Pocket Gift Basket from Scraps–Tutorial

For Christmas, I wanted to make some small baskets with pockets to hold little gifts.  I bought a pattern  and made three baskets, but they were very time-consuming and labor-intensive.  They turned out well, but I didn’t want to put that much time and work into the 8 additional baskets I needed.

I drafted my own pattern that made a 5-½ x 5-½ inch basket with a handle and pockets on the inside for the gifts.  It turned out to be just what I wanted and took about an hour to complete each one which included 15 minutes of hand-sewing, as opposed to about 3 hours for the first pattern and an hour of hand-sewing.  I also liked that I could use up fabric scraps to make them.  The basket is not difficult to make – basically two cubes joined with binding and handles.

I thought they turned out very cute and can be used after the Christmas treats are gone.

My daughter wrote on her blog about the three baskets I donated as craft table items at our favorite dog shelter, along with the items my two daughters donated.

LITTLE POCKET GIFT BASKET

Following are the materials I used to make one basket.  The fabric can be different or coordinating for any of the sections.  It’s fun to see how different each one can be.

Basket Outside fabric:

Cut four 5-1/2 x 6-½ inch pieces (note direction of fabric) for sides
Cut two 6-½ x 6-½ inch pieces for bottom (outside and lining)

Lining fabric:

Cut four 5-½ x 6-½ inch pieces for sides

Pocket Fabric:

Cut four 7-½ inch wide x 5-½ inch long pieces for pockets.

Binding Fabric:

Cut one 2-¼ inch strip 24-1/2 inches long

Handle Fabric

Cut two pieces 2-¼ wide x 8-½ inches long.

Stiff Fusible Interfacing such as Inner-Fuse by Dritz – A strip 28 inches x 5-¾ inches wide

Cut four 4-¾ x 5-3/4 inch pieces for sides

Cut one 5-¾ x 5-3/4 inch piece for bottom

SEWING – ¼ inch seams unless otherwise noted

• Outside fabric sides and bottom:  Center the fusible interfacing on the wrong sides of the four sides and bottom of outside fabric.

• Flip over and press according to manufacturer’s instructions.

• Pockets and lining:  On the pocket tops (7-½ inch side) turn under ¼ inch and then another ¼ inch.  Stitch in place.
• Finger press the center of each pocket and each lining piece along the wide edge.  Match up lining sides and pockets at the bottom edge – wrong side of pocket to right side of lining – stitch on the center mark from the top of the pocket to the bottom edge of the pocket/lining, back stitching at the top of the pocket.

• Pin pocket to lining at bottom corners and at pocket hems on the sides.  Pin a small pleat on either side of the center stitching.

• Baste along the sides and bottom of the pocket/lining 1/8 inch from the edge.  Make four of these pocket/lining sections.

• To assemble outside of basket:  With RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, stitch a side panel to two opposite sides of the bottom, press.  Be careful that fabric is going in the right direction.  The design should be facing toward the bottom panel.
• Place another side panel beside the panel on the left hand side of the center.  Be sure pattern is going in the same direction.

• Flip the second side panel over on top of the previously sewn panel on the left hand side of the center – RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, matching raw edges at the side and top.

• Stitch along the top, stopping ¼ inch from the point where the corner of the block meets the seam of the panel.

• At this point, keeping the needle down, raise the foot, pivot, and turn the side panel and sew to the next pivot point.

• Once again, pivot, turn panel and sew around to the top edge.  Back stitch at the beginning and ending and at each pivot point.  Don’t be afraid to fold or scrunch the basket to get it in the proper position to sew.

This is how the basket will look at this point.

• Repeat with the remaining side panel on the other side of the basket.

• Turn basket and press into corners with finger to shape basket.

• To assemble lining:   In the same manner, sew together the lining/pocket sections to the remaining bottom piece.  Be sure the tops of the pockets are facing up.  Add the remaining two panels to form a lining/pocket cube.

• Place the lining inside the fabric basket, matching up side seams, pinning at the top and pressing lining into place with your fingers.
• Handles:  Fold sides of handle straps until they meet in the center, press, fold again lining up pressed edges.

• Press and top-stitch on both sides of the handle
• Pin a handle on opposite sides of the basket, 1 inch from the seam edge on each side.

• Baste 1/8 inch from the raw edge, sewing from the inside of the basket.  Be sure all layers have been basted.  Note:  If pins are inserted with the points toward the top of the basket, they will be easy to remove as you sew.
• Binding: Join ends with ¼ inch seam and press seam open.  Press in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.
• Place binding on top portion of basket, matching raw edges, and pin.  Stitch RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER to the outside of the basket.  Sew from the inside of the basket.

• Turn the binding to the inside of the basket, allowing about 1/8 inch to show at the top edge.  Hand stitch the binding in place.

Here are the rest of the pocket gift baskets I made.

