Christmas Card Holder

Build a decorative basket to hold and display Christmas greeting cards, nuts, ornaments, and other holiday baubles.

The secret behind this project is a semi-rigid interfacing called Flexifirm, which gives the fabric its shape. And, when the holidays have passed, just untie the ribbons, and the box can be stored flat.

The Nutcracker designs used in this project are available at the Embroidery Library.

Fold your fabric in half, selvages together, right sides out. Cut the fabric along the fold. Mark the sides and bottom of one piece of fabric with a disappearing marking pen. Mark your fabric like this:

The cut edge of your fabric will be the outer edge of your seam allowance. Make lines across the width of the folded fabric at these increments:

9 1/2",  9 3/4", 15 3/4", 16" and 22 1/2"

Rotate your fabric 90 degrees and make new lines that intersect the marks that you have made.  Starting at the selvage edge, your lines should be: 6 1/2", 6 3/4", 15 3/4", 16", and 22 1/2".

The result will be 9 sections, with 1/4" gaps between each section. Five of the sections will be the sides and bottom of the box, and the other 4 will be the decorative folded corners.

Embroider the design for the inside of the box on the top center of the marked.

Sew the designs for the outside of the box on the unmarked fabric, bottom center square.

After embroidering, cut the box along the outer perimeter markings. Lay the pieces with right sides together, with embroideries oriented correctly.

Sew the pieces together 1/2" from the outer cut edge, leaving a 9" opening centered on the side closest to the embroidered mice.  Clip the corners for turning.

Turn the fabric right side out and press.

Mark a 9" square, 2 6" x 9" rectangles, and 2 6" x 6" squares on the semi-rigid interfacing. Cut the pieces.

A product called Flexifirm, from HTCW, was used for this project.  Timtex and Peltex, could be used as a substitute. These products are available through various online resources (go to www.google.com)  or at your local sewing supply store.

From each of the four edges of the fabric (marked side up), sew using a straight stitch down the center of the 1/4" gaps to the first intersecting points of the marked lines.

Through the 9" opening that you used for turning, insert the 9" by 9" piece of interfacing into the top center square and the two 6" by 6" pieces into the side center squares.

Stitch across the bottom of the center box in the first Horizontal 1/4" space, and down the sides of the 6" squares.  Insert the 6" by 9" center piece, then stitch in the 1/4" space across the bottom of the center piece. 

Insert the last piece through the opening, then stitch the opening  closed.

Cut ribbon into eight 9" pieces. Attach each piece to the fabric as shown. Find the placement for the ribbon on the back square (Nutcracker square) by bringing the side squares up to meet the back square, and marking where the top of the side squares meet the back square.

Turn the fabric over and apply the fringe trim to the edges of the box. I omitted the fringe on the large back square, as it won't be seen from the front of the box

Bring the sides of the box up, and tie the ribbons in a bow at each corner.  The 1/4" spaces that you stitched in act like hinges for the sides of the box.

This sort of box is a great decorating element, and can be used to hold any number of items.  Here are some suggestions:

• Holiday cards

• Unshelled nuts

• Wrapped candy

• Pine cones

• Antique glass ornaments