Envelo-Basket

Pockets on the outside...

...and a patchwork pin box inside!

The pin box fits neatly in the basket base...

... and can be removed for easy access.

Today's project is part of my Papercraft Fabrications strand - papercrafted sewing accessories. This bowl-style hexagonal sewing basket has plenty of storage for small haberdashery items - buttons, snaps, etc.- in the outside pockets. In the base of the basket is a swirl-close pin box. Choose different-coloured ditsy prints for the pockets and the pin box sides to create a patchwork look. Fun to craft - and it makes a great gift to give.

Here are your pattern templates:

The pattern templates given are for A4 paper - but if you can big them up by 20 per cent, that makes a nice-sized basket which fits onto 12 x 12 cardstock. I recommend Bazzill Basics for the basket and lighter-weight printed paper for the envelopes (the small prints are from Craft Creations). 

Basket: score all the fold lines with an embossing tool held against a metal ruler. Glue the little base tabs inside and the side flaps outside. Glue the top flaps onto the outside (this creates a classy rolled-style edge).

Envelopes: cut 6 in different-coloured prints. Emboss all the folds - but not the top flap, which should be folded as a soft fold. Insert the brads (with brad mats) before you fold the envelope. The accordion folds at the side fit inside the body of the envelope - but the side flaps should be glued to the outside of each envelope. Tie a craft-thread string onto the top brad for the wrap closure.

Attach an envelope onto each outside face of the basket. You can use either tacky glue or double-sided tape. 

You may prefer to attach the envelopes inside the basket, in which case you should reduce the envelope pattern by about 2 per cent:

 (If you are mad about patchwork storage pockets, you could attach pockets both inside and outside the basket...)

To make the pin box, cut out six pattern pieces from different prints, and also the piece for the base (a hexagon with flaps). Score the folds. 
Glue the box body pieces side-to-side. Crease all the folds. Glue the main pin box unit into a ring, then glue on the base. Smooth the base tabs in place from the inside of the pin box.

Here's how to fold the pin box (the "magic" is in the diagonal folds). Just swirl the flaps consecutively to shut the box top:

The pin box is fun to make up on its own - makes nice packaging for small jewellery gifts.

Have fun making your paper patchwork sewing baskets...