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Civil War Quilt – Block 48 – West Virginia

This is block #48 in the Civil War block-of-the-week series offered by Barbara Brackman.  It is called West Virginia.  Go to Barbara’s blog to get the pattern and to see the story and pictures related to this block.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2011/11/48-west-virginia.html

This block is a little more difficult to sew but makes a pretty block.  For the center square, I chose to scan a picture that my daughter and son-in-law had taken in Gettysburg.  The picture was printed on a June Tailor Sew-In Colorfast fabric sheet.  I should have made the photograph a little larger so the border doesn’t show.  For new quilters, this is how I assembled the block.

Go to Barbara’s blog to get the pattern.   Cut the B and C pieces as directed.   This is how I cut the A pieces.

• On the 5-¼ x 1-7/8 rectangles, make a mark at 3-½ inches from the end.

• Place the right angle of a ruler at the mark and draw a line to the point of the rectangle.

• On the opposite end of the rectangle, draw a  right angle line from the point to the 3-½ inch mark.

• Measure to be sure you have 3-½ inches between the two right angle lines.  Cut on the right angle lines.

• To cut the blue fabrics in reverse, an easy way is to place the red piece on top of the blue, right sides together, and use the red piece as a pattern to trim the angles.  Since I wanted to be sure my blue fabric was going in the right direction, I laid the pieces out on a mat, then flipped over one of the red pieces and trimmed the angles on the blue.

• Place a blue B strip on one side of A and a red B strip on the other side.  Make 4 of these pieces.

• Add these pieces to the center square C on two opposite sides, stopping and back stitching ¼ inch from each end.

• For one of the remaining sides, mark ¼ inch from each end of the B/A piece, place on center square C and stitch between the ¼ inch marks, back stitching each time.

• Fold to match the B strips and the corner of C.

• Stitch from the ¼ inch mark to the end.  Press.

• Repeat with the other side of the B/A piece.
• Repeat with the remaining side to complete block.  Block should measure 8-½ x 8-½ inches.

See the previous blocks in this series in my category list on the right hand side of the page – Quilting – Civil War Quilt.

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Pause and Remember – 11/25/2011

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

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Thanksgiving, 1964

Throughout the years while I was raising my four kids (beginning in 1954), I kept a journal where I periodically made notes about holidays, school, vacations, etc.  As an occasion arises where I think one of my journal entries would be pertinent, I’m going to post it just as I wrote or typed it back in the day (except for an explanatory note or correction of a typo).  

The children will be known here by the nicknames their grandfather used when they were toddlers:  The oldest daughter will be Newsie (because she was as good as a newspaper for finding out the latest happenings), the oldest son is Bar (because he called Grandpa’s truck Bar and Grandpa called him Bar), the youngest son is Jackson, and the youngest daughter is Shanty (as in Shanty-Boat).

This journal entry was made 6 years before Shanty was born.  We were living in a 1922 house on Maple Drive in Oakley, a suburb of Cincinnati.  My mother and father lived at the other end of Maple Drive.

THANKSGIVING DAY, 1964

Bar, 8 years of age, and Newsie, age 10

Jackson, 4 years old

The afternoon sun is bright as it shines on the white birch in the backyard.  A gaudy red cardinal perches on the fence while his earth-brown mate pecks at the grass.  A great pile of leaves is heaped at the entrance to the hollow, waiting patiently for a push into the woods below.  The houses across the hollow are in clear view now that the leaves are gone and our forest of the summer has become an autumn canyon.

Dinner is over and the dishes washed and put away.  The turkey was golden brown and only lost its two wings in its transport from roasting pan to platter.  The potatoes were perfect, according to Newsie, and the rolls, light.  We all ate too much, as usual, while Penny (our dog) whined in the basement, eager to get her share of the feast.

When I look back on Thanksgiving, 1964, I’ll probably remember Newsie busily toasting bread and cutting it into cubes for the dressing; Jackson putting great slabs of turkey on a roll with radishes and making a sandwich; Bar, in his football helmet, either playing football in the street in front of the house or watching the game on television; Frank (husband) lounging on the floor in front of the television after consuming an enormous helping of everything on the dinner table; Grandpa coming through the back door into the kitchen carrying a bowl of half-beaten whipped cream for me to finish up after their mixer had broken; the parades in the morning on TV, the aroma of roast turkey filling the house, the frenzy of getting everything on the table at once, the feeling of gratitude for everything I have.

Lillian – Thanksgiving Day, 1964

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

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Autumn Chicken and Beans

My youngest daughter e-mailed this recipe to me back in November of 2003 – a dish that was just right for the brisk weather of November.  It’s a quick and easy dish to make if you have cooked chicken breast on hand.  The one-cup servings are perfect for those watching the fat and calories before and after Thanksgiving.  A two-cup serving would be a hearty autumn meal.

