Flower Box Tutorial

This post is the second in the series “5 Quick Gifts to sew for Christmas”. See all the posts here.

With so many beautiful fabrics and heavyweight interfacing available, sewing pretty (and sturdy, long-lasting) boxes is so easy.  The technique is very easy and once you learn it,  it’s easy to design your own boxes, in the desired shape and size.

Here is what you need for a square flower box.

• heavyweight interfacing –  single or double side fusible interfacing: Fast2Fuse, Peltex; my favorite interfacing for boxes is Vilene S520 (Pellon Deco Fuse is a similar product), it’s one side fusible.
• scraps of fabric
• Jeans/Denim Needle #90/14
• glue stick

Download the pattern (click the button at the end of the post) and prepare the templates; the base is a 5” square, you don’t need a template for it; if you want to fussy cut motifs for the sides and petals, then make transparent templates for them.

I used different fabrics for the inside and outside of the box.

Cut out the following pieces:
– for the base: 1 x interfacing; 2 x fabric
– for sides: 4 x interfacing; 4 x inside fabric; 4 x outside fabric (fussy cut)
– for petals: 4 x interfacing; 4 x front of petals (fussy cut); 4 