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.