Tough new Transformers Rescue Bots basket

Peter's Transformers Rescue Bots collection has long since outgrown the bag I made him to hold it.  An old tutorial from Crafty Hipster suddenly came across my Pinterest page and I instantly knew that it was the answer.  How had I never seen this tutorial before?  So much for my assertion that there aren't any tutorials out there for fabric baskets with piping.  (To be fair, this one was on an obscure blog that hasn't been updated in a year and a half.)

I absolutely loved sewing this basket, because it used a construction technique that isn't common to fabric basket making.  Instead of boxing out the corners, the sides and bottom of the basket are one continuous piece (like a gusset in a bag).  This allows for piping to be added with ease.    Here is a side view:

Because this basket was going to hold a buttload of Rescue Bots, I actually added a layer of Peltex inside on all sides as well.  Some extra stitching around the top of the basket helps hold this in place, because otherwise it would just be loose inside.  I waited until the exterior and the interior were joined, and then inserted the Peltex pieces through an extra-large turning hole.

For the handles, I took some nylon webbing that I had salvaged off of a bag I took apart a while back.  On its own it was floppier than I would have liked, but I doubled up the pieces and stitched them together.  Now they stand up nicely and feel extra sturdy.  I also fussy-cut the fabric so that each side features a different figure from the Transformers fabric.  Since the fabric was directional, I had to cut the exterior sides and bottom piece (the one that is continuous like a gusset) in two pieces and sew them together facing opposite directions.  Otherwise one side would have had an upside-down Transformer.

I would make this basket again and again.  The Peltex made it more difficult to work with in the end, but otherwise the basket was awesome.  Peltex is my favorite frenemy for sure.  I complain endlessly about sewing with it, but nothing else will substitute for it.

Too bad the gargantuan new Optimus Prime doesn't fit in there.  He will just have to guard over the rest of his crew.

What do you think, Optimus?  Does it meet with your approval?

(I think that was a yes.)

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