How to Easily Upcycle Broken Plastic Baskets With Fabric
This plastic basket upcycle is a quick and easy home organization idea. Update broken, cheap or old plastic baskets by wrapping them in fabric.
This plastic basket upcycle is a quick and easy home organization idea. Learn how you can update your broken, cheap or old plastic baskets by wrapping them in fabric.
It is my favorite time of the month when I get together with my besties! Yes it is the International Bloggers Club Challenge. For those of you who are here for the first time, this is a monthly challenge that I participate in with my blogger friends who live all over the world. We meet up each month to compare notes and see how we do things in our corner of the world.
This month we’re doing crafts with baskets. Now I have done lots of basket upcycles in fact I did one the other day. I simply painted it with chalk paint. Easy Peasy. But this time around I am not doing plain plastic baskets. I am going to show you how to easily upcycle a broken plastic basket.
You see I have these plastic baskets that needed a makeover and I really wanted to use those in the challenge. I hope you don’t mind. I like them but they are broken and missing their edges. But they are very practical since you can put stuff in them for storage or to carry around. You can see how in the inner corners there is no edge and the blue basket has both edges missing in the front.
Materials Needed To Upcycle a Plastic Basket
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- 2 plastic baskets
- Fabric of your choosing
- fabric glue or needle and thread
I needed to find a way to hide the non-existent edges and so I found this fabric which was left over from an old curtain I had. Originally I had wanted to use denim but it proved really hard to work with. Maybe next time I can try it with softer, worn out denim.
How To Upcycle Plastic Baskets
The first step was to make sure that the fabric was large enough so that when I folded it over into the basket it would fit and cover the whole basket.
I folded it over one end and tried to sew the fabric through the holes of the plastic but it was so hard.
After pricking my finger a few times I gave up and used glue instead. In my defense the fabric was really hard to pass a needle through. It was one of those chintz fabrics that has a bit of a glossy finish but it had faded.
Then I flipped up the sides and folded them over like you would when wrapping a gift with paper.
They were pulled inwards and then glued onto the side and bottom of the plastic basket.
I had two different sized pieces of fabric to use for the two plastic baskets and so I ended up wrapping them with the stripes going in different directions. But that’s alright, I think they look much more interesting that way.
Can you tell that there is no edge there? If you can’t then I have done my job!
This has to be one of the easiest projects I’ve ever done. And it is a great way to hide the defects of the baskets. Plus with the right fabric these baskets look way better than they did bare.
I am using the baskets to store school things. It’s an easy way to be able to grab things and take them with you.
They come in handy for storage as well. I’ll be putting them on my Hejne shelving unit and placing towels inside.
While I was choosing fabrics for amazon I was reminded of all the pretty patterns and styles out there. Did I ever mention that before I had kids I used to work for a textile company? I worked for the designer of the company. It was so much fun to watch the creative process of how a fabric pattern is developed.
And that is how to upcycle broken plastic baskets with fabric. An easy peasy project. Because really, would you have had the heart to throw these out, while they were still usable?
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I’m sure I have some broken baskets somewhere around here that would benefit from this treatment. Great way to save these Mary and thanks for sharing at Celebrate Your Story.
Sandra you know me always looking to be frugal and save everything.
Well I have to say I could not imagine how you were going to make anything out of these baskets! Nice job!
The art of covering up Lauren. Haha!!
What an easy way to transform plastic baskets, and I am sure we all have some chipped one at home!
I am sure of it Maya. Too often we forget that it takes little effort to make them usable again.
You have the most creative mind Mary! Love the fabric you choose and the idea of covering your baskets is brilliant! Bravo and pinned!
I like to think of myself as practical Wendi. Thanks for your sweet comment but I’m not that creative. 🙂
Mary, ok now that is awesome sauce!! These baskets look sooo good with the fabric. I would have glued it too, forget those pricked fingers. 😉 I’m sure the baskets will look great on your shelf with towels. Wonderful job!!
Thanks Keri, nothing wrong with just a little break here and there, especially when you can cover it.
Now I like upcycling but even I would probably have thrown these broken baskets away. You have taught me that I am hasty and almost everything can be saved! These look great. Well done!
I am happy to hear that Julie. These old things were sturdy they just needed a little help.
These look summery to me because of the lovely striped blue fabric. They certainly don’t look dollar store anymore or even broken. Great way to keep using what you already have. I see a them serving pita bread.
Yumm, pita bread it is Leanna! And don’t forget the gyros on the side. 😉
Great idea, Mary! It would have been a shame to throw the baskets out. The fabric you chose is so pretty and the damage is covered up perfectly.
Exactly as long as no one can see it, then it is not there. 😉
What a great upcycle! I love the blue and white striped fabric.
I do too, it’s simple and cheery!
Thank you so much for sharing this with us at our To Grandma’s house link party! I will be featuring it tomorrow morning when the new party starts, have a great week!
Thanks so much Tarah I’ll see you tomorrow!
I love that stripy material it is lovely and the baskets look great Mary
Amber anything to hide that broken bit! 😉
I think these would make GREAT gift baskets!
Thanks for sharing at Reader Tip Tuesday. Looking forward to seeing what you have to share at this week’ party. xo
http://www.jodiefitz.com/2017/09/05/reader-tip-tuesday-weeks-craft-recipe-party-2/
You are so right, Jodie. I hadn’t thought of them as being that special.
I’m still loving these adorable baskets — and chose this post for my feature at #FridayFrivolity!
Thanks so much Lisa. I’ll be over tomorrow.
What a great way to recycle something that would otherwise have been thrown away! Thanks for sharing with us at The Blogger’s Pit Stop!
Thanks Roseann. The form was still usable all it needed was a little camouflage!
Great upcycle! Love the fabric you choose. Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm. xo Kathleen
Thanks so much Kathleen, it was an easy fix!
What a wonderful, sustainable craft, Mary! Your upcycled baskets look fantastic, you would have no idea they were broken! Thank you for sharing, and for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party. I hope you are having a lovely week!
I like to keep these secrets to myself April.