Circle Storage Basket - 5 out of 4 Patterns

I always need more places to store all of my little sewing things, and apparently my daughter’s dolls. You can make a cute storage basket in any size that makes your heart happy and fits your needs.

Supplies:

Paper and pencil for making template
Circular object the approximate size of the basket you want
Two woven fabrics: 1 main 1 lining
Fleece interfacing (other types of interfacing or batting will work, it just won’t be as structured)
Iron
Sewing machine and basic sewing supplies

Make Your Templates

Set your circular object on a piece of paper and trace around the edge.
Cut out the circle and label it as: Interfacing Cut 1
Take the interfacing template and set it on another piece of paper. Mark 3/4″ away from the template edge all the way around.
Trace around your markings to create a larger circle.
Cut out the circle and label it as: Cut 1 Main and 1 Lining

Measure the circumference of the larger circle, then add 1″ for your seam allowance.
Determine the height you want your finished basket to be, then add 1″ for your seam allowance.
- These two measurements will be the length and width our your main and lining “wall” pieces.
- For reference, my larger circle has a circumference of 15.5″ and I want my fininshed basket sides to be 3″ tall. My pattern piece is 16.5″ X 4″
Make a template of your wall measurements. Cut out and label: Cut 1 Main and 1 Lining.
On your wall template piece, draw a line accross lengthwise that is 1.5″ narrower, then a vertical line that is 1″ shorter. This will be the template for the wall interfacing.
- My interfacing piece is 15″ X 3″

Make template for wall fabrics and interfacing

Optional Handles

After making one taller basket and one shorter one, my youngest daughter told me that they should have handles. I’m not sure why I didn’t think of that myself. I decided to make one more to show how to make handles as well. I made my own handles out of the lining fabric. You could also use ribbon, rope, etc.

Decide on the length and width you want your handles to be when finished. (I wanted mine to be 2″ X 7″)
Add 1″ to the finished width for folding in the edges.
My handle pieces were 3″ X 7″ Label your template: Handles Cut 2

Cut out the Pieces

Large circle: Cut 1 main fabric and 1 lining
Large rectangle (wall): Cut 1 main and 1 lining
Small circle: Cut 1 interfacing
Small rectangle (wall): Cut 1 interfacing
Handles: Cut 2 from your chosen fabric

Make the Lining First

Since the wall piece will need to fit the circumference of the circle exactly, it is easiest to start with the lining in case you need to make any adjustments. The interfacing will be ironed onto the main fabric making it more difficult to make adjustments. If you find you need to make any changes when creating the lining, you will be able to do the same for the main fabric and interfacing pieces before fusing them together.

Fold your wall lining piece in half widthwise with right sides together and pin the short ends together.
Sew along the pinned edge with a 1/2″ seam allowance.
Press the seam allowance open.

Quarter and pin your wall piece and circle piece.
Match up the quarter points, then continue pinning around the edge of the circle with right sides together.
- It might seem like the loop is too big for the circle. Quartering the pieces helps this a lot. If it is not fitting, unpin it and adjust the size of the loop.
- Pay attention to how much you adjust the loop piece. You will need to do the exact same with the main wall piece as well as remove that amount from the interfacing.
Once your wall and base are pinned and ready, you can sew them together. I chose to hand sew my sides to the base first to have more control over keeping the fabric from moving. After, I used my sewing machine to sew around the edge with a 1/2″ seam allowance.
Trim off any exccess fabric from the seam allowance to remove bulk.

Time for the Main Pieces

If you made any adjustments to your lining pieces, do the same to your main pieces.
- You may not need to make any changes to your interfacing depending on what interfacing you chose, and how much you took off the fabric pieces.
Center the interfacing on the wrong sides of your main wall and main circle pieces.
Follow the instructions for your fusible fleece interfacing (or other interfacing of choice) to adhere it to the fabric.

Follow the same steps as you did for the lining to sew your main pieces together. With the fleece interfacing, the sides are going to be pretty stiff. I highly recommend you hand sew them together before trying to use your sewing machine.

Handles

If you are not adding handles, keep scrolling down to “Putting it all together.”

Fold each of your handle pieces wrong sides together lengthwise and press.
Open it back up, then fold each long edge in 1/2″ and press.
With the long edges folded in, fold it in half again and pin along the open edge.
Sew down the pinned edge with a 3/8″ seam allowance.

Take your main basket piece (with the interfacing) and mark the opposite points on two sides with a pin.
Line up each side of the handle equal distance away from the pin with the raw edges facing up and the loop portion down inside the basket. Pin in place.
Do the same with the other handle on the opposite pinned point.
Sew accross the tops of each handle.

Putting it all Together

With and without handles will be sewn the same way.

With the main basket inside out and the lining right side out, slide the lining into the main with right sides together.
Line up the seams, then pin around the top edge leaving a 3″ opening that you will leave unsewn.
Sew around the top edge with a 1/2″ seam allowance making sure to backstitch multiple times at the beginning and end of the 3″ opening. (You can handstitch the edge first, then sew over it with your machine if you choose.)

Pull the main basket through the opening.
Once the whole basket is right side out, push the lining into the main basket.

Fold the basket along the top seam and press the seam and sides as much as possible with your iron.
At the opening, fold the edges in and press.
Pin along the opening.
Topstitch the opening closed with a 1/4″ seam allowance, then continue around the rest of the basket.

Now go find things to fill all those baskets!

My youngest commandeered the one with the handles for her dolls. I figured that was fair since the handles were her idea anyway.

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