Instructions on how to make a box

Hi!

How I love reading the comments on my blog and also the emails I get brighten my day!

I got a lot of questions about how to make a box, so I thought I would write the whole instruction down so you can try it yourself! It is easy.
I wrote an instruction for a box that will be Length 6 inch, Wide 6inch and height 6 inch, without a lid . You can enlarge it on make it smaller as you desire, I wrote the calculations, so you know how I get my sizes, but the technique is the same.

You will need:
- your favorite fabric
- cardboard, but not to thick. I use cardboard that is 1000gr.
- a glue stick
- an old rotary cutter blade
- batting. I use batting used in tablerunners, it is has almost no loft and is quite hard and thick.
- normal stuff like sewingmachine etc....


Instruction for a complete square box with equal sides and all sides of the same fabric:

1 When you have calculated the size of the box you start cutting the cardboard pieces so in this case all the pieces will be the same since it is square. But you will need to cut the pieces twice the height of the box. So cut these pieces: Length 6 inch and "height" 12 ich. In the middle of the height of this piece you cut a small line, BUT NOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE CARDBOARD. This will be a folding line. A totall of 5 pieces, 4 sides and 1 bottom piece.
2 Glue the batting on the pieces on the side were there is no cut.
3 Bend and fold the pieces so you will get you 6 x 6 inch square pieces with a neat fold on one end.
4 Cut a piece of fabric that is Length: the 4 sides plus 2x 1/4 and 3/4. and Wide 2x the finished size plus 2 inch extra.
So the piece for this box will be 4 x 6 plus 1 1/4 = 25 1/4 and 2x6+2=14
So cut a piece 25 1/4 x 14.
5 Sew the 2 ends of the fabric that is 14" together. (right sides on top of eachother) So you now have a loop of fabric.
6 Fold the fabric in half lengthwise and sew a seam each 6 1/4 inch apart, start sewing over the seam that you made to make the fabric into a loop on the right side of the fabric.
7 You should have a piece of fabric with 4 "pockets", put 4 of the pieces in here and you will have the sides of the box. The folded side of the cardboard up so that comes on the top.
8 Cut a piece of fabric that is 6 1/2 x 14. Sew the sides together, so you make an other pocket.

Now you have all the parts and you turn under the seams of the side pieces, sewing by hand or with roxanne glue. When the pieces are all ready attach the bottom by hand. Finished!

Some Important tips:
- I calculated about 1/4 inch for the seems on the sides, for the "pockets". You should look at your cardboard for the right size. If you have thinner or thicker cardboard you might have to adjust this.
- 2 inch extra seam allowance on the bottom of the "pockets" might sound much but is is only 1 inch at each side plus that the fold of the cardboard at the top of the pockets take a lot of extra fabric. If you do have to much fabric you can cut some away but attaching the bottom to the sides takes some effort and not having enough seam allowance makes it even more difficult.
- you can leave out putting batting on the bottom panel if you want. It will stand more flat on a surface without it, or just put batting on the half that will be the inside of the box.
- Because you fold the cardboard you will have 2 layers of cardboard which make the box quite firm. If you use cardboard that is to thick you will not be able to fold it neatly. If you want to use thicker cardboard and cut this the finished sizes and not bend it, you will loose the neat fold on the top that makes the box look very nice, but this is a choice..

An other way to do it:

If you would like to make boxes by hand, have different fabrics on each sides, or different sizes of the sides there is a second good way to do it:

You cut the cardboard as above, make a small folding cut and glue the batting on.
Then you cut a piece of fabric that is the size of the cardboard piece adding 1 inch of fabric all around. You place the cardboard with the batting on the wrong side of the fabric. Then fold the fabric over the cardboard and glue it on the cardboard. When you have folded all the 4 sides of the fabric tightly over the cardboard you fold the cardboard, with the fabric on in half as above. Now you have one single piece of a side. Make 4 of these and piece them together by hand adding the bottom last which you make in the same manor with or without batting.

Well, that is about it I think. If I have made a error somewhere please let me know and I will correct it at once. It should be correct, but I am only human. If you have a better way to do it, please let me know too !
Ofcourse if you make a box I would love to see a picture or receive a small note!

Barbara