Make a cute shoebox picnic basket

It's picnic time! Create this easy to make picnic basket with a shoebox. School is out and the sun is shining. It's super fun for the kids to pack up a lunch and head into the backyard or the park for a lunchtime adventure outside. This is one of the picnic DIY crafts you can make this summer.

Make your own picnic basket from a shoebox with ribbon handles

I think part of the picnic fun is opening the basket and finding all the yummy goodies stored inside. Years ago I found a neat picnic basket at the thrift store, but we never seem to use it like I intended. Instead we pack up boring brown bags full of regular ol' lunches. Add a little extra fun to your sack lunch by making your kids their own little picnic basket in no time flat!

Make a picnic basket out of a shoebox by Jen Goode

Make a cute shoebox picnic basket

This project doesn't need to be for kids but is simple enough kids can make it too. Take your time and use pretty fabrics you love and this picnic basket would be great for a fun picnic date too.

Materials:

Shoe box
Fabric
Fabric-tac fabric glue
Scissors
Ribbon
Handkerchiefs (optional)

Instructions:

Using fabric, cover the bottom of the shoebox like you would wrap a gift folding edges inside. Adhere on all edges of each surface using the Fabri-tac fabric glue.
Adhere two ribbon handles starting at the bottom of the box and attaching up toward the top edge of the box and wrapping back down the opposite side, back down to the bottom. Leave 1″ of ribbon not adhered so the lid fits on correctly.
Using another piece of ribbon, wrap and adhere around the front to back of the box, overlapping the first ribbon, near the top. Tie in a bow at the front of the box, glue in place.
Cover the lid and adhere, wrapping fabric inside the lid. I used a pretty handkerchief instead of fabric.

Note about fabric glue: I used Fabri-tac because it goes on clear and dries super fast. It's great for the quick diy fabric craft projects. Regular craft glue would work for this also, but I wanted to make sure there were no glue lines once dry as my fabric is pretty thin.

Wrap ribbon started at the bottom of the shoebox

wrap second ribbon around box and over first ribbon

Kids shoeboxes are cute inside already, but you can line your picnic basket if you'd like

You can add extra touches and embellishments as you'd like. Have the kids help to make this a fun family basket. We made this set as part of a picnic play-set so the box is pretty small. Use a bigger shoebox if needed. Later I'll show you how to make cute no-sew utensil holders made out of handkerchiefs.

Check out the other picnic inspired ideas by clicking on the Designer Craft Connection link in my sidebar.

Share the picnic fun! If you have a picnic inspired project, add it to the linky party below!

(originally published 6/4/2012)