One more pic, this time of some of the boxes my group completed after they went home at the end of our two day workshop. They brought them into our next meeting, looking all pleased with themselves, and rightly so.

Well maybe I'm biased Lesley, but I like your turquoise one the best! :-D

Those are awesome boxes, I really have to think hard about doing them for the girls for Christmas, Maybe I can alter it even more to be more manly for my son

What about not padding it, and covering it with adhesive backed plastic for you son, or the oil cloth type of waterproof/washable covering? Or perhaps making it an 8inch square, to make it different and less 'girly'?

When you stitch the pieces together for the brim, are you
whip stitching or ladder stitching it to attach them together?
Will you see your stitches on the right side?
Your boxes are beautiful, only hoping that mine will turn
out half as nice. Thanks for all your hard work.

The short pieces covered in lining are stitched, fabric sides together onto the edges of the lid, with whip stitches, fairly close together, if you can manage them (a straight needle is all you need). Then you sew the ends of them to each other, one at a time, so that the brim is formed. The outside of the lid is done next, by sticking on the batting and trimming to size, cover with the outside fabric, I pin it in place temporarily, then glue the sides down to the outside of the brim, and that is where I used spring loaded clothes pegs to hold the glued edges in place.
Finally, the 28" x 2" strip of outside fabric finishes off the brim. Iron a half inch turning on both long sides, begin near one of the joins, and stitch along the brim edge first. I take a tiny stitch (just a few threads) from fabric and lining, then slide my needle about 1/8th inch along to come out again so that you can take another bite. It is like a whip stitch, but the sloaping part ends up inside, out of site, and there is only a very tiny stitch showing, every eighth of an inch.

When you have gone all around the lower edge of the brim, fold under the join and sew it directly over the 'corner' where you started, then go around the top of the brim, where it joins the top itself. Use the same stitch, and it will be reasonably hard to see, providing you only take a few threads on the needle.

If you think the pins holding the outer brim fabric will get in the way, I have sometimes used some Elmers School glue to hold it in place instead of the pins. Use one of those very fine metal tips to 'draw' a find bead of glue along both long edges, then use an iron to heat set it in place. Don't rely on that glue as a final solution, rather regard it as a form of tacking to hold in place while you get the stitching done. Hope that helps and is clearer than mud.

Lacelady:
thanks for the help, will be heading out to pick up some of
the mat board to cut out the pieces and get started, sounds
like a bit of a challenge, but with all your pictures and help
with the stitching tips, I will have to give it a go. Thanks
again for sharing the project.

Good for you Sewlady, I was hoping someone would take the plunge. Several have said they'd like to.

Love your turquoise box Lace! The additional pictures helped out a lot...answered questions that I didn't know I had :oops: The ladies certainly do have reason to be proud...thats a table load of great looking boxes!

beautiful boxes!! they are on the top of my list to do after the first of the year.

thank you for the great tutorial.

Really great tute Lesley! I love all the boxes and anyone would love recieving one!

Wonderful boxes. I think you instructions are wonderful with the pictures. I think I could make one of these! Thanks.

I really hope to do them for gifts. Just have to remember the supplies when I am out. I am going to use graft paper to draw my hexagons as I don't have any Templars in the right color.

That is also a good idea for du as well. If I get them done I will be sure to post pictures.

CB..I can't wait to see yours, you do such beautiful work!

