I know that is a weird sounding name, but truth is that when you lift the top off of the box, the sides fall down. Inside are a number of sewing needs, like needles, pins, safety pins, thread, small scissors, etc. What else to call it?
These fall into the "Blast From The Past" category in that these have been around for many, many years. I first made one back in the '70s, having been taught by a gentleman by the name of Don Mettler, who had such a box from the 1800s. Don is a wonderful needlework artist and designer who figured out his way of making these. For me, it works, but you may end up making your own version. In any case, they are handy little items that make very nice little gifts.
Note: On the show I made a box using adhesive-backed velour (Contact), which eliminated the need to use glue or spray-on adhesive. Obviously if you use fabric, it will be necessary to glue or use fusible webbing to adhere the fabric to the cardboard.
Note: On the show I made a box using adhesive-backed velour (Contact), which eliminated the need to use glue or spray-on adhesive. Obviously if you use fabric, it will be necessary to glue or use fusible webbing to adhere the fabric to the cardboard.
Materials:
poster boardadhesive-backed vinyl velour (or light- to medium-weight fabric with spray-on adhesive or fusible webbing)decorative trimsmall amount of fleece or felt (optional)1/2 yd. of 1-1/2" wide grosgrain ribbon or braidrulercraft knifescissorspen or pencil
Figure K Steps:
1. From poster board, cut the following pieces: one 4" square for box top, one 2-1/2-inch square for bottom of box, one 1-1/2-inch square for inside box bottom, four 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" rectangles, four 2-1/4" x 3-1/4" rectangles, four 1-1/2" x 2-1/2" rectangles, four 1-1/4" x 2-1/4" rectangles (figure A).
2. Cut a 3-1/2-inch square of fabric, and place the 2-1/2" square in the center. Cut off each one of the four corners at an angle, cutting almost to the cardboard (figure B). Save the cut-off corners just in case you want them later. Fold each extending edge of fabric back over the cardboard (figure C).
3. Cut a 12-inch square of fabric or Contact. Peel off the protective backing and place the 2-1/2-inch square in the center with the covered side facing up.
4. Position the four 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" rectangles around the center square lining, one along each outside edge of the center square and just a hair's breadth away from it (figure D).
5. Cut around the side and top edges of all of the cardboard pieces leaving a 1/2- to 3/4-inch border around all edges (figure E). Save the cut out corner squares from the 12-inch piece of fabric.
6. Cut a slash at each inside corner of each of the four side pieces. Cut each outside corner off at an angle, cutting just a breath away from the corner of the cardboard pieces. Save the cut away corners.
7. Fold back all the extending edges of fabric and glue to the cardboard (figure F).
8. One by one place the 2-1/4" x 3-1/4" pieces on a piece of the fabric cut from the corners of the 12-inch square. Cut the corners off at an angle and fold back the extending sides. Glue to hold. (See notes at end.)
9. Glue the fabric-covered cardboard rectangles to the inside side panels of the box (figure G). Position them so the bottom edges are even, there is a 1/4-inch border along the top edge, and a 1/8-inch border along each side. Note: You will notice that there may be a smidgen of white cardboard exposed at the bottom corners of each panel. If this is offensive to you then glue one of the fabric triangles cut from a previous corner to this area before gluing on the top rectangle.
10. When all four sides have been completed, make the inside box in exactly the same fashion using the smaller cardboard pieces. The 1-1/2-inch square will be the bottom of this box. (See note at end.)
11. When the inside box is completed, hold up the sides, place the bottom in the center of the larger box bottom, and give it a quarter turn (figure H). None of the corners of the inside box should extend beyond the bottom of the larger box. Glue to hold.
12. Hold up the sides of the larger box and place in the center of the 4-inch square of poster board. Draw around. Remove box and extend each drawn line to the edge of the cardboard. Note: The reason you wait until now and draw around the completed box instead of just drawing a 2-1/2-inch square in the beginning is that after adding the fabric and any padding, it might measure just a bit larger and the top would not fit.
13. Score along all drawn lines and then cut out the corners and fold up the side edges. Unfold and lay them flat again.
14. Place flattened box top onto a piece of fabric. Cut fabric slightly larger than the box top and glue the two together. Cut from the outside edge of the extending fabric to the edge of the cardboard along each side. Fold back and glue the fabric to the inside edge of the box top. Cut the corner fabric at an angle to the inside corner of the side of the box top (figure I). Glue one of the resulting triangles of fabric to the inside of the box top. Fold the sides down and glue the other side of the fabric triangle to the outside to secure the sides of the box top. Place on top of box to hold everything together. Decorate as desired (figure J).
