I like to keep small tools handy and close by my machines, but after knocking my thread snips off the counter (and point down into my bare foot) I knew I needed to keep them safely corralled. I could have searched out a small container from around the house - but sew-ers gotta sew - so I used some scraps to make a small basket.
It's simply some fabric, some PelTex double-sided ultra firm stabilizer and some Kam snaps. There are tutorials online for making folding baskets (usually labeled as bread baskets) but I've made a couple of substitutions to the usual supply list based on what I have on hand and my own preferences. For instance - the PelTex product was left over from a previous project, but it is also more rigid than the usual interfacing or batting. Instead of ribbons or bias tape I like to use plastic snaps -- it's a more streamlined look, plus I have a nice assortment of them.
Here's the materials I used: PelTex double-sided ultra firm stabilizer - 5 pieces cut as follows - 2 pieces 7.25" x 2.5", 2 pieces 3.25" x 2.5" and one piece 7" x 3.25"
Fabric: quilting type cotton - 2 pieces 13" x 10"
Snaps: Kam plastic snaps - 4 complete sets (4 male/4 female plus corresponding caps)
And here's how it was laid out:
My method was to fold over and press the outer edges of the fabric rectangles by 1/2" on all sides. Then I carefully laid out the Peltex pieces as per the above diagram - note that there is a space, or channel, between the pieces - they do not butt up against each other. They are placed on the wrong (non-public) side of the fabric as you are sandwiching them between the 2 fabric pieces. Next, carefully place the remaining fabric (right side up) over the PelTex layer being sure to have the bottom and top fabric layer lining up accurately. I lay everything out on my ironing board, as the next step is pressing the sandwich as per the PelTex instructions. This will bond the stabilizer to both sides of the fabric.
Finally we sew - edgestitch around the entire border to close everything up. Then stitch around the base (the larger piece of PelTex in the center of the sandwich) in the channel between the stabilizer pieces. You could also stitch around the other pieces, but I didn't on this project - the pieces are well bonded to the fabric, plus I don't think I'll need the extra security of stitching as I don't intend to wash this (famous last words!).
I eyeballed the placement of the snaps by folding up the corner edges of the box - they ended up approx. 5/8" in from the outer edge of the box and 2.5" from each corner point. Since you need to poke a small hole in the fabric to install each snap, I simply marked them by making a hole with my stiletto awl. And done - maybe not the usual method of making these boxes, but it worked for me. Dimensions given are, of course, for the size basket I wanted to make, but it is a fairly easy math problem to change it up. I will say that the 2.5" height worked very well to make a basket deep enough to keep everything in place, but not so deep that you had to go digging for your tools.
And lastly - another small project - "Crooked Trail Cap", a slouchy cap from KnitSpot knit in Green Mountain Spinnery Ragg Time.
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