Creating soft, cube-shaped organizers constructed of fabric is a cost-effective way to corral your kids' toys, clothing or school supplies. You can accomplish this project in an afternoon, without a sewing machine. These boxes may go right inside the closet but are pretty enough to be displayed in your living area or child's room when made with fabrics that complement your decor. Soft edges and a bendable construction ensure it doesn't pose a safety risk for your child. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Choose your fabric and cut 10 squares, each 9-by-9 inches in size. To contrast the interior and exterior of the box, choose two different colors and cut five squares of each.
2. Place a square of fabric for the interior facedown and center a square of fusible interfacing on it. Secure the squares together as you flip them over. Fuse the interfacing and fabric together by running an iron over the top of the fabric. Set the pieces aside to use as the inner base piece.
3. Line up the edges of two inner fabric pieces, right sides facing each other. Stitch one side using a 1/2-inch seam. Backstitch at both ends for reinforcement. Connect two of the remaining inside fabric pieces in the same way to create a diagonal row of four, then connect the two end pieces together to make a tube.
4. Wrap the tube around the narrow end of your ironing board, right side down, and press the stitched seams open using the iron. This is the interior section.
5. Repeat the last two steps with four pieces of outer-side fabric, then turn it right-side out.
6. Place the inner base piece right side up on a work surface. Line up the corners of the interior section with the base piece and secure them with pins. Secure the perimeter with pins.
7. Begin stitching the interior section 1/2 inch inward from the edge of base piece, using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Sew up to 1/2 inch from each corner, turning the needle downward as you round corners to keep the fabric in place.
8. Overlap a stitch at the beginning and end points for extra reinforcement; trim the excess fabric from the corners.
9. Use pins to join the edges of the completed outer piece and the edges of the unfinished inner piece with the right sides facing one another. Stitch them together with a 1/2-inch seam allowance.
10. Pull the outer sides up from the center and press the top seams of the cube open with the iron.
11. Fold the top outer pieces down, right side out. The top seam lines up around the top edge; press it to crease it with the same seam allowance as the inside and bottom.
12. Hook the cube over the ironing board and slide a square of fusible interfacing into one of the sections, between the inner and outer layer. Press firmly to ensure the square goes all the way to the existing seam, allowing a 1/2-inch allowance for the finishing stitches. Press the inside and outside of the fabric to fuse the interfacing. Repeat this on the remaining sections.
13. Stand the box on its top and line up its bottom outer edges with the inner edge and bottom seam allowances. Use pins to secure them together as you hand sew around the box. Use a long-running basting stitch with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
14. Fold the seam allowance on two opposing sides on the bottom of the box, then press the edges to form a 90-degree edge at the bottom of the box. Repeat this on the other two sides; use a whip stitch to secure them flat on the bottom of the box.
15. Fold a 1/2-inch hem around the edges of the last piece of fabric and press it to create the bottom piece of the box.
16. Center the fabric on the bottom of the cube right side out to cover stitching and raw edges. Secure with pins as you do a blind stitch around the perimeter of the square.
Tags: seam allowance, base piece, right side, 2-inch seam, fabric pieces