How to Make a Basket Liner

Today I’m going to share with you how to make a custom Easter Basket Liner.  There are always so many cute Easter baskets in the stores during the Spring, but many of them don’t have a fabric liner.  I love the look of a fabric liner for an Easter basket and have made quite a few in the past. Today I thought I’d tell you how I do it.

Table of Contents

• How to Sew a Basket Liner perfect for an Easter Basket
• Basket Liner Supplies
• Construction Steps
• How to Make Your Own Bias Tape
• How to Personalize a Basket Liner

As you know Easter baskets come in all sizes and shapes, so it’s really not possible for me to provide you with a pattern that will fit all of the basket types out there. Instead, I’m going to teach you how to make a liner that will fit the basket that you have. Don’t worry, it’s very easy once you break down the steps.

This basket liner fits inside of the Easter basket and has a flap that extends over the edge of the basket and ties on the side with a bit of ribbon.

How to Sew a Basket Liner perfect for an Easter Basket

Now let’s talk about how to make an Easter Basket Liner.

Basket Liner Supplies

• Easter Basket
• If desired, 1 set of Applique Shapes – mine were purchased from Shabby Fabrics
• ½ yard of print fabric (you’ll need more for a large basket)
• ¼ – ½ yard of white fabric (or whatever fabric you’d like to use for the part of the liner that hangs over the side of the basket).
• Packaged Double Fold Bias Tape (½″ wide while folded) OR a 2″ wide fabric cut on the bias and a 1″ double-fold bias tape tool to make your own bias tape.
• Tape Measure
• Fabric Safe Marking Pen
• 2 yards of ¼″ wide ribbon

Construction Steps

Step One: Measure your Easter Basket

Since Easter Baskets come in all shapes and sizes, you will need to measure the entire circumference of the outside of the top of your basket. This will allow you to make a custom liner that will fit the basket you have.

For example, my basket was 38″ around.

Note this number, we will call it “Measurement A”.

Next measure the height of your basket (not including the handle).

We will call this “Measurement B”

Lastly, measure the DIAMETER of the circle on the bottom inside of the basket. The diameter is the width of the circle. We will call this “Measurement C”

Next up, let’s make our bias.

You’re going to need enough bias to go all the way around your basket (Measurement A).

Cut bias strips to this length plus about 6″ – 8″ so you have a bit extra.

How to Make Your Own Bias Tape

For the bias, you can make a strip of continuous bias tape if you like, but you don’t need nearly that much for this project. Instead, I would recommend cutting your fabric on the bias (that means at a 45-degree angle to the selvage) in 2″ strips and sewing them together until you have enough.  It will probably only take 2-3 strips sewn together to get enough for your project.

Next feed your bias tape thru the double fold bias tape maker (this is the bias tape maker that I have).  As you pull the fabric through, use your iron to press it into place.

Roll it up and set it aside (I made WAY more than I needed).

Step Two: Cut out your Fabric

Cut from the print fabric cut for the liner bottom piece:

One circle that is 1″ wider than the bottom of your basket. For example, if your basket diameter was 6″ cut your circle with a 7″ diameter.

Cut from the print fabric for the liner side piece:

One piece that is “Measurement A” + 1″ by “Measurement B” +  1″

From the white fabric cut for the liner flap piece:

2 pieces of fabric that are 4 ½″ wide by “Measurement A” divided by 2 + 1″

Now it’s time to start sewing. All seams are ½″

Step Three: Sew the Liner

Sew your liner side piece together along the short sides. Press seam open.

Run 2 rows of gathering stitches along the bottom of the sewn piece. Pull up on the gathering strings and gather until the fabric fits around your cut circle piece. Pin in place.

Stitch in place.

Fit this piece into your basket, make sure it fits.  Then mark the locations of the handles on the bag side piece.  I used pins then later replaced the pins with marks with a fabric-safe pen.

Pin the flap pieces to the basket side pieces so that the flap piece fits between the marks you made on the basket (noting the handle placement). Your flap pieces will probably be larger than the distance between the marks.  Cut the flap piece so that it fits between the marks and you have enough fabric for a ¼″ rolled hem.

Sew a small rolled hem on the short side of each flap piece. Pin to the basket side piece, right sides facing and stitch in place.

Step Four: Add the Appliques

Next, draw a line 1″ up from the bottom of the flap piece.  Find the center of the flap and mark it. Place the first butterfly along the 1″ line and directly in the center of the flap.  Then place the other two butterflies on the flap both an equal distance from the center butterfly (the exact measurement will depend on the size of your basket).

Peel off the paper backed liner from the butterfly and iron it onto the flap (there are exact directions on the package for fusing the butterfly to the fabric).

Repeat for the other flap.

Next stitch around the diameter of the butterfly. Here are a few tips. If your machine has the option:  set it to stop with the needle down. Also, pivot frequently and go slowly.

Repeat for all 6 butterflies.

Step Five: Finishing

Next, open up your double-fold bias tape and pin it to the edge of the flap raw edges even. Turn under the start of the bias tape by ¼″. Stitch in place by stitching just outside the fold line. When you get close to the end, turn the bias under ¼″ again and continue stitching.

Refold the bias tape and stitch in place on the right side of the flap piece.

Next, feed the ¼″ ribbon into the ends of the bias tape and stitch in place.

How to Personalize a Basket Liner

The flap portion of the liner seemed to be the perfect spot to add an extra little ‘somethin’.  I was sent a couple of packages of pre-cut applique shapes by Shabby Fabrics and thought they would be really cute to use on an Easter Basket.

The shapes are laser cut (so you know they are precise) and come pre-packaged. There are a lot of different shapes to pick from and they come in many different fabrics.

You can also buy letters!  Which would make it super easy for you to add your child’s name to one side of the basket. It would be an easy way to create a personalized Easter basket liner, even if you don’t have an embroidery sewing machine.

That is!!!

This post was originally published in 2015 and has been updated and improved.

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