create the handle.
• On both side of the basket wrap the tails up the handle. Both first behind the handle, then to the front of the handle. Zigzag stitch over the ends of the tails to secure in place. This braid helps to strengthen the handle so it stands up.