This is a very popular and easy craft to do. You can use
them as a gift box or just a decorative way to hide jewelry or small items in
your room. I've seen so many variations;
from mini coffins, to purses, ect.. But I'm just going to show you how to make
the basic box.
To start with, you will need;....you guessed it, a box. You can find pre-made
cardboard boxes of all shapes and sizes at most craft stores. (I recommend
starting with a square or a rectangle before tackling that heart or pentagon!)
If you can't find a pre-made one, you can use a shoebox. (you may need to
re-enforce the edges with tape if it seems weak) Now, you will need to cut and
measure your fabric to cover the box. After this, the rest is a breeze. Start
with the box first, and then cover the lid in exactly the same way. Please refer
to diagram 1 to see how the fabric should be
marked and cut. Broken line represent places you will fold, do
NOT cut them! The solid lines are the areas you
will cut.
Measuring and cutting:
First, take the lid off and put it aside. Make an outline of the bottom of
the box. (the actual length and width) So if your box is 10" x 15", you will be
tracing a 10" x 15" rectangle. Now, measure the height of the box and double it
for all four sides. (the fabric will have to cover the outside and then fold
into the inside. Add about a half inch per side just to be safe. (You will be
covering the bottom anyway) So if the box is 5 inches in height, you will extend
your measurements 10 and a half inches. Draw your measurements onto the fabric
for all four sides. You should now have a picture similar to
diagram 2.
Now, where the little *'s are you will need to extend the lines,
making a square. Refer back to diagram 1 and cut
where you see solid lines only. Don't forget to cut the lines in the
corners to make little flaps. These will wrap around the side to be sure that
none of the underlying box shows through.
Glue:
Once you have made all the necessary cuts, place some glue on the fabric
where the bottom of your box will lay. Carefully line it up and press box down
on it. Give the fabric about 5 or 10 minutes to stick. (or more if your glue
directs) Then gently pull the "A" sides over and glue it to the inside
and outside and also the bottom of the box if you have extra length. Now, take
that little flap that's sticking out, and swing it over to the "B" side
(as indicated by arrow) and glue those into place. Allow to dry. Then fold the "B"
sides over in the same fashion.
Now, do the exact same thing with the lid. (don't worry, now that you know
what you are doing, it'll be quicker) and Yay! Your box is covered. If you have
some extra fabric at the bottom or under the lid, have no fear, it'll be covered
up. I like to use monster fur or fake fur for this because it hides the edges
well and it just looks nice. But you can also use another piece of fabric of the
same or different color. (I used black fur on the bottom and red velvet under
the lid of my box) Simply cut the fur or fabric to fit the inside of the box
perfectly. (as stated before, if you have a 10" x 15" box, you will be cutting a
10" x 15" rectangle) Carefully eye it up and glue it into the inside bottom of
the box and underneath the lid. Allow everything to dry before decorating. (I
know, you can't wait, can you?)
Your options are pretty much endless when it comes to adorning the box.
You'll probably want some trim or cording, or cut out extra panels of fabric and
glue them on top. (like I did with the red velvet on top of my box) Add
ornaments or jewelry, fake flowers, beads, spikes, whatever you want. Have fun
with it! Let it all dry over night and then fill it with your favorite stuff!
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