This is out of what I usually do but I tend to do a lot of things with my hands, I guess I should get on it soon if they are to be done by Christmas,

Can't wait to see them Cutie

I just love your sewing bow I just might make some for Christmas presants.there is a few other quilters in my family an i think they just might like that box. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

The box is really beautiful and I love hexagons anyway. I bought a square version of this in London a few years ago. It came filled with thimble, needles, thread, small scissors and even has a small rabbit attached by a ribbon, I guess to use as a pincushion or needle sharpener. (I'm not sure...) It is a great memento of our trip, but I think yours is more beautiful!!! Thanks for the tute. :-D

I have wanted to try this , and now I can just need to decide on the mateial I want to use, got to go shoping again, thank you for the instructions, you are super.. :lol: :lol: :-P

how cool. thanx

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. I have the templates but have been toooo afraid to make one. Now I can't wait to get started :!:

Cutie, if you want a hexagon 8 inches across, use a compass. Open it to 4 inches, and draw a circle. Then put the point of the compass on the circle, and make a small mark with the pencil, four inches away, also on the circle. Put the point of the compass where the mark bisects the circle, and make another mark on the circle four inches away. Continue around the circle until you have six marks. Join them up from mark to mark and you have a hexagon with four inch sides. No graph paper needed.


Well done to everyone who also intends to make one, I hope you will all post here when they are done. And thank you to all who thought they actually could make one from what I have said and pictured. The proof of the pudding is in the eating!

Lesley, I have started to make one as a gift and must congratulate you on the very clear and concise directions. It has been really easy so far. I am up to the point of sewing the box lid together, making the pockets, and elasticated pieces and am thoroughly enjoying it.

Elle

Wow, Elle, you are my first!!!!! Thank you for letting me know. I'm so glad you are enjoying it. Pics as soon as possble please.

No pressure then UH.

Elle

None at all Elle, well none that you can't cope with, you seem to do your best work when under pressure, if my IRR is anything to go by!

:D :D :D Does seem that way

Pressure???? You under pressure Elle??? No never...cool as a cucumber 8-) :lol:

OK, Patti, where are the pics of your box you are working on?

Me???....Moi????? Did I say I had started one???? I do soo want to do one. I don't have any mat board here...hmmm....wonder if shoe box cardboard will work?

If that's all I had, and I really wanted to make a box, then I would make the shoe box work. For the top, I would stick two same size hex's together for strength, I think the brim would probably be OK in single thickness, and all other parts have two pieces of fabric covered card stuck together, back to back. Ball in your court Patti.

I used a piece of cardboard that came with a parcel. I spied also the ideal thing, I think, the large boxes used for Soap Powders. I am sure they would work great.

I don't see why not, Elle, the large soap box card is quite sturdy, though it might perfume your needlework box for a little while, so pick one you like the smell of.

I used a piece of cardboard that came with a parcel. I spied also the ideal thing, I think, the large boxes used for Soap Powders. I am sure they would work great.[/quote]

I don't see why not, Elle, the large soap box card is quite sturdy, though it might perfume your needlework box for a little while, so pick one you like the smell of.[/quote]

Ooops didn´t think of that will go and have a smell lol

You are a Saint! This is much better than what I have found. God Bless You. Thank you

If finding a sturdy card has been the problem, then looking at non corrugated card boxes might be an alternative. Well done Elle for your suggestion. Cerial packet card as sold here in Ireland wouldn't be thick enough, but if that is all you can get, then glueing two or even three layers together would do the trick - just don't OD on cerial!

Well I have shoes scattered around without box lids and soapboxes about to be emptied as soon as, but who cares coz TA DAH here is my finished box.

Really enjoyed doing this one for ME, but will make more for gifts as I felt I was back at playschool with all the glue and mess I made lol

WOW, Elle (Claps hands with delight) A huge Well Done to you, you made a great job of that lovely box. You are such a clever lady. Did you have any problems or glitches. or did it go together reasonably well? I am absolutely delighted with something you have done, for the second time in a week. You have made my day yet again, so thank you for that.

Thanks Lesley, I did have a glitch, but only of my own making had a read it thoroughly. I managed to glue the box lid and top of the lid together before I put on the corner pieces for the lid. But heh it doesn´t look any the worse for that.

Other than that it went together really well and made up fast, I loved the fact that there was very little sewing and a lot of glueing and me getting in a mess with cardboards strewn around, good fun and I needed that.

Elle