IMPORTANT NOTES: Before gluing the fabric to the inside pieces of either of the two boxes, it is important to determine how and where you want any padding and ribbon to be placed. It is suggested that the ribbon or braid be wrapped around the inside pieces of cardboard on the outside box (the 2-1/4" x 3-1/4" pieces of cardboard) before gluing them to the outside pieces.
poster boardadhesive-backed vinyl velour (or light- to medium-weight fabric with spray-on adhesive or fusible webbing)decorative trimsmall amount of fleece or felt (optional)1/2 yd. of 1-1/2" wide grosgrain ribbon or braidrulercraft knifescissorspen or pencil
Figure K Steps:
1. From poster board, cut the following pieces: one 4" square for box top, one 2-1/2-inch square for bottom of box, one 1-1/2-inch square for inside box bottom, four 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" rectangles, four 2-1/4" x 3-1/4" rectangles, four 1-1/2" x 2-1/2" rectangles, four 1-1/4" x 2-1/4" rectangles (figure A).
2. Cut a 3-1/2-inch square of fabric, and place the 2-1/2" square in the center. Cut off each one of the four corners at an angle, cutting almost to the cardboard (figure B). Save the cut-off corners just in case you want them later. Fold each extending edge of fabric back over the cardboard (figure C).
3. Cut a 12-inch square of fabric or Contact. Peel off the protective backing and place the 2-1/2-inch square in the center with the covered side facing up.
4. Position the four 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" rectangles around the center square lining, one along each outside edge of the center square and just a hair's breadth away from it (figure D).
5. Cut around the side and top edges of all of the cardboard pieces leaving a 1/2- to 3/4-inch border around all edges (figure E). Save the cut out corner squares from the 12-inch piece of fabric.
6. Cut a slash at each inside corner of each of the four side pieces. Cut each outside corner off at an angle, cutting just a breath away from the corner of the cardboard pieces. Save the cut away corners.
7. Fold back all the extending edges of fabric and glue to the cardboard (figure F).
8. One by one place the 2-1/4" x 3-1/4" pieces on a piece of the fabric cut from the corners of the 12-inch square. Cut the corners off at an angle and fold back the extending sides. Glue to hold. (See notes at end.)
9. Glue the fabric-covered cardboard rectangles to the inside side panels of the box (figure G). Position them so the bottom edges are even, there is a 1/4-inch border along the top edge, and a 1/8-inch border along each side. Note: You will notice that there may be a smidgen of white cardboard exposed at the bottom corners of each panel. If this is offensive to you then glue one of the fabric triangles cut from a previous corner to this area before gluing on the top rectangle.
10. When all four sides have been completed, make the inside box in exactly the same fashion using the smaller cardboard pieces. The 1-1/2-inch square will be the bottom of this box. (See note at end.)
11. When the inside box is completed, hold up the sides, place the bottom in the center of the larger box bottom, and give it a quarter turn (figure H). None of the corners of the inside box should extend beyond the bottom of the larger box. Glue to hold.
12. Hold up the sides of the larger box and place in the center of the 4-inch square of poster board. Draw around. Remove box and extend each drawn line to the edge of the cardboard. Note: The reason you wait until now and draw around the completed box instead of just drawing a 2-1/2-inch square in the beginning is that after adding the fabric and any padding, it might measure just a bit larger and the top would not fit.
13. Score along all drawn lines and then cut out the corners and fold up the side edges. Unfold and lay them flat again.
14. Place flattened box top onto a piece of fabric. Cut fabric slightly larger than the box top and glue the two together. Cut from the outside edge of the extending fabric to the edge of the cardboard along each side. Fold back and glue the fabric to the inside edge of the box top. Cut the corner fabric at an angle to the inside corner of the side of the box top (figure I). Glue one of the resulting triangles of fabric to the inside of the box top. Fold the sides down and glue the other side of the fabric triangle to the outside to secure the sides of the box top. Place on top of box to hold everything together. Decorate as desired (figure J).
IMPORTANT NOTES: Before gluing the fabric to the inside pieces of either of the two boxes, it is important to determine how and where you want any padding and ribbon to be placed. It is suggested that the ribbon or braid be wrapped around the inside pieces of cardboard on the outside box (the 2-1/4" x 3-1/4" pieces of cardboard) before gluing them to the outside pieces.
The sides of the inside box can be padded with a layer of fleece, which can be glued to the 1-1/4" x 2-1/4" pieces of cardboard before covering them with fabric and gluing them to the sides of the inside box.
The ribbon bands can hold a tiny scissors, needle threader, etc. (figure K). The padded sides are good for holding straight pins, safety pins, needles, etc. In the bottom of the inside box, you can glue a small plastic top from a hair spray bottle upside down to hold a thimble.
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