Galvanized Bucket Liner

I am working on a couple of projects for Christopher's bedroom makeover.  I have already made all of my fabric selections, and I am in the final stages of choosing furniture, and accessories.  I am hoping all of my little projects will be finished in the next few weeks and I will be able to share his new room with you by the end of the month.  

Today I am going to share with you the velvet liner I made to line the inside of a large galvanized metal tub. 

I found this great tub at my local estate store for just $5.  Normally they run between $16-$20 at a big box store like Home Depot or Lowes.  One thing to consider when you purchase an older/used metal container is rust.  The last thing you want is to spend time and energy making a liner for a rusty/old metal bucket only to have it leave rust stains on your white carpet.  If your bucket/bin is rusty, WALK AWAY! 

As you can see, this metal bin is in great shape.  I want to use it to store some of my Little Man's teddy bears, but I am afraid that the metal sides might snag the soft furry arms and legs of his little critters.  I have decided to make a liner for this bin out of a scrap piece of velvet.  I love the combination of this rustic bin and the softness of velvet.

Lets Begin. 

1. Take your Measurements and Cut your Fabric

Sidewall Measurement:

Measure the depth of the side wall & add 3 inches to your length. (This will allow  for 1/2 inch seam allowance, and the edge that gets folded over the side).

Next measure the circumference of the top edge of the bin. In our case it was 64 inches.  Add 1 inch onto this number to accommodate for your seam allowance. (This is Sarah by the way, my ever helpful assistant!) we need a 13" wide by 65" long piece of fabric.

Floor of Bin:

The piece of velvet covering the bottom of the bin can be measured by simply placing the bin on the wrong side of the fabric and drawing a circle around the edge.

Cut out your circle.  Do not cut on the line, make your circle a little larger.

(I had a little bit of help!)

2. Let's Sew

After all your edges are surged, fold over the top edge of your 64" sidewall piece and sew. 

Fold your 64" long piece of fabric right sides together, and sew along the edge, creating a continuous circle.

(You may have to take a few breaks along the way...)

 The next step is to sew the circular base to the long side wall piece.  Right sides together of course. The circumference of the circle is smaller than the circumference of your side wall piece of fabric, so you will have to put loose pleats into the side wall fabric.  This does create a "baggier" look at the bottom of the bin, but it allows the fabric to fit correctly at the top. (If you look at the picture above closely, you will see the pleats in the top piece of fabric).

Voila!  You are finished.  Just stretch your lining over your bin, and sit back and admire your work.

Finished!

These bears are looking pretty comfy!

Thanks for joining me today.  As always I would love to hear your thoughts about this project!

Rebekah

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