compiled by Roxane Cerda
Sweet Storage Boxes with kraft·tex™
Class Description
Both beginning and experienced sewists will have fun pairing kraft·tex™ and favorite fabrics to whip up custom-sized storage boxes.
Craft sewists of all types will love playing with kraft·tex™, a rugged paper that looks, feels, and wears like leather.
Along with how to sew a simple liner, students will learn how to calculate dimensions to create a custom-sized box, how to score and fold paper into three-dimensional shapes, and how to finish with some simple paper embellishing techniques.
Detailed project instructions can be found on pages 16-21 in kraft·tex (ISBN 978-1-60705-910-3).
Appropriate for ALL ages!!!
Class Length
Approximately 2 hours
Class Supply List
- Required textbook: kraft·tex Style
- 1 roll of kraft·tex™ (in Black, Natural, or White)
- Cotton print fabric (fat quarter to half-yard, depending upon desired size of finished box)
- Aleene's Tacky Glue
***NOTE: Students will need to come with the dimensions of their desired finished box, unless they wish to make one of the premeasured boxes listed on book page 18.***
Shop owners! Upsell!
- Each box will use approximately one fat quarter of fabric. This would be a great class to upsell fat quarter bundles so that customers can make a full set of coordinating boxes at home!
- Alex Anderson's 4-in-1 Essential Sewing Tool is perfect for scoring the fold lines. This is a great opportunity to show customers all that this tool can do. MSRP $19.95!
TIP: Have a pair of decorative-edged scissors, a box of paper clips, an ink pad, and a set of letter stamps handy—all readily available at any craft store.
Classroom Preparation
Students will need to have scratch paper for calculating dimensions, a self-healing cutting mat, a rotary cutter (or craft scissors for younger students), a ruler, and a pencil. Be sure everyone has a bit of elbow room, because there will be a lot of flipping and folding.
Sewing and ironing the liners is the fastest part of the project, so students can double up on sewing machines and ironing stations.
Class Agenda
Page numbers below refer to book pages in kraft·tex Style.
- See page 19: Calculate the size of your kraft·tex™ and fabric pieces, based on the desired size of your finished box.
- Calculate the score lines and corner cuts, based on your measurements in Step 1.
- Cut pieces of kraft·tex™ and fabric per Step 1.
- See pages 18 and 20 (book Steps 2 and 3): Mark and score the kraft·tex™ piece.
- See page 20 (book Steps 4–7): Cut, fold, and glue the box together.
- See page 21 (book Steps 2–4): Create the fabric liner, using a sewing machine and iron.
- INSTRUCTORS: Show students how to have fun with the decorative-edged scissors and stamps on kraft·tex™ scraps to make labels for their finished boxes.
TIP: Repositionable glue dots make the box labels removable so that liners can be easily washed.
If time allows, encourage students to make additional small boxes with leftover kraft·tex™—they'll need more fabric to make more boxes!
