If your house is like mine, you often find that you need little storage cubes for stowing all the small stuff. Here's an illustrated how-to for making your own storage cubes. A set of three or four of these cubes would look great on an open shelf!

What You Need

Materials Oilcloth, cardboard, sewing thread

Equipment Sewing machine, scissors and/or rotary cutter, measuring tools

Instructions

1. Cut the four side pieces and one bottom piece of your cube. I want my finished cube to be 7"w x 9"h so my 4 side pieces are 8"w x 10"h and my bottom piece is 8" x 8". Repeat this to cut your lining pieces. Cut the four side pieces and one bottom piece of lining fabric for your cube. The side pieces will be the same width as the outer pieces but 1" shorter in height. The bottom piece will be the same size as the main body. You'll also need two square pieces of carboard, about three inches smaller than the side measurements. This cardboard, which will be sewn into two opposite sides of the cube will help it stay upright when complete.

2. Sew the top seam of each of the four sides of the cube by folding that one extra inch of main body fabric over the lining fabric.

3. Sew the bottom seam of two opposite sides to the bottom piece, inside out.

4. Before sewing the other two opposite sides onto the bottom piece, place the cardboard inside these two side pieces. Then sew these two sides to the bottom piece.

5. Now that all four sides are attached to the bottom piece, start sewing up the sides.

6. When all four sides are sewn up, you'll have a cube.

7. Turn the cube right-side-out.

8. Top stitch all the sides and along the bottom seams too.

9. And now you have a finished cube!

Additional Notes: Of course you can change the dimensions of this cube to fit any special size requirements. You are also not limited by oilcloth. You could make these cubes out of many other fabrics, such as felt, heavy cotton, or even ultrasuede!

Images: Jason Loper