How to Make a French Fabric Bread Basket

You can create a classic French fabric bread basket, or pannier, with just some simple ribbon and decorative fabric. While these baskets appear on Provencal dining tables, you can use one to hold make-up on your vanity or craft supplies by your sewing machine. Since you can choose any fabric and coordinating ribbon, this basket also makes a great gift for someone with hard-to-match tableware.

Cut a 13 3/4-inch square of heavy interfacing stabilizer.

Mark off a 2 1/2-inch square on each corner of your interfacing square. Cut out those four small squares. Your interfacing will now have a thick cross shape.

Cut two 14 1/2-inch squares out of your fabric.

Cut four pieces of ribbon, each 16 inches long.

Lay one fabric square evenly over the other, with the patterned sides facing each other. Pin the edges in place.

Sew three sides, then turn the fabric right-side out. Slip the interfacing in through the unsewn side and then sew that side closed.

Topstitch all around the square, about 1/2 inch from the edge.

Measure 2 1/2 inches from the right side of the square. Mark that line from the top of the square to the bottom. Stitch along the line.

Turn your square so that what was the right side becomes the top. Measure 2 1/2 inches again, mark again and stitch again. Keep turning the square and stitching until your stitching has created a second square in the center. This is the bottom of your bread basket.

Lay one piece of ribbon along one of the lines you have just stitched, leaving an equal amount of ribbon to overhang on each end. Stitch it in place. Repeat this on the three remaining stitch lines.

Fold up the four sides of the fabric basket and tie them in place with the ribbons. Your basket is now ready to fill.