Dan's Fabric Basket with Sashiko

Hi, it's Dan here. I just finished a springtime project that I wanted to share.

Sometimes it is necessary to take a break from busy schedules and large projects to make a quick and rewarding end product. This simple lunch bag pattern is the perfect thing! This project would be an adorable handmade "basket" for a child to use during an Easter egg hunt. It is great as a reusable alternative to throw away lunch bags. Might I suggest one made with natural linen on the outside, and undyed cotton muslin for the lining? Children will appreciate a lunch bag made out of their favorite fabrics and colors.

This pattern is from the book, Linen, Wool, Cotton, originally written in Japanese, but now available in English. The book focuses on using natural fabrics in modern applications and is beautifully photographed. The projects are mostly simple and extremely inspiring.

The finished bag is completely reversible, with all of its seams hidden, and is a perfect introduction to making reversible or lined bags. It lends itself nicely to most fabrics and prints. For the lining fabric, I decided to use a double gauze print by Nani Iro, one of my favorites. For my main fabric, I used a complementary Kona cotton solid.

It just so happens that I also love Sashiko, a Japanese embroidery technique. It is a simple running stitch that can take any handmade item to the next level of uniqueness with little preparation. I used a simple little Sashiko motif to personalize my bag.

After assembling and adorning a few of these lunch bags I am now ready to experiment with the pattern and techniques I learned to create larger reversible bags.