Saturday, June 23, 2012

Binding Coil Basket



Making these coil baskets has become habit forming. I have tried several ways to sew the binding on because tapering the wrapped clotheslines isn't all that finished looking. I have tried sewing on the outside of the bag using the open arm feature of my sewing machine. I turned one bag inside out for the final stitching was not easy to turn then I had to turn it back and one I sewed by hand.
This way is the easiest and looks finished.
Cut the bias tape exactly the same as the circumference of the basket. I clip it to the outside of the basket all the way around then cut,  sew the ends together diagonal seam with a 1/4 inch seam  and press open. That gives just the right amount of stretch to go around the outside of the basket. Hold in place with clips, necessary if there is a dip in the center front and center back of the basket.


 stitch around with a straight stitch and 1/4 inch seam

my bias is left over from quilts and is either 2 1/2 inches wide or 2 1/4 inches wide






 turn bias in, clip and stitch around again

Nice smooth binding.

Add handles.
I hand stitched the handles between the coils with a matching hand quilting thread. 
Too hard to go through the coil and too thick to stitch by machine.
What shall I put in this basket?  ~~Ann~~

3 comments:

sherry said...

i love those coil bags and baskets...the colours are the colours of the grasslands in the late fall...when the grass has died back and the willow leaves have turned brown but not dropped from the branches...i can see it now...really like it

Laurie said...

I tried one of those baskets once and was very frustrated. I'm going to keep reading back to see if you have any more hints that will help me.

Pattilou said...

I've done a couple of these but not nearly as cute as your bag. I like the way you've topped it with the binding. I have a plastic bin saved for more. Now I want to do a bag!