DIY Felt Basket 2 Ways: Sewing and No Sew
Craft your own DIY felt basket two different ways: by sewing or without! If you prefer, you can check out these paper basket templates too. This post contains affiliate links.
Felt baskets are just so sweet and there are probably a zillion ways to make it. Personally, I have at least four styles of (purchased) felt baskets throughout my house, which just shows you how many ways they can be made.
In this post, I’m teaching you how to make easy DIY felt baskets two ways:
- Sewing a square basket (you can also hot glue this style)
- A no-sew version that is designed to be no-sew, not just a hot-glued version of the sewed one. It supports itself without any sewing or gluing and can be folded flat when not in use.
These are two totally unique templates that I offer for free at the end of this post.
The size of this one is a few inches in each direction. It’s perfect for fitting a few treats, or for mini storage. For example, I store my sewing clips in one of them.
Tips for crafting a DIY felt basket
Making felt baskets in big
These baskets are very small, because I wanted to fit them onto a single page – and sheet of felt. If you want to make them larger, you can absolutely scale them up. The formula should work in any size.
To do this, simply print it at scale (200%, 500% etc) and assemble the combined template using mine as a guide.
You can also simply use my template as a visual guide – especially the sewn one. Just look at how I constructed mine and construct your own from scratch.
It’s made of five equal sides: the base, and four walls. They are arranged as a “plus”. Make your own larger template from poster board. You can then reuse it to trace multiple baskets. Make sure to purchase good quality thick felt yardage if you’re making these DIY felt baskets in big.
Your Handle Choices for crafting a DIY felt basket
On the sewn basket, I created a handle template that you can cut from felt. If you’re making this in larger, you can sew it on. If you want to sew it on the mini basket, do this before you craft the rest or it’ll be too hard to get in there with the sewing machine. I just glued mine on cuz why not.
You can really use these handles for both baskets, but on the no sew version I added a handle from ribbon. I cut it a bit too short for it to show up nicely in the photos but the idea is there.
You can really mix and match, use ribbon or rope as handles for any basket. You can do the handles how I did – as hand ones that fold over on one side, or as arm handles that go from one side of the basket to the other.
Two templates and ways to craft a DIY felt basket
The two baskets have two totally unique templates and processes but I decided to combine them into this one post so that you can easily see them side by side and choose which to craft.
The sewn version (can be glued too)
There are a few ways you can assemble this template – and no, it doesn’t have to be machine sewed!
You can:
- Machine sew it like I did. I used a cheap basic sewing machine for this – nothing fancy is needed for sewing felt.
- Hand sew it in pretty blanket edged stitch, using coordinating embroidery floss
- Hot glue it as if you’re sewing it along the seam lines. I find that this has its own advantage: the hot glue provides some structure.
I machine sewed my basket to be a perfectly solid structured basket, that totally holds its own shape. To do that, I also sewed along the bottom seams. You don’t have to do that. You can exclusively sew the four corners if you prefer, just watch the bottom corners to make sure you close them off.
No Sew No Glue Stashable DIY Felt Basket
The second one takes really seconds to assemble and can be easily dismantled for storage when not in use. (Please tell me I’m not the only person who needs storage solutions for my storage solutions!)
It is assembled with a simple knotted bit of leather or faux leather cording.
You can also glue it in place or stitch it down with a few simple stitches of embroidery floss.
I did not include holes on the template – personally I usually punch those holes so I didn’t think to do it.
You can mark these yourself on your template if you’d like.
How to Make a DIY Felt Basket
You’ll Need
Basic Supplies
- Felt – it should be thick and stiff enough to hold its shape
- The template downloaded at the end of this post and printed on paper or cardstock, cut out
- Straight pins OR a washable fabric marker
- Scissors (I recommend fabric and detail scissors – I have Singer’s)
- Hot glue gun – I used Surebonder’s Hot Glue Pen with Detail Tip (gifted)
To Sew it
- A sewing machine and coordinating thread
No sew version
- Flat leather or faux leather lacing
- A hole punch that’ll work through felt (recommended)
- Ribbons or rope for handles
Assembly Instructions
Watch the video, or scroll down for written instructions:
Sewn
1. Pin your template to the sheet of felt and cut it out. (Or trace your template using washable fabric marker and cut it out)
2. Remove the template.
3. Fold up your side towards the center (make no note of the fact that in the photo mine isn’t straight – just make yours straight. It’s pretty forgiving, though).
4. Sew along that fold – I left about 1/8 of an inch seam.
5. Do this for all four sides.
6. Now sew your four corners. Start by pinching together two sides.
7. And then sew along the side where they join to create an external seam. Keep your seam size consistent with the bottom.
8. Do this for all four corners.
9. Cut two handles from coordinating or contrasting felt.
10. Glue them down on one end on opposite sides so that they are directly across from each other – about 1/3 of the way from the edge.
11. Glue down the other end so that you’re gluing the same back side of the felt down, forming a flat surface on the top of the handle.
Note: you can sew this down too but if making a very mini basket, it can be hard to sew down now. You can do it on the flat template, but you may find the handles make the sewing harder. I found this to be the easiest way to add the handles.
No sew
1. Pin your template to the sheet of felt and cut it out. (Or trace your template using washable fabric marker and cut it out). Make sure not to miss those four slits.
2. Remove your template.
3. Prefold your basket.
4. Make two holes each on the four rounded ends. To do this, fold up the flat sides, and then the rounded sides. Bring the rounded sides around the flat to meet each other and mark where you want the holes. The rounded sides overlap – make sure that the holes you make on them match up.
5. Match those sides back up and thread a piece of leather lacing a few inches long through them, from the inside to the outside.
6. Tie an overhand knot on the lacing.
7. Add a handle if you’d like! Mine is made from ribbon.
Download your DIY felt basket templates
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Your DIY felt baskets are complete. How will you be making yours and what will you be using it for? Comment below and then check out this fun DIY cardboard box storage bin.
