Baskets are so useful for such things as organizing household items and hauling laundry, but they can be a little plain looking. With the right touches of fabric (and even spray paint), you can turn ordinary into extra-ordinary!
It’s easy to make them beautiful without taking away their functionality. Simply line with fabric for hassle-free cleaning and to dress the bins a bit for display, Easter egg collecting or even gift-giving.
Liners are simple enough to sew using bright and cheery prints or make something a little more decorative with elegant pleats, ruffles and ribbons.
If using a basic design from one of the tutorials below, consider adorning with pretty lace trim, appliques or fancy trims and a few buttons.
If you make the outer overhang longer, a casing can easily be made to run a wide fabric strip through to tie pretty bows on each end. The effect can be very attractive!
A suggestion for decorating baskets without bringing out the sewing machine:
- Weave a strip of lace, material or ribbon through the body (if working with wicker or wire) and tie off edges into a pretty bow.
For no-sew ideas (a couple projects included in the collection below as well):
- Large doilies or lace by the yard
- Large linen napkins or a piece of cotton print with pulled threads for a fringe (cutting up old tablecloths works great for this)
- Bandanas
- Burlap or coffee sack or a heavier upholstery textile: Fold over a crate or bin, tuck in corners then tie a band around the outside of the body to hold material in place. You can use twine, yarn or heavy string to do the job.
For something more tailored and custom fitting, here’s a great bunch of free tutorials for a variety of shapes and sizes (round, oval, rectangular and square shaped). Many of them show step-by-step how to measure for a precise fit and some teach how to work around handles.
The bins can be made from wicker, wire, plastic, whatever. Whether it’s for a picnic, a bike ride or organizing with a bit of flair, there’s surely something in this bunch that ticks all the boxes for you.
New Collection Update: October, 2022
How To Make A Basket Liner: Free Tutorials & Patterns
For easier browsing, I’ve separated the projects below according to the shape or intended purpose:
- Round & Oval
- Square & Rectangle
- Easter
- Bicycle
- Laundry
As always here on Tipnut, only those tutorials that are 100% hassle-free are included. This means there is no fee charged to access instructions and no emails to submit or memberships to signup for. All necessary pattern pieces and templates (usually a pdf download) are also freely provided. If that has changed since being added to this page, please let me know in the comments area below so I can remove it. I also focus on text-based/image instructions but some may offer a video for additional support.
Directions: Click on images to view project page, a new browser tab will open & save your spot here
Round & Oval
No matter the size or depth, handles or not, these are easy to adjust to your specific requirements.
Square & Rectangle
There are a few in this bunch that are nearly identical, but I included them to show how striking different fabrics and trims can be and the visual effect of different lengths for overhang.
Easter
The Easter Bunny is sure to load up treats in these adorable baskets ;). Some ideas for personalization include embroidery/cross stitch names, spray painting the wicker in favorite colors, pretty appliques (note that appliques don’t have to be purchased, you can make your own easily).
Bicycle
It’s not just the kiddos that love these, some have baskets to hold goodies for trips to the market, towels for the beach and toting around pets.
Laundry
When you find a good, sturdy hamper that suits your needs just right, it’s hard to part with it just because the lining is ratty. Here are a few ideas to freshen things up. You might also be interested in the freebies found at Updating Laundry Room Supplies: {Projects & Patterns}.
Bonus
- Personalized Lettering: For an extra touch of charm, here’s how to add elegant text to a liner using carbon paper and a paint pen.
- Painting: (Dip-Dyeing) A simple way to add a little pop of color … plus (How To Spray Paint Wicker) … (Using Wood Stain) … (Updating Wire Bins) … (Easter Themed) … (DIY Golden Decor).
- Crafty Bike Makeover: Cute & quick idea to add colorful pompoms.
