De-clutter and organize your house with these flat bottom fabric bins. Best of all, they are super easy to DIY and takes less than 30 minutes. Great sewing project for beginners. Learn how to make these fabric baskets with our step-by-step tutorial. Includes free pattern for 3 sizes.
I’ve never considered myself an organized person. In fact, the word “organize” makes me feel a little nervous. Growing up, I never learned the art of organization as my parents weren’t great organizers themselves. Our house was always messy and in my estimation we probably wasted days..maybe weeks (cumulative) looking for misplaced things! Yikes!
However, over the years, I’ve come to greatly appreciate the skill of organization. It allows me to put stuff away in their respective “home” so that I can find things easily and quickly later when I need them.
Now that I have a toddler, organizing is even more important! Yes, toddlers get very angry when the exact toy they want has disappeared into the abyss of disorganization. Also, I want to teach him this important skill of organization at an early age so hopefully it’ll become a good habit later on.
For these reasons, I decided to create some fabric baskets for storing toys, pens, crafting supplies, etc. to add more organization in my life. I’ve also created this tutorial to share with you so you can experience organizational bliss in your home! Yes, it really is a bliss when you know exactly where to find something you need! Ah, how I (sometimes) wished I was super in love with organizing. It seems like such a useful skill to have. Nevertheless, I know I am growing in this area (It will probably be a lifelong journey). And if I can grow in the art of organizing, so can you!
What Are the Sizes of Nesting Fabric Bins?
This tutorial comes with 3 free patterns in Large, Medium, and Small to make a set of 3 nesting fabric bins. The bottom is square shaped and lays flat. Alternatively, you can collapse the baskets to save space and for easy storage. The dimensions are as follows:
- LARGE BIN
- Bottom: ~ 4.5”x 4.5”
- Height (top folded down 1”): ~ 5”
- MEDIUM BIN
- Bottom: ~ 3.75” x 3.75”
- Height (top folded down 1”): ~ 4”
- SMALL BIN
- Bottom: ~ 3”x 3”
- Height (top folded down 0.75”): ~ 3.25”
Need more sizes? You can purchase the PDF pattern which includes 6 Nesting Fabric bins Pattern and the PDF tutorial here. Sizes include XX-Large, X-Large Bin, Large, Medium, Small, and X-Small Bin.
What Do I Need to Make Fabric Storage Bins?
MATERIALS:
- Pattern: Fabric Bins Pattern in 3 sizes (available in my free resource library)
- Exterior Fabric – I used 100% cotton print. Can also use canvas, home decor fabric, upholstery fabric, etc. If you are a beginner I recommend 100% cotton as they are easy to work with. Fat quarters work great!
- Large Bin: 20″ width x 10″ Height
- Medium Bin: 17″ width x 8″ Height
- Small Bin: 15″ width x 7″ Height
- Lining – I used 100% cotton in solid, but you can also use a printed fabric as well. These bins are 100% reversible so you can flip them to the lining side for a different look!
- Large Bin: 20″ width x 10″ Height
- Medium Bin: 17″ width x 8″ Height
- Small Bin: 15″ width x 7″ Height
- Fusible Interfacing – may not be necessary if you use a stiff fabric such as canvas. However, if you’re using 100% cotton prints like me (which isn’t very stiff) the interfacing are a MUST. They will help the bins retain their shape. I used Fusible Featherweight Interfacing
- Dimension for each size is the exact same as the exterior and lining fabrics
TOOLS
- Sewing machine
- Fabric Scissors – these Ginghers Fabric Shears are my favorite
- Pins
- Chalk – I highly recommend Clover Chaco Chalk Liner for marking. It’s thin, marks well, and easy to use!
- Matching Thread and hand sewing needles
- Iron
Can I Use Fat Quarters to Make Fabric Storage Bins?
Yes! Fat Quarters are great for these projects. A piece of fat quarter measures 22″ wide x 18″ height. Thus, using 2 pieces of fat quarter (one for exterior fabric, one for lining) you will be able to make:
- 1 Large + 1 Medium/Small bin or
- 1 Medium Bin + 1 Small Bin or
- 2 Medium Bins or
- 2 Small Bins
If you want to make the entire set of 3 Nesting Bins, you will need 4 pieces of fat quarters (2 for exterior fabric, 2 for lining).
How to Make Fabric Bins
Preparing and Cutting Fabric Bin Pattern
Print, cut out pattern (available in free resource library) and piece pattern together (for Large Bin only). Cut pattern out on Outer fabric and Lining. Using paper scissors, cut the PAPER PATTERN to expose the triangle in the middle of the paper pattern between dotted line labeled “Dart Line – Sew Here”.
LEFT: Fold up the two side darts on the PAPER PATTERN to expose the fabric. Using fabric chalk, mark the dart lines on the fabric (solid yellow line)
RIGHT: Remove the paper pattern from the fabric. Turn the fabric to the other side so fold line is on left side. Place PAPER PATTERN on top of fabric (blank side of pattern will face up) and use chalk to mark dart line on the middle triangle (where you had cut out from paper pattern earlier)
When you unfold the fabric, your fabric will have the dart lines marked as pictured (solid yellow line).
Sewing Darts on Fabric Bin Pattern
LEFT: Apply fusible interfacing to wrong side of exterior fabric using iron.
RIGHT: Mark dart lines as previously shown and fold fabric in half at fold line. Sew the two side darts (red dotted line). Make sure to backstitch at either end.
Open the bottom of the fabric bin (between the two darts you had just sewn) and pinch the darts together so you get something that looks like a plus (+) sign (RIGHT photo)
LEFT: Match the dart lines and sew together (red dotted line)
RIGHT: When you are done, the bottom of the bin (wrong side) will look like this. Blue dotted line indicates where you sewed.
LEFT: Fabric bin viewed from top with square bottom sewn
RIGHT: Sew side seams together (red dotted line). Blue dotted lines indicate the dart lines you had sewn before.
Repeat sewing darts for lining. When sewing side seam of lining together, leave a small opening (1 -2 inches or 2.5-5cm) towards the bottom. Make sure to backstitch on either end of the opening. The opening is where you will turn your project to the right side later on.
Sewing Fabric Bin Together
With right sides together, match side seam of outer fabric and lining together. Pin at the top of fabric bin.
Sew fabric bin lining to fabric bin outer fabric at top edge (1/2″ or 1.27cm seam allowance)
Turn the fabric bin to the right side through the opening on the lining
Use invisible ladder stitch to hand sew the opening close and give your bin a good press.
Optional: Top stitch around the top edge of fabric bin. (This step is more of a personal preference)
Fold down top edge of bin.
Finished! Wasn’t that easy? Now that you’ve made one…I’m pretty sure you won’t want to stop! The more you make the easier (and faster) they get. Sew a whole bunch to help you organize or give them as gifts so your friends and family can also stay organized!
Great for stowing little children’s toy cars.
Great for organizing arts and craft supplies, pens, sewing supplies, toiletries, makeup, etc. Works well as a fabric planter bin too!
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that it helped you to be more organized! Don’t forget to pin this image to save for later. Happy Sewing!
This tutorial is also available in PDF format for easy reference while you sew. PDF tutorial comes with 6 fabric bins pattern (instead of just 3) in size XXL, X-Large, Large, Medium, Small, and X-Small. Click here to purchase.
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