Patchwork fabric-covered gift boxes are an easy, affordable way to dress up any gift package. They're also great for storage. Total preparation and assembly time for this project is approximately 2-3 hours, depending on the size of the shoe box.
Shoe box, or any other small box with removable lid
Fabric scraps
Wonder Under or other fusible web*
Pinking shears
Iron,
ironing board
Optional - buttons, raffia, etc.
*Fusible web is a
fusible interfacing that allows you to bind two fabrics together or
fabric to another surface by applying heat. It can be purchased in
packages or by the yard wherever interfacing is sol
To assemble the fabric-covered gift box, essentially you are going to be
ironing fabric scraps onto a shoe box.
While assembling my box,
I found it was easier to iron the fusible web onto the fabric first, and
then cut the fabric into the desired shapes. The web reinforced the
fabric and the pinking shears cut through the fabric more cleanly.
Choose a piece of fabric and cut a piece of the fusible web to fit.
With a warm iron, iron the web to the wrong side of the fabric,
following the directions that came with the fusible web. Don't remove
paper backing yet. Next cut the fabric into desired shapes with the
pinking shears. Regular sewing shears would work also, but the pinking
shears give the fabric an edge that will not unravel as easily.
When cutting your shapes, cut some rectangular, some square, and some
triangular. The number and size of each are up to you, but you will find
some fit better than others along the edges and in the corners. Long
rectangular pieces lay along the top edges better and reduce the number
of pieces required to line the top.
Cut pieces out of several
coordinating fabrics. After you cut your pieces out, start ironing them
to the box. Peel the paper off of the fusible web, lay the fabric with
fusible web side down on the box and press with the iron. You may have
to go over it a couple of times to get it to stick really well.
I started with the top of the box and worked my way down. Fold a piece
of fabric over the top edge of the box. Mine is folded over about an
inch. Iron the edge on the inside of the box first. Fold the piece to
the outside of the box and press again. Continue overlapping pieces
until the box is covered. Cover the lid of the box in the same way,
starting with the bottom edge.
When you're done look for small
spots you missed, adding fabric pieces until the entire surface is
covered. You can't make any mistakes...it's supposed to look like a
patchwork quilt.
Look over the box for spots where the edges of
the fabric are coming up and gently run the iron over them. Sometimes it
will take a couple of times to get all the edges to lay down. If you
later find a stubborn spot that just doesn't want to stick, just dab a
little glue on it and press down until it takes hold.
You can
embellish your box with buttons, raffia bows, etc. I used a hot glue gun
to glue a corrugated cardboard heart to the top, and then I glued a
raffia bow to the heart.
Add some tissue paper to the inside of
the box, and it's ready to add a gift. I placed in mine a small stack of
handmade cards tied together with a piece of raffia tied into a bow. The
box was a gift to a friend who likes to write pen pal letters.
You can also use these boxes for storage...for photos, letters, or
whatever else you'd like to store in a pretty box. These are great for
using up fabric scraps you have laying around.
This
fabric-covered box is very easy to make and makes a great complement to
any gift.
Copyright 2003. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer,
mom, and owner of four home and family web sites.
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