I thought I could use the polka dot fabric to make a little ruffle, but I have to admit I pooped out before I got to the ruffle step - so you won't see it used in this project. It is so sweet, though, so perhaps I can use it for something in the future... curtains?... filing cabinet cover?... oh the possibilities are endless!
So just as a warning, I took this sewing project very loosely and didn't worry about making it absolutely perfect. A comfortable place to snuggle was the name of the game, plus I was testing out my new sewing machine for the first time! My Kitty's Keeper got this awesome piece of machinery for her birthday! 60 different sewing patterns... all kinds of different pieces and parts... and best of all... this fabulous BOX.
I started the project by taking the old basket liner off and doing a little measuring.
Like I said, it was pretty rough. Next, I cut out two strips of my soft, green, corduroy fabric based on the measurements I took. For the round piece that would fit in the bottom of the basket, I used some tracing paper and outlined the existing liner. Then I cut out the tracing paper, and placed it on top of the green fabric and used my rolling cutter to make an easy round cut.
You end up with two similar rectangular strips and a round piece. Easy-peasy so far, right? Don't forget to take breaks and really enjoy what you're doing. Otherwise it just becomes work! I had a bunch of the fabric left over, and before I folded it up to store it away, I had to bask in its soft glory one last time. You probably only need about a yard of fabric for the project I did.
Now it's time to start sewing away. I matched up the "right" sides of the fabric strips and did a quick stitch to connect each of the short sides. Then I matched up the "right" side of the circle with the circular sides, and pinned them together. I sewed in a circle, being careful not to catch any of the excess fabric in the stitch. This is what you end up with:
Still with me? Now the bottom of the basket liner should fit in the basket, with the sides (that you sewed into a circle and then sewed to the bottom liner) coming up and over the edges of your basket. At this point, you are almost done! And you barely just started!
Next you need to do something a little more tricky - cut some slits so that the liner can go through the basket handles and tie together. This adds such a cute element to the basket and keeps the liner tight in place. I bought some ribbon in a pretty blue-purple color to sew along the slits and tie off. I decided this is where I wanted to test out one of the sew patterns, and I went with the leafy vine. Crafting Kitty loves flowers.
Just go ahead and cut the slit straight down. I kind of tried to curve mine (don't know why I did that) and it made it extra hard to line up the ribbon. I also realized I should have bought a wider ribbon so that I could have folded it over the edge for extra strength, but since it didn't work, I just did it straight on top of the fabric. Since you won't see the back anyway, not a problem! I love, love, love how the vine pattern came out! Last step left - test it out!
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| Doesn't look like Crafting Kitty's butt will fit in this basket... |
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| ...but it all gets crammed in there, somehow! |
It's a purrr-fect fit! And, oh-so-snuggly! Yes, I would chalk this up as another success for the Crafting Kitty. One of my favorite things about this project was just being able to spend some time relaxing in the craft room. It's a space that's dedicated to all things me: a little pink, a little green, a lot of glue, HGTV magazines, blogs galore (I adore IHeartOrganizing for great DIY ideas, Grace & Josie for my cuteness fix, and Rhonna Designs for fonts and photo edits), cat treats... the usual fantastic stuff!
What makes your space fantastic and totally you? How do you unwind at the end of the day or on weekends? What is your favorite kind of kitty treat?
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