Organise baby’s growing collection of toys with Carolyn Letten’s fabric storage solutions

What you need...

• Fabrics, four prints
  Interfacing, fusible, medium-weight
  Wadding
  Threads
  Buttons, spotty
  Card blank, 8.5cm x 14.5cm
  Ribbon, scraps
  Adhesives

instructions

1. Large Design - 1 From blue patterned fabric, cut a circle, 17.5cm, and a long strip, 17cm x 52cm, backing both with iron-on interfacing. Make 5mm vertical cuts along the bottom of the strip.
   
   2 Working clockwise, sew the strip around the circle so the right sides are facing. Cut away any excess and overlap the ends. Turn out, then pin and stitch the open seam up along one side.
   
   3 For the lining, use the same technique, but with a 15.5cm circle and 20cm x 50cm strip. Place the lining inside the fabric basket, aligning the back seams – the lining will sit taller.
   
   4 Cut two pieces of lining fabric, 5.5cm x 21cm, and back with interfacing. Fold the long edges in by 5mm, then press in half and stitch to create handles.
   
   5 Fold the excess lining over the top of the basket, tucking the raw edge under. Place the handles at opposite sides and fold the ends under the lining. Stitch all the way around the basket to finish.

2. Red Basket - 1 Follow the instructions for the larger design but using smaller dimensions; for the main design cut a 15cm circle and strip, 15cm x 46cm, then a 13cm circle and strip, 17cm x 44cm, for the lining.
   
   2 To create a tag, fold in the long edges of green fabric, 5.5cm x 14cm, then fold in half and sew around the edge. Zigzag stitch yellow fabric to the middle.
   
   3 Work a message onto the design using black thread on a sewing machine or with a laundry marker pen. Secure to the basket using a bright red spotty button to complete.

3. Greeting Card - 1 Cover the front of a blank, 8.5cm x 29cm, with yellow fabric using a glue stick, then attach green fabric to the bottom.
   
   2 Adhere a red fabric number one and stitch around it once dry. Arrange four pieces of ribbon onto the design by folding them in half and sewing them down to mimic bunting.
   
   3 Cut out two fabric vehicles, and mount them onto card, then stitch around them and matt onto the design using 3-D foam pads. Finally, add a die-cut tag with a sentiment.