Background: I’ve been making these baskets for bridal shower and wedding
presents for many years for friends and family and happened to mention this old
standby project of mine to friends at a craft get-together. The fun of this project to me is repurposing
an old picnic basket and finding unique items at garage sales, good-will stores
or dollar stores to stock the basket with. One girlfriend continued to keep her
basket after her honeymoon well stocked to use for spontaneous romantic
get-a-ways and/or for making up after silly arguments. I was pleased she was able to put it to good
use for more than one occasion, too. I
had to replace the missing lining in the above shown basket which took a little
more work but was easy to do (See Directions
for Liner Replacement below).
Contents:
2 wine glasses
2 place mats (made from left-over
liner fabric)
4 small plates
4 Napkins (wrap up plates and
glasses)
Plastic utensils
Wet Wipes
Vase with artificial rose bouquet
Rolled cookie wafers
Wine opener
Box of Tea light candles (can use
battery operated ones)
Several Tea light holders (nice to
place around large bath tubs)
Matches
Bath salts
Bath poofs (his and hers)
Body lotion (his and hers)
Lip balm (his and hers)
Tic-tacs (breath-mints)
Other suggestions:
Bubble bath, Andes chocolate mints, gum, fancy scented candle, tapered
candles and candlesticks, etc.
Food and Beverage Additions:
Add
chocolate, strawberries, grapes, cheeses, and/or crackers, cookies, cake, etc.
Bottle of
Wine, Champagne, or bubbly apple cider
Directions for Liner
Replacement
1 yard of
fabric
Scissors
Matching
thread
Pins
Sewing
machine
Marking pen
Velcro
Glue (I used
Gorilla Wood glue)
Instructions:
1. To attach the liner to the basket,
cut four to eight lengths of Velcro strips (1-2 inches long) and glue one side
of Velcro strip to inner rim of basket.
Space them evenly along the upper rim.
(I glued one side of the strip in the middle of each rim’s side and 3
along the back and the front so I used a total of six strips for this
basket). Use the other side of the strip
to attach to the wrong side of the liner (See Step 9)
2.
While glued strips are drying to basket, measure the diameter and height
of basket. Add an inch to both measurements
for seam allowances. Add another inch
and a ¼ to the top edge of liner for a hem to attach Velcro to (See Step 9) Cut
fabric to these measurements (may require two strips depending on width of
fabric—just remember to add an extra inch for each additional seam
allowances) Note: Remember you can always
take in if too much material but not vice versa. Zig-zag edges of seam allowances to
prevent fraying.
3. Sew strips together to make a tube
for the sides of liner for the basket.
4. Trace around bottom of basket onto remaining
unused fabric allowing for a seam allowance and cut out bottom section of liner. Zig-zag around edge to prevent fraying.
5. Baste 2 lines of gather stitches if
bottom of basket is narrower than top (as in the case of my basket) around
bottom of tube of material or at corners to help ease a smooth fit of sides to
bottom.
6. With right sides together, pin bottom
of basted tube to bottom piece of liner.
Pull on basted threads to gather up material for a smooth fit. Sew. Check fit of liner. Adjust stitching if necessary. Stitch again over first stitching to
reinforce.
7. Clip corners of bottom seam allowance of the
liner so that liner will lay flat in the bottom of the basket.
8. Check fit of liner in basket. Adjust top hem of liner to lie even with top
edge of basket and pin into place. Roll
under ¼ inch edge of hem, sew hem into place.
9. Place lining into basket, pin strips
of remaining side of Velcro to wrong side of lining to align with the strips
already glued to rim.
Double-check the liner’s fit and then sew Velcro strips to lining.
10. Attach lining to basket.
Notes: 1) With the left over material, I made two place mats that matched
the basket’s liner. 2) I usually also
include a card with a list of items of the Honeymoon Basket as well as
suggested food/beverage additions so that the gift recipient doesn’t have to
unpack everything to see what is inside.
Jen, yet another of your wonderful ideas! Thank you so much for sharing with us all.
Just a reminder, Jen does not have a blog of her own, so I let her share her ideas with all of us here. Any comments you should leave for her I am quite happy to forward on to her.
Inspire Me Monday
Mop It Up Mondays
Toasty Studio Made Monday
Here Comes the Sun Fabulous Friday
Jen, yet another of your wonderful ideas! Thank you so much for sharing with us all.
Just a reminder, Jen does not have a blog of her own, so I let her share her ideas with all of us here. Any comments you should leave for her I am quite happy to forward on to her.
Inspire Me Monday
Mop It Up Mondays
Toasty Studio Made Monday
Here Comes the Sun Fabulous Friday
Jen--I think this is a wonderful idea! :)
ReplyDeleteI've always loved picnics and picnic baskets. What a unique way to put them to good use again!
gail