TUTORIAL
MODULAR BASKET TUTORIAL GREEN FABRIC
Intro
Modular baskets allows you to create original baskets from recovered fabrics. These baskets can be used as storage, fruit basket, flower pots or outside bag.
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Material
- Quite thick recovered fabrics (wool, felt) or fine fabrics that can be doubled or covered with bee wax (do not use fabrics that fray too much and which will deteriorate over time) Option 1 : - Laser cutter machine Optional: - Double-sided iron-on - Bee Wax Option 2 (for thin fabrics): - Desktop cutting machine - Bee wax GREEN FABRIC
Attention Fabric choice Not all fabrics can be cut with a laser cutter. Fabrics that contain chlorine and fluorine give off gases that can be toxic, so they should not be cut with laser. For recovered fabrics, if you do not know their composition, it is possible to carry out a fire test, by burning the fibers and analyzing their fire behavior. The fire test is the subject of a separate detailed tutorial.
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Modules creation To create the modules that can be assembled follow these good practices : The modules must be able to fit vertically and horizontally. The width of the ends (L) must be equal to the slot (L). Depending on the thickness of the fabric, the width (e) of the slit must be adapted. To avoid creating fabric waste, creates 2 complementary shapes to use all of the fabric piece.
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Modules creation
In order to ensure a beautiful finish, additional modules can be created for the end modules. Depending on the final function, it may be interesting to add holes in order to add handles.
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Fabric preparation (option 1) Depending on the fabrics available, it is possible to double the thickness of the fabric with a double-sided fusible fabric. The recovery fabrics are heat-sealed with a doublesided fusible fabric. To apply the fusible, fix it with an iron at maximum temperature, and placing 5s min over the entire surface. Leave the fabric flat for 20 minutes, peel off the protective film and fold the fabric in half. Iron on the fabric folded in 2 in order to fix the 2 layers together. GREEN FABRIC
Fabric preparation (option 2) It is also possible to strengthen fabric by putting bee wax on the fabric. This option allows you to use more fragile fabric such as cotton as the wax will avoid the fabric to fray. First put bee wax on your fabric. Put bee wax all over your fabric, just enough to be sure that all the fabric will be covered with wax. Put baking paper on your iron table, put your fabric piece on top, then the bee wax and another baking paper. Then iron on the baking baker until the bee wax melt all over the fabric. Leave flat and wait until it's dry. GREEN FABRIC
Option 1 : Laser cutting Laser cutting is a manufacturing process which consists of cutting the material using a large amount of energy generated by a laser and concentrated on a very small surface.
To prepare the fabric cutting, measure the dimensions of your fabric. These dimensions will be used in the drawing software as the dimension of the sheet. Once this dimension has been defined, fill in the sheet with as many modules as possible. Provide end modules to be able to finish the baskets. Once the file is ready, export it in .svg format to the laser cutter. GREEN FABRIC
Option 1 : Laser cutting
Choose the right parameters to cut the fabric nicely and without burns. This parameters will change depending on the fabric type and thickness. For this project I used the Lasersaur machine and use the following parameters : - felt, velvet : power 30% and speed 1000 - wool : power 25% and speed 1000 GREEN FABRIC
Option 2 : Desktop cutting machine Put your fabric on the machine mat, then enter the modules drawings into the desktop machine software. Fill in the sheet with as many modules as possible. Provide end modules to be able to finish the baskets. For the Silhouette Cameo desktop cutting machine use the following parameters to cut : Auto tool (Speed 5, Force 33, Passes 2) As it is sometimes difficult to nicely cut fabric with this tipe of machines, an other possibility is to draw on the fabric with the machine and cut the modules afterward. GREEN FABRIC
Assembling Once all the modules have been cut it is time to assemble the baskets. Different colors and types of fabrics can be used as long as the thicknesses are equivalent. Start by making the side of the baskets, assembling the modules. Put as many modules as the desired dimension, once the desired height and length, close by assembling the last modules mounted to the first. GREEN FABRIC
Assembling Then start creating the bottom of the basket. For this, the same new module must be assembled with two adjacent modules at the bottom of the basket. Depending on the width of the desired base you can use one, two or more modules in width to create the base. Continue until the bottom of the basket is closed. Your basket is ready. GREEN FABRIC
Inside basket (optionnal)
In order to be able to use the basket to store smaller things or as a bag, it is possible to sew an inside basket. Measure your basket dimension. Cut 2 pieces of fabric (width = basket width +2cm, height = basket height + 4cm). Sew the 2 pieces together. Make the hem by folding the top of the bad 2 times and make an edging seam. GREEN FABRIC
Kit The kit contain the material to make a 10cm wide up to 20cm high basket : 4 verticals end modules 20 modules for the basket body
one fabric inside basket 4 horizontal end modules
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Realisations
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