Quick Tutorial: How to Re-line a Basket

Do you have an old basket lying around your house that could benefit from a new liner?  This quick tutorial will show you how to quickly deconstruct the original liner and make a new one in about 15 minutes.  By the way, this is a "fly by the seat of your pants" re-do....meaning there are minimal measurements involved.  Excellent for those of you who have an aversion to math!

This basket belongs to a friend who uses it for dog toys.  As you can see, the checkered fabric on the left is dingy and worn.  In 15 minutes I whipped up the new lining you see on the right.  Not too shabby!  I chose to replace the tie with elastic for two reasons.  One, the liner will fit more snuggly and the dog will not be able to pull it out of the basket, and two, it's much easier and faster than creating a tie!

Here's how I did it....



WHAT YOU NEED:

• New Fabric (1 yard should work for most medium-sized baskets)
• A piece of 1/2" elastic large enough to go around your basket top.

DIRECTIONS:

Pull the old lining out of the bag and cut down the four corners along the seam lines.  (If the lining has a tie, you will be cutting right through that channel).

Measure the length and width of the liner.  Add 3" to both. 

Cut a new piece of fabric that size.  (My liner measured 24" square, so I cut my new fabric 27" square) 

Fold both the new fabric and the old liner in half and lay the old liner ontop of the new fabric matching up the folds and centered.

Next, cut out the two corners leaving 1/2" extra for the seam allowance.  IMPORTANT:  Do NOT cut the edges here...you need the extra 1.5" on the very top and sides for the basket hem...you are ONLY cutting the interior "V".

Now sew all four side seams together (sew with right sides together and use 1/2" seam allowance.)  When finished, you will have a box.

At this time, check to make sure your new liner will fit into your basket.

Finish the seams with a zig zag stitch or serge.

Now to create the finished hem/elastic channel at the top.  Fold over the edge 1/2" (wrong sides together) all the way around the top, then fold it over again about 1".  

Sew 3/4" from the edge, all around the top, leaving a 1" opening to insert the elastic.  

Cut a piece of elastic about 2" longer than the size that will snuggly fit your basket edge.  Feed it through the channel and sew together using a zig zag stitch.  (Cut any excess elastic to prevent bulge).  

Sew up the opening and put your new liner into the basket!

And there you have it.  A brand new basket in 15 minutes!