Summer Christmas must have: How to reline a picnic basket

Tonight Jake and I are packing up a picnic basket, grabbing a blanket and making our way down to Carols By Candlelight, part of the reason iI'm so excited for this is the six dollar picnic basket that we found at thrift store. My project today was to reline the inside because the original blue checked lining is quite stained, so here's my little tutorial on relining a picnic basket:

You will need:

I'm reusing the foam padding and clear nylon to secure the fabric but if you want everything spic and span I suggest you get these also. You will also need a sewing machine with all the appropriate bits and bobs, or you can tediously hand stitch.

Step one:

Unpick the pre-exsisting lining on both sides of the basket, If your's is like mine then it'll be long strands of Nylon which are very easy to pull through. 

Step 2: 

Remove and replace or just re-adjust the existing foam padding, If you are replacing measure the length and width of the base and sides separately and record before cutting. Do this on both baskets if you are planning to reline the top smaller basket also.

Step 3:

Using the needle and nylon sew the foam to the basket using big looping stitches inside where they'll be hidden and small discreet stiches to attach it to the basket as they'll be seen from the outside if there too large.

Step 4:

Measure the length and width of the base and sides separately, recording the measurements for the material covering. Add two centimeters onto each side to allow for room. Once again for both baskets.

Step 5:

if your using lined, checkered or patterned fabrics before cutting try to ensure that everything will match up after it has been sewn.

Step 6:

Sew the fabric sides to the fabric base leaving a two centimeter gap between the stitching and the fabric edge. Iron the two centimeters left around the top down so that when the fabric is placed in the basket it is touching the basket and is not visible. This hidden part will be sewn with nylon to the basket just as the foam was, by sewing this and having is steam pressed with the iron it means that the nylon stitching will be hidden inside.

Before

After

Have fun!

Lot's of Love

                    Audrey Megan