Free Felt Basket Tutorial
Make something that's both beautiful and useful in just 15 minutes! Our free felt basket tutorial will show you everything you need to know to make a set of three nesting baskets that are so fast they'll become your go-to for gift giving. They're also perfect for holding small notions like binding clips or collecting thread or fabric scraps!
This tutorial originally appeared in the article, Travel Sewing Tips with Bonus Project Tutorial from Issue 5 of The Cutting Table. Lots of you have asked how to get this tutorial, so we decided to make it free on our public blog to offer you a taste of the incredible content we offer in The Cutting Table each month. Subscribe now and get your first month free with code Try4Free!
Besides fast and fun tutorials like this, subscribers also get access to our annual block of the month, a subscriber-exclusive pattern each year, monthly pattern downloads from the Suzy Quilts catalog, and an exclusive discount program to some of our favorite sewing shops. All of this is less than the cost of buying one quilt pattern per month!
So keep reading to learn how to make your own felt nesting baskets, and join the fun in The Cutting Table!
Check out these popular tutorials from The Cutting Table!
Felt Basket Tutorial Materials
Do you already subscribe to The Cutting Table? Don't forget to use your subscriber-exclusive discount to Benzie Design when you order your materials!
Trending patterns!
- Felt: This tutorial uses one 9" x 12" sheet of the following colors: Crema, Plié, and Rose Quartz 100% Bellwether wool felt from Benzie Design (don't forget to use the exclusive Benzie Design discount you get as a subscriber to The Cutting Table!)
- Coordinating DMC embroidery floss in colors 3770, 152, and 223
- Embroidery needle
- Ruler
- Chalk marker
- Scissors (These Fiskars Micro-Tip scissors are my favorite for felt.)
- Binding clips
Step 1: Prepare the Felt
Cut the felt to the following dimensions:
- Small (Crema): (1) 5" square
- Medium (Plié): (1) 6" square
- Large (Rose Quartz): (1) 7" square
Step 2: Mark and Cut the Felt
Using a chalk marker, mark a diagonal line of the following length in each corner:
- Small (Crema): 2 1/2" each
- Medium (Plié): 2 3/4" each
- Large (Rose Quartz): 3" each
Cut along each marked line to create four flaps.
Step 3: Fold the Flaps
This is the only part of this super quick basket tutorial that can be a bit hard. Folding the flaps is what creates the delicate origami look of these nesting baskets. Once you do it one time, you'll be a pro, and your set of nesting baskets will be done in no time!
Lift one flap so your square starts to take the shape of a basket. This is your main flap. Fold the flap on the left to the back of the main flap and hold in place. Next, fold the flap on the right to the front of the main flap and hold in place as shown below. The points of the outside and inside flaps should overlap slightly in the center of your main flap.
The amount that the flaps overlap does not have to be precise. My largest basket in Rose Quartz has flaps that overlap about 1" each. Once all the flaps are held in place with clips in a minute, you can adjust the spacing as much as you want to get the basket shape you like.
Use a binding clip to hold the flaps in place. Then, repeat this folding process three more times on the other sides until your basket looks like the one shown below.
Step 4: Blanket Stitch Around the Basket Rim
To finish the baskets, blanket stitch all the way around the rim using three strands of embroidery floss. Check out our video tutorial below!
Repeat with the other two baskets, and your travel nesting baskets will be complete! These are a great go-to basket for sewing on the go because you can spread out where you have space and nest them when they're not in use. Use them as thread or fabric scrap catchers or to hold small notions!
How cute are these felt baskets? Once you make one, you won't want to stop. Make them for friends or family — but don't forget to keep a set for yourself! Tag us at @suzyquilts on Instagram to show us what you've made so we can share and celebrate you!
Love this! Looking forward to creating some baskets. Thank you for sharing your creation