Make Your Own Wicker Basket Handbag

Try this easy sewing project and create a fun and stylish Easter basket that will convert into a fun springtime drawstring handbag. You may even have everything needed to create this wicker basket bag already on hand. Odd pieces of pillow ticking or sections of striped or print fabric leftovers from the last quilt or summer dress you made would be ideal for this project. Check your closets and pantry shelves for small oval or round wicker bread or sewing baskets or purchase an inexpensive one at your local dollar store. Combine these two items and a small bit of rope or ribbon to create a one of a kind spring accessory for yourself or the little girl in your life. Get started now and you just may find yourself making several and filling with yummy treats and presenting these little basket bags as Easter Baskets to all of the little girls and "little girls at heart" in your life.

Items needed for each drawstring bag:

1 small oval or round wicker basket (no handles)

fabric such as striped pillow ticking, printed chambray, denim (anything soft and sturdy)

needle and thread (sewing machine optional)

2 yards of cable cord rope or sturdy ribbon

Preparing the basket and topper:

Start assembling your bag by cutting one piece of your fabric large enough to line the inside of your bread basket, set this aside. To make the upper half of the bag, cut an oblong piece of fabric measuring approximately 25X14 inches. Measure the top of the basket and be sure that this 25 inch length will go all around the top of your basket with a minimum 1 inch overlap for seam allowance. If the 25 inch measurement does not meet and overlap, add the needed length onto this given size. Do not alter the 14 inch measurement as this creates the depth of the bag.

Fold over the top of this oblong bag section about three and one-half inches. Double stitch two rows at the base of this turned down section leaving a space of about one-half inch between each seam for a casing. The upper part of this will form a ruffle after the cable cord or ribbon is drawn through.

Next, cut two even lengths of cable cord rope or sturdy ribbon each measuring about 1 yard. Draw through the casing in opposite directions and knot each ropes ends together for a sturdy handle. Sew side seam together on the wrong side and then whipstitch the free edge to the inside top of the basket catching the inside lining as you go around.

Presto:

There you have it, a pretty spring wicker handbag suitable for an Easter Basket, a Sunday "Best Dressed" accessory or a child's first handbag. The possibilities are many. Imagine sewing matching mother and daughter dresses for Easter Sunday and creating a matching wicker handbag for both with the leftover material.

Variations:

The variations to this handbag are almost endless. Why not spray paint the outside of the basket white or a pretty pale pink or yellow. Add a length of ribbon around the top of the basket to cover the seam where the cloth topper and basket meet using glue or a thread and needle. Glue a pretty ribbon bow or a bright fake flower to the basket. Paint bunnies all around the basket, or flowers. The possibilities to personalize each basket handbag are endless. This would also be a wonderful first project for a young person to learn to sew a straight line using mom's sewing machine. And whip stitching is also an easy stitch to learn. Have fun creating this fun Spring Fashion.

Happy Spring!