Basket Band Tutorial

Basket Band Tutorial

This tutorial is for making a basket band, using linen banding.

Materials needed:
Stitched piece (on linen banding) Backing fabric Ribbon Lightweight fusible interfacing


1. Decide how much fabric margin you want beyond the stitching at each end of your stitched piece (e.g. 1/2") and trim your banding about 1" beyond that measurement. You should therefore have 1.5" inches of excess banding beyond your stitching area at each end.

2. Taking the measurement of your stitched piece, plus the 1/2" margins, cut your backing fabric about 1/4" bigger all round than this measurement. So, if your actual stitching area is 2" wide by 8" long, you need to add an inch to the length (for your margins), making 2" by 9" and your backing fabric should measure 2.5" x 9.5"

3. Cut a piece of lightweight fusible interfacing just slightly smaller than your finished piece. Iron the interfacing onto the back of your stitching. This will give it stability and will help to prevent the backing fabric showing through so much, if you've used a dark colour, as I have.

4. Next, fold the corners of your banding in and fold the edge of the banding over once:

5. Fold the edge over again, to make a double fold (making sure that the folded edge is 1/2" away from your stitching) and press well: Repeat for the opposite end, so you end up with something like this:

6. Now take your backing fabric, and press under about 1/4" down one long side and one end:

7. Place the backing fabric (wrong side down) to the back of your stitched piece, slightly in from the short end and slightly below the edge of the banding and start to pin the long edge in place:

8. Cut your ribbon in half and at the short end, insert the ribbon centrally into the gap and pin in place I folded my ribbon in half because the basket I'm using has handles and I wanted 2 ends to tie the ribbon to the handles. If your basket doesn't have handles, just use a single thickness of ribbon and cut it longer, so that you can tie the ends of the ribbon together at the back of the basket.

9. Once you have one long side and one short side pinned in place, fold under the backing fabric on the other long side, just inside the edge of the banding: and pin in place:

10. Fold under the 2nd short edge, remembering to insert the other half of the ribbon in the centre and pin. You should now have something that looks like this:

11. With a sewing needle and thread to match your stitched piece, ladder or slip stitch the lining in place:

12. When you get to the ribbon, make sure you stitch back and forth through the fabric a few times to attach it securely:
13. Once the lining fabric is attached, remove all the pins and press your stitched piece well.

13. Attach to your basket and enjoy!

This tutorial is for making a basket band, using linen banding.

Materials needed:

Stitched piece (on linen banding)
Backing fabric
Ribbon
Lightweight fusible interfacing

1. Decide how much fabric margin you want beyond the stitching at each end of your stitched piece (e.g. 1/2") and trim your banding about 1" beyond that measurement. You should therefore have 1.5" inches of excess banding beyond your stitching area at each end.

2. Taking the measurement of your stitched piece, plus the 1/2" margins, cut your backing fabric about 1/4" bigger all round than this measurement. So, if your actual stitching area is 2" wide by 8" long, you need to add an inch to the length (for your margins), making 2" by 9" and your backing fabric should measure 2.5" x 9.5"

3. Cut a piece of lightweight fusible interfacing just slightly smaller than your finished piece. Iron the interfacing onto the back of your stitching. This will give it stability and will help to prevent the backing fabric showing through so much, if you've used a dark colour, as I have.

4. Next, fold the corners of your banding in and fold the edge of the banding over once:

5. Fold the edge over again, to make a double fold (making sure that the folded edge is 1/2" away from your stitching) and press well:

Repeat for the opposite end, so you end up with something like this:

6. Now take your backing fabric, and press under about 1/4" down one long side and one end:

7. Place the backing fabric (wrong side down) to the back of your stitched piece, slightly in from the short end and slightly below the edge of the banding and start to pin the long edge in place:

8. Cut your ribbon in half and at the short end, insert the ribbon centrally into the gap and pin in place

I folded my ribbon in half because the basket I'm using has handles and I wanted 2 ends to tie the ribbon to the handles. If your basket doesn't have handles, just use a single thickness of ribbon and cut it longer, so that you can tie the ends of the ribbon together at the back of the basket.

9. Once you have one long side and one short side pinned in place, fold under the backing fabric on the other long side, just inside the edge of the banding:

and pin in place:

10. Fold under the 2nd short edge, remembering to insert the other half of the ribbon in the centre and pin. You should now have something that looks like this:

11. With a sewing needle and thread to match your stitched piece, ladder or slip stitch the lining in place:

12. When you get to the ribbon, make sure you stitch back and forth through the fabric a few times to attach it securely:

13. Once the lining fabric is attached, remove all the pins and press your stitched piece well.

13. Attach to your basket and enjoy!