AUTUMN CHICKEN AND BEANS

• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup diced tart apple
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp olive oil
• 1 cup cooked, cubed chicken breast
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 15.5 oz. can of cannellini beans*
• 1 Tbsp. raisins
• Salt/Pepper

*Navy, Great Northern, pinto or kidney beans can be substituted

In a large skillet, saute onion, pepper, apple and garlic in oil until apple cubes are fork tender.

Add the chicken, cumin, and cinnamon.  Stir in beans and raisins.  Heat to boiling, then lower heat and simmer 5 to 8 minutes until mixture is slightly thickened.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve at once.

4 one-cup servings or 2 generous servings.

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Civil War Quilt – Block 47 – Dixie Tea

This is block #47 in the Civil War block-of-the-week series offered by Barbara Brackman.  It is called Dixie Tea.  Go to Barbara’s blog to get the pattern and to see the story and pictures related to this block.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2011/11/47-dixie-tea.html
This is an easy block but does require scant ¼ inch joining seams to have the block come out to 8-½ x 8-½ inches.  For new quilters, this is how I assembled the block:

• Cut out the pieces according to Barbara’s instructions.  For the D pieces, do not cut diagonally.  Place the light and dark pieces of D right-sides-together, draw a line diagonally on the light pieces and stitch ¼ inch from the drawn line on both sides.  Cut on the center line and press toward the dark fabric; trim tails.  Half-square triangles should measure 3-1/8 x 3-1/8 inches.

• Piece the stem by adding a B to either side of strip A.  Trim to 3-1/8 x 3-1/8 inches.

• Lay pieces out on a mat in the proper order.

• Join the pieces in the first row, using a scant ¼ inch seam, pressing seams to the left.  Strips should measure 3-1/8 x 8-½ inches.

• Join the pieces in rows 2 and 3, using scant ¼ inch seams, pressing seams to the right on row 2 and to the left on row 3.

• Join the 3 rows, using scant ¼ inch seams.  Piece should measure 8-½ x 8-½ inches.

See the previous blocks in this series in my category list on the right hand side of the page – Quilting – Civil War Quilt.

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Pause and Remember – 11/18/2011

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

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Chocolate Pumpkin Cake with Cider Sauce

This is my take on a two-ingredient pumpkin/cake mix cake that is making the rounds of food blogs.  I didn’t have yellow cake mix and used chocolate fudge instead with the addition of some pumpkin pie spices.  The sauce is a simple confectioners’ sugar mixture using apple cider or apple juice.

This is a really nice dessert and 5 Weight Watchers Points/Plus based on 15 servings.

For the Cake:

• 18.25 box of chocolate cake mix (Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge)
• 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. ground ginger

For the Sauce:

• 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tblsp. apple cider*
• Approx. 1 Tblsp. warm water

Preheat oven @ 350 degrees F

Grease a 9×13 baking pan

To make the cake:

Place the contents of the boxed cake mix, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger into a large mixer bowl and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.

Spoon batter into a greased  9×13 baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Do not overbake.  Let cool in the pan on a wire rack.

To make the Glaze:

Combine powdered sugar, apple cider*, and warm water to make a smooth sauce.

*If you are lucky enough to have Boiled Cider on hand, it makes a tangy, full flavored sauce.  I bought mine online at King Arthur Flour.

While still warm, cut cake into 15 squares.  Serve warm or at room temperature with a tablespoon of the Cider Sauce.

Servings:  15

For 15 pieces with 1 Tblsp sauce:

Diet Power:  189 calories, 2.5 g fat, 41.3 g carbs, 2.0 g fiber, 2.1 g protein.
Weight Watchers Points/Plus:  5

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Civil War Quilt – Block 46 – Apple Tree

This is block #46 in the Civil War block-of-the-week series offered by Barbara Brackman.  It is called Apple Tree.  Go to Barbara’s blog to get the pattern and to see the story and pictures related to this block.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2011/11/46-apple-tree.html

This is a pretty and simple block.  For new quilters, this is how I assembled the block.

• Cut the pieces according to Barbara’s directions.  For C – press in half lengthwise to get center line.  Lay ruler on the center line and trim the four corners at right angles.

• Piece the tree by making two green four patches and one red four patch from the A squares. These pieces should measure 4-½ x  4-½ inches.

• Join the B triangles to either side of C for the trunk.  There will be ¼ inch tails on either side.  Press and trim piece to 4-½ x 4-½ inches.

• Place pieces on a mat in the proper order.

• Join the two four patches in the top row.  Press seam to the left.

• Join trunk square to remaining four patch.  Press to the right.

• Join the top and bottom rows.  Block should measure 8-½ x 8-½ inches.

See the previous blocks in this series in my category list on the right hand side of the page – Quilting – Civil War Quilt.

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Pause and Remember – 11/11/2011

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

Read Full Post »