Stiffened Fabric Box Designs You Make in No Time

Need extra storage space? Want something that's beautiful and not plastic? Make your own boxes, from stiffened fabric, and you'll have storage and elegance. The boxes are very simple to make and cost little. They can easily be made in a variety of sizes and coordinating fabrics.

Visit a craft store and purchase brass-type craft rings. They're very inexpensive and come in a variety of sizes. Purchase two rings, of the same size, for each box you intend to make. The rings don't necessarily have to be round; you'll find them in several different shapes, like hearts or flower shapes. It's easiest though, to start out with the round rings, then move on to other shapes once you get the crafting mastered.

The fabric you use to make the decorative boxes can be most any material. The important thing is that the fabric is stiffened. There are stiffening products at any sewing supply store to help you stiffen the fabrics yourself. Or, you can purchase stiff fabrics like lace, netting or organza. If you're unsure about selecting stiffened fabric, or stiffening products, talk to an employee in the store for assistance.

Making the fabric boxes is oh, so easy. Cut the fabric into two pieces, lay one ring on each fabric piece, then cut out around the rings. Keep in mind that one ring represents the bottom of the box, the other ring, the top of the fabric box. Therefore, the fabric for the top of the box need not be as large as the fabric for the bottom of the box.

When creating the top of the box, simply cut around the ring, making the fabric a few inches larger, in circumference, than the ring. Do the same for the bottom but allow the fabric to be several inches larger than the ring. The larger the fabric on the bottom ring, the taller the box will be. For short, squat boxes, allow only a few inches excess around the bottom ring, but make the lid even smaller than that.