Baskets and banneton baskets with homemade drop cloth basket liners in them on a gray table for How To Make An Easy DIY Basket Liner (Sew Tutorial).

How To Make An Easy DIY Basket Liner (Sew Tutorial)

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Whether you are just looking to make an easy, yet beautiful, basket liner or you are looking for a simple banneton liner to place your sourdough in, then this How To Make An Easy DIY Basket Liner (Sew Tutorial) is for you! This fairly simple process will have you making your very own basket liners in no time!

Baskets and banneton baskets on a gray wood table for How To Make An Easy DIY Basket Liner (Sew Tutorial)

Basket liners add character to a room!

I love the way baskets bring character to a room! I have some sort of basket in just about every room in all sorts of styles. I even hang them from the ceiling! A unique basket is a great thing to use when you have an empty space that desperately needs something. They are usually my go-to for filling in the gaps. Adding liners to baskets can be fun and playful and give them that extra touch of whimsy. This is where you can really let your style shine.  I love doing basket makeovers by changing out my liners depending on the season. I am a person that gets bored very easily, and little changes like this really help keep our home from feeling stagnant.

A hand cutting a circle for a homemade basket liner out of a drop cloth for Hands holding a measuring tape around the top outside part of the banneton basket. For How To Make An Easy DIY Basket Liner (Sew Tutorial).

What this basket liner can be used for.

I love this fabric basket liner pattern because it is so versatile. The liner can be easily converted to whatever shape or size of basket you desire to use. So you will be able to make your own custom basket liner for: banneton bread baskets, wicker baskets, laundry baskets, storage baskets, picnic baskets, and yes, you can even make this your own pattern for that perfect easter basket liner! And imagine how cute a gift basket could be!

A hand cutting a circle for a homemade basket liner out of a drop cloth for Hands holding a measuring tape around the top outside part of the banneton basket. For How To Make An Easy DIY Basket Liner (Sew Tutorial).

DIY Banneton Basket and Liner for Inexpensive!

I started making these because banneton baskets are a bit pricey! I bake a lot of sourdough bread and needed different basket shapes for the different types of loaves I was making. It was way more reasonable picking up a basket at a thrift store (yes, cleaning it first!) and making a fabric liner from a drop cloth that I picked up for only $8 at Harbor Freight, and still have excess fabric, then from the extra cost of buying bannetons and covers on amazon. I was also in desperate need of banneton replacement liners to replace my worn out ones. 

Hands holding a measuring tape around the top outside part of the banneton basket. For How To Make An Easy DIY Basket Liner (Sew Tutorial).

The time it takes to make a basket liner.

They are so quick and easy to whip out! It only takes about an hour to an hour and a half to make. Which I am pretty sure after the first one, it will be a lot faster!

Bread baskets and banneton baskets with handmade white basket liners in them on a gray wood countertop for How-To-Make-An-Easy-DIY-Basket-Liner-Sew-Tutorial.

How much fabric is needed to make a basket liner.

Depending on the size of your basket, you could probably do a couple of basket liners with just a yard! I chose to use a drop cloth because it is the perfect fabric that can withstand heavy use since I am using it to line my bread proofing baskets. For this specific reason, I did not want dyed fabric and I wanted it to be 100% cotton. But you can always go with a cute fabric that fits your needs from Hobby Lobby or Joann Fabrics! 

Hands matching up the short sides of the homemade banneton cover over a gray measuring table.
Seams pressed on the short side of the banneton basket liner.

What you will need to make a basket liner.

​Sewing machine

​A piece of fabric

A basket

Scissors 

Safety pin

Pins

Iron and ironing board

​Tape Measure

Pencil or chalk marker

1/4 inch wide elastic

A seam on the sides of the banneton basket liner.
Hands placing elastic into a handmade banneton basket liner.

How To Make An Easy DIY Basket Liner (Sew Tutorial)

1. Wash, dry, and press the chosen piece of fabric to line the basket. 

2. Place the basket, bottom side down, on the fabric.

3. Trace the bottom of your basket with a pencil or chalk marker. 

Hands placing the bottom of the basket liner with the sides of the basket liner.
Hands pinning the bottom of the basket liner with the sides of the basket liner.

4. Add a half of an inch for seam allowance and cut it out. 

5. Place the material for the base of the basket to the side.

6. On the outside of the basket measure the top of the basket edge with the measuring tape and add one inch to the measurement. 

A homemade banneton basket with liner on a gray measuring table.

7. Measure the height of the basket (from the base of the basket to the top of the basket) and add three inches. 

8. (These two measurements are your Width X Height of your basket plus extra for seam allowances.)

9. Measure out your Width X Height on your material and cut it out.

10. Place the raw seams of the shorter sides (right sides facing each other) of the basket liner together. 

An iron pressing down the seam of a basket liner.
Hands placing elastic into a handmade banneton basket liner.
A seam pressed down on homemade banneton basket liner.

11. Sew a half inch seam straight down to stitch the shorter sides together.  

12. Press your seam open.

13. Around one of the long sides do a basting stitch. If you do not have a basting stitch on your sewing machine, then set your sewing machine to the longest length it will do. I do not have a basting stitch on the sewing machine I use, so I set mine to the longest length which is a 4. 

Hands placing elastic into a handmade banneton basket liner.
A safety pen with elastic going into a handmade banneton basket liner.

14. Then, lightly (or you will snap your thread!) pull the top thread (on either side) to gather up the material. This might take a little time depending on the width of your basket. It needs to be gathered enough to match the width of the bottom of the basket material.

15. Pin the right sides of the bottom piece of the fabric and the side piece of fabric together. You can always gather and pull on your thread a little bit more to help it line up good with the side piece.

16. Stitch the lining pieces together with a half inch seam.

Baskets and banneton baskets with homemade drop cloth basket liners in them on a gray table for How To Make An Easy DIY Basket Liner (Sew Tutorial).

17. For the top edge of the liner, fold the edge over about a 1/4 of an inch. Press it and sew it. 

18. Fold the edge over again, but this time fold it over a half of an inch. You want this double the size of the width of the elastic. We are using 1/4 inch elastic so the seam needs to be a half inch to feed the elastic through. Press seam and then stitch the edge, but! LEAVE A ONE INCH OPENING FROM THE END TO THE BEGINNING! This will allow you to feed your elastic through.

Bread baskets and banneton baskets with handmade white basket liners in them on a gray wood countertop for How-To-Make-An-Easy-DIY-Basket-Liner-Sew-Tutorial.

19. Feed your elastic through with a safety pin.

20. Place the liner into the basket and pull on the elastic ends. You want it to feel snug, not tight! 

21. Sew the elastic together. 

21. Stitch the two open ends closed.

Other Fun and Easy Sewing Projects

How To Make An Easy DIY Sink Skirt For Your Home

Easy Tutorial on How to Sew Reusable Bowl Covers

Baskets and banneton baskets with homemade drop cloth basket liners in them on a gray table for How To Make An Easy DIY Basket Liner (Sew Tutorial).

How To Make An Easy DIY Basket Liner (Sew Tutorial)

Yield: 1 Basket Liner
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Easy homemade basket liners that can dress your house up or that can be used as a banneton basket liner for your next sourdough bread baking!

Instructions

  1. Wash, dry, and press the chosen piece of fabric to line the basket. 
  2. Place the basket, bottom side down, on the fabric.
  3. Trace the bottom of your basket with a pencil or chalk marker. 
  4. Add a half of an inch for seam allowance and cut it out. 
  5. Place the material for the base of the basket to the side.
  6. On the outside of the basket measure the top of the basket edge with the measuring tape and add one inch to the measurement. 
  7. Measure the height of the basket (from the base of the basket to the top of the basket) and add three inches. 
  8. (These two measurements are your Width X Height of your basket plus extra for seam allowances.)
  9. Measure out your Width X Height on your material and cut it out.
  10. Place the raw seams of the shorter sides (right sides facing each other) of the basket liner together. 
  11. Sew a half inch seam straight down to stitch the shorter sides together.  
  12. Press your seam open.
  13. Around one of the long sides do a basting stitch. If you do not have a basting stitch on your sewing machine then, set your sewing machine to the longest length it will do. I do not have a basting stitch on the sewing machine I used, so I set mine to the longest length which is a 4. 
  14. Then, lightly (or you will snap your thread!) pull the top thread (on either side) to gather up the material. This might take a little time depending on the width of your basket. It needs to be gathered enough to match the width of the bottom of the basket material.
  15. Pin the right sides of the bottom piece of the fabric and the side piece of fabric together. You can always gather and pull on your thread a little bit more to help it line up good with the side piece.
  16. Stitch the lining pieces together with a half inch seam.
  17. For the top edge of the liner, fold the edge over about a 1/4 of an inch. Press it and sew it. 
  18. Fold the edge over again, but this time fold it over a half of an inch. You want this double the size of the width of the elastic. We are using 1/4 inch elastic so the seam needs to be a half inch to feed the elastic through. Press seam and then stitch the edge, but! LEAVE A ONE INCH OPENING FROM THE END TO THE BEGINNING! This will allow you to feed your elastic through.
  19. Feed your elastic through with a safety pin.
  20. Place the liner into the basket and pull on the elastic ends. You want it to feel snug, not tight! 
  21. Sew the elastic together. 
  22. Stitch the two open ends closed.
© Stephanie

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