DIY Bicycle Basket Liner

 You guys, this is a project I have wanted to make for ages, a liner for my bicycle basket! I mean, if you have a cute bike you definitely need a cute bike basket. And if you have a cute bike basket you must have a cute bicycle basket liner! Am I right?

These supplies are from The Ribbon Retreat. You will need ~2 yards of burlap ribbon as well as other assorted ribbons in fun, bright colors with some super cute chiffon flowers.

On top of these supplies you will also need ~1/2 yard of fabric.

Several years ago my husband made over this vintage Western Flyer Galaxy bicycle for me. I still love it! Shortly after the makeover my mom purchased this cute bicycle basket to add to the bike. I have wanted a cute liner for the basket ever since!

A couple of years ago I taught myself to sew, so I decided it was high time to make the basket liner myself! Bicycle baskets come in all shapes and sizes so the odds of finding a liner is slim unless it already comes with one. You would need to make something yourself.

That being said, my basket liner may not fit your basket so exact measurements are not going to help you. But I can give you the general idea of how this was made so that you can find the measurements to create your own!

My basket has a flat back and a rounded front. It is also tapered, wider at top than the bottom. It also has a basket handle which will need to be accounted for for draping the liner over the basket.

Cut your fabric into 3 pieces: 1) the flat back, 2) the rounded front, and 3) the base. Allow for a 1/2″ seam allowance when cutting the fabric as well as making the back and front a couple of inches taller than measured to allow it to drape over the edge of the basket.

Stitch together the flat side of the “base” to the bottom of the “back” with the right sides of the fabric facing each other. To attach the “front,” line up the top corner of the front to the top corner of the “back,” again with the right sides of the fabric facing each other. Stitch together the sides of the of the front and back. Continue to stitch the bottom of the “front” to the rounded part of the “base” then back up the other side of the front and back.

Fold the top edge of the fabric over twice to create a 1/2″ hem. Stitch over the hem.

Determine where the basket handles need to cut. Mine are between 3 and 5 inches in from the back of the basket to the front. Cut out a rectangle in the fabric. I used some the thin ribbon to create a bias look of sorts and stitched it straight onto my cut edges, folding over and ironing down the edges of the ribbon first to avoid fraying.

To create ruffles in the burlap, tuck and pin one side of the burlap then stitch over the tucks to create the ruffles.

I created 3 ruffles: 1 long one for the center of the basket and two short ones that will fit behind the holes cut for the handles of the basket but not wrap around to the back of the basket. Also allow the length of the ruffles to extend longer than the length of the fabric by about an inch so the sides will meet when the liner is spread over the edge of the basket.

Stitch the ruffles to the back of the liner.

Cover where the burlap meets the fabric with 1″ wide ribbon and stitch around the edges. For the ends, fold ribbon over and iron flat to prevent edges from fraying.

Drape liner over basket to determine where to add the chiffon flowers. Glue them in place with a fabric glue.

I’m just going to go ahead and say it… my bike just became the cutest in the neighborhood! And this is one project that is finally 100% complete.

 

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