Halloween Bug Basket

Scary but cute! This basket will bring a Halloween feeling to all! (and candy, of course)

This project is created in the mySewnet Platinum Embroidery Software. If you haven't tried it, sign up for a 30 days free trial!

Materials needed for the project

• Bugs Embroidery files are found in the search HERE     

Outside fabric

• Fabric for the side panel, 8 pieces  8x6” (20x15cm)
• Fabric for the bottom outside, 1 piece 8 ¾”x 8 ¾” (22x22cm)
• Fabric for the handle outside, 1 piece 24”x3” (60x7,5cm)

Lining fabric

• Fabric for the side panel lining, 8 pieces 8x3” (20x7,5cm)
• Fabric for the lining between the side panels, 8 pieces 14” x 4 ½” (36x11,5cm)
• Fabric for bottom lining, 1 piece 1 piece 8 ¾”x 8 ¾” (22x22cm)
• Fabric for the handle lining, 1 piece 15”x3” (38x7,5cm
• Fabric for the binding 1 strip 16”x 2 ½” (40x6,5cm)

Foam batting 3mm thickness

• 8 pieces for side panels 8”x6” (20x15cm)
• 1 piece for bottom 8 ¾”x 8 ¾” (22x22cm)
• 1 piece for handle 16”x3” (40x7,5cm)

Notions

• 8 buttons
• Sewing and embroidery thread
• Cutaway stabilizer

Preparations: making the Basket bottom

Open the embroidery software and choose a blank canvas. Select the 200x200mm hoop (you can change it later if you prefer).

Go to Create tab and choose Quilt block.

Choose Filled Quilt Block, No Inner Shape, click Next

Choose octagon shape (no 7). In the Enter Size box type 3” (75mm)and select Side. In Cut Line box, click  Include a cut line around my Quilt Block. Then click option and choose ⅜” (10mm). Click Next

Time to select Fill Pattern, click on Crosshatch, then options

Change the Gap to ¾” (20 mm), click Double Stitch, and change Stitch Length to 3mm click ok and then Finish. 

The result will look like this:

Go to Home tab, click Save As and Save the File as bottom octagonal.

Preparations: making the basket sides

Change Hoop and choose Size 180x130mm. You can change the size later if you prefer to use another hoop.

 Go to File, Insert and choose the embroidery you want (see details above). Click Ok. add another embroidery file if you want, resize if needed.

Click on Combine, Combine All, Then click on Center in Hoop.

 

Go to File, save As and Save the file as bugs1.

Open a new window, set the Hoop size to 180x130mm . Go to Create and click on Quilt block, Choose Filled Quilt  Block; Inner Embroidery

Choose shape 2 (rectangle), set the A-side to 3” (75mm) and the B-side to 6” (150mm), uncheck the Cut Line box, click Next

Choose Open Embroidery, double click on the Bugs 1 file. Click Next

Change the Outline to 0, click next

Choose Vertical Line box in  Channel/Parallel  and click Options

Set the Gap to 15mm, choose Double Stitch and Stitch Length 3,0mm click OK

Your panel is finished! Save as Panel 1

Make three more panels in the same way, with different motifs

Making the handle

Change Hoop Size to 360mmx200mm Natural orientation. Choose Create, Quilt Block

Click on Filled Quilt Block; No Inner Shape, then click Next

In the Select Size box set A to 40mm and B to 360 mm, click Next

In the Select Fill dialog box click Vertical Fill and then Options

Set the Gap to 10mm, Stitch Length to 3 mm and choose Double Stitch. Click Ok, then Finish. Go to Home tab.

Now it is time to insert the ant embroidery file. Go to File, Insert and choose the embroidery file. 

Click on duplicate and add as many ants as you want. Remember to keep ⅜” (1cm) free at both sides and ¾” (2cm) at the top and bottom, this will be covered by the binding later

On the Home tab, choose Combine, Combine All and then Colorsort

Save/Export the file, send to your machine or save to a USB

Stitching out the different parts - Panels:

On cutaway stabilizer draw lines vertical and horizontal to mark the middle.Place it in the 180x130mm hoop in line with the center markings.Place foam batting and fabric on top

Using the fix/baste option secure  the fabric and batting in the hoop. Stitch out the embroidery

 

 Unhoop and cut out. Leave ⅜” (1cm) on the bottom and cut close to the stitching on the other three sides.

 

Make a total of eight panels for the basket sides, two of each motif

Bottom:

Hoop stabilizer in a 200mmx200mm hoop. Turn the hoop upside down and place the outside fabric square on top, right side up. Secure with tape in the corners. Turn the hoop right side up. Place the foam batting and the lining fabric on top, right side up, secure in the corners with tape. Baste the fabric layers together by fix/baste function. Stitch out the embroidery and unhoop, cut out along the outer lines.

   

Handle:

Hoop cutaway stabilizer in the hoop. Add foam interfacing and handle fabric on top along the center line. Secure with tape on top and bottom. Stitch out the embroidery, unhoop and cut out close to the outer lines on the long sides on the embroidery and ⅜” (1cm) from top and bottom

Assembly

Now it is time to make all these pieces into a nice basket. Just follow the steps below

Side panels and bottom:

Sew a side panel lining piece together with the side panel on top right sides together. Use a ⅜” (1cm) seam allowance. Repeat with all side panels.

Fold the lining piece towards the back.

Sew a zig-zag to the lower edge of the side panel, set the width to 9 (or as wide as possible) and the length to 5. This will secure the lining to the panel and finish off the lower edge. Cut off excess lining. Repeat with all side panels.

Take one lining edge panel, fold it in half and make a crease. Open up again

Place one side panel on each side of the raw edge,lining up  the top on the fold.

 

Fold the lining fabric over and sew the long sides together with a ⅜” (1cm) seam allowance.

 

Turn right sides out., cut off excess lining fabric at the bottom.

 

Repeat with the other side panels.

Now it is time to join the four pieces together with a lining edge panel in between. To do this repeat the steps above.The finished result will be a “ring” of side panels with one lining edge panel in between each of them.

Topstitch ⅜” (1cm) from the top around the “ring”

Fold the lining edge piece towards the back on the side panel

Stitch “in the ditch” on the long side of the side panel, catching all layers. Repeat on the other side of the side panel. Do the same on all eight side panels.

 

Find the center on the side edge panels and mark it with a pin.

Bring the edges together on the side panels and pin in place

Secure all the layers together with a stitch line ⅜” (1cm) from the edge.

 

Make a cut in to the stitching line between the side panels.This will make it easier to attach to the bottom panel.

 

Mark  the center of the side panels and the center of the sides on the bottom piece.

Pin the side panels and bottom panel  wrong sides together (the seam allowance will be on the inside of the basket) Stitch in place with a ⅜” (1cm) seam allowance.

Time to bind the edges: sew the binding strip to the edge around the bottom of the basket using a ⅜” (1cm) seam allowance. Join the ends and cut off the excess leaving a ⅜” (1cm) ends.

Fold the strip over the edges and stitch in place. Turn the basket right side out. On the top edge of the basket, bring the side panels together and sew in place, cover the stitches with a decorative button

Making and attaching the handle

Stitch the handle lining piece to the long sides of the handle. Use ⅜” (1cm) seam allowance. Turn right side out. Stitch in the ditch to secure the binding on the edges. On the short edges, turn ⅜” (1cm) into the opening. Stitch the ends closed.

Attach the handle to the basket just below the top binding. Stitch in place by hand or machine. (the picture is taken before the buttons were attached)