A Burlap Fabric Bowl Tutorial
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a tutorial showing how to make a burlap picnic mat.
Sometimes if you are eating outside, you need more than just a mat to eat off. You need bowls and things too!
Taking enough food to feed 6 hungry people already means a big bag of heavy stuff. You don’t want to add to that by taking of plastic bowls if you can avoid it. And certainly in our case, if we are going more than a few minutes down the road in the car, there’s a good chance that at least one of the bowls will end up being used to catch vomit. Obviously this renders it unusuable for picnic purposes!
So here’s a tutorial for making a fabric bowl from burlap! This way, you can have a bowl for bread, fruit, crisps, whatever, without it weighing the bag down more or taking up a lot of space. And the plastic bowl can live in the car ;).
How to Make a Burlap Fabric Bowl
You Will Need
Burlap, cotton fabric, sew in interfacing (fusible will do if you don’t have the sew in sort), paper, pencil, ruler, bowl or cup, usual sewing supplies.
These are affiliate links from Minerva Crafts below.
Sew in interfacing £1.59/ metre
Making the Template
If you’d rather not make the template yourself, you can download one for free here.
Take a small bowl or a cup and draw round it. Divide it into 6. This will be the size of the bottom of the burlap fabric bowl. 
Pick one of the segments and continue the sides from the outside of the circle at a tighter angle. You will end up with a pit of a pointy bit, instead of a straight line that continues. Join them together along the top. 
Cut it out. Fold it in half to check that it is even. If not, trim it down a bit.
If you don’t want to make your own template, you can download one for free here.
Cutting Out
Remembering to add a seam allowance to your template, cut 6 each from the burlap, the cotton fabric and the interfacing (the interfacing will not need a seam allowance at the top).
Sewing it Together
- Take 2 of the cotton pieces and sew them together along one of the sides, from the top to the bottom.
- Sew another cotton piece on in the same way.
- Repeat for the other 3 cotton pieces so that you have 2 halves of the lining of the bowl.
- Sew the 2 halves together.
- Repeat for the burlap and the interfacing. If you find that the burlap is fraying badly (it usually does!) try using a zigzag or a stitch for sewing knits.
- Pop the cotton bowl inside the interfacing bowl so that the seams are together. Fold the top edge of the cotton bowl over the top of the interfacing bowl. Pin it on the cotton side.
- Put the cotton/interfacing bowl inside the burlap bowl. You might find it helpful to pin it at the bottom so that it stays put! Matching the seams as far as possible, pin the sides together.
- Top stitch around the inside to sew the lining to the burlap.
- Pull some of the fibres from the top edge of the burlap. This kind of controlled fraying will stop it fraying more!
Linking up here.
Anne says
May 4, 2016 at 15:10Pretty! I’ve got a Craft Gossip post scheduled for this evening that features your tutorial: http://sewing.craftgossip.com/?p=87777 –Anne
Anne recently posted…Tutorial: Stenciled burlap pillow sleeve, plus a free cut file
AnnaWilson says
May 5, 2016 at 05:21Thank you xx
Mimi from Brocante Home says
May 4, 2016 at 21:19What a beautiful idea. I love the idea of sets of these bowls filled with apples, leaves and pinecones in autumn, or to hold the wool for my latest knitting project, or to fill with little foil wrapped eggs at Easter.
I always think that it is handcrafted touches like your bowls which really make a house a home.
Mimi from Brocante Home recently posted…Housekeeper’s Diary
AnnaWilson says
May 5, 2016 at 05:22It’s always useful to have little bowls or boxes! I love the pine cone idea 🙂
Mary-the boondocks blog says
May 7, 2016 at 00:31This is such a lovely craft project. And a very original one at that. I rarely see bowls made out of fabric but this one is holding its’ own. Anna, I hope that you can join us over at Sweet Inspiration and add your beautiful bowl to our link party. It runs Friday till Tuesday.
Mary-the boondocks blog recently posted…Sweet Inspiration Link Party #5
AnnaWilson says
May 7, 2016 at 07:45Thanks Mary, I will 🙂
Katrin says
May 7, 2016 at 08:56What a beautiful little bowl! I’ve made a small basket once out of fabric, but to use burlap is a great idea! And I like the bowl shape! So pretty! Thank you so much for sharing at Sweet Inspiration #5!
AnnaWilson says
May 7, 2016 at 14:49Thank you 🙂
Annika says
May 8, 2016 at 03:16What a great project!
AnnaWilson says
May 9, 2016 at 05:49Thanks!
Ginny says
May 9, 2016 at 13:31What a great idea. I think I already have everything to make one of those.
AnnaWilson says
May 10, 2016 at 05:29Even better!
Elsie Pop says
May 9, 2016 at 16:36Lovely idea! Looks very manageable too – one day you’ll cure me of my sewing phobia! xx
Elsie Pop recently posted…The Lydia Blanket – she’s finished!
AnnaWilson says
May 10, 2016 at 05:28Just have a go!
Lucy Blossom says
May 9, 2016 at 20:09Gorgeous, such a good idea
AnnaWilson says
May 10, 2016 at 05:27Thank you!
Caroline says
May 10, 2016 at 05:44So pretty, I love the rustic feel of burlap and underused
AnnaWilson says
May 11, 2016 at 05:42It’s definitely underused!
creativejewishmom/sara says
May 10, 2016 at 19:15love this! thanks for sharing on craft schooling Sunday!
creativejewishmom/sara recently posted…Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!
AnnaWilson says
May 11, 2016 at 05:42Thank you!
Denise/DIY Crush says
May 11, 2016 at 22:29Love this!! The burlap gives it such a rustic touch. Thank you so much for sharing at my craft party on Thursday! Would love to see your newest posts this week, which starts at 7pm EST.
AnnaWilson says
May 13, 2016 at 05:15Thank you!
Pam @Threading My Way says
May 22, 2016 at 11:31What a beautiful shaped fabric bowl, Anna. I’ve never seen one like it. Looks great made from burlap, or hessian as we call it in Australia. I know my readers would like to see this. I’d love you to add it to our ongoing link party that’s just for fabric baskets…
http://www.threadingmyway.com/2014/01/threading-your-way-fabric-baskets-link.html
AnnaWilson says
May 23, 2016 at 06:30Thank you xx
Pam @Threading My Way says
May 29, 2016 at 09:32Hi Anna, I’ve showcased your fabulous burlap bowl today.
Pam @Threading My Way recently posted…Showcasing ~ Burlap Fabric Bowl Tutorial
AnnaWilson says
May 29, 2016 at 19:12Thank you xx
Fran says
January 4, 2017 at 17:49I’m going to make one for all the cat toys that collect on the floor! And I have leftover burlap that has gold flecks in it, so it will be extra pretty! Thanks.
AnnaWilson says
January 6, 2017 at 06:44I didn’t know you could get burlap with gold flecks in, that sounds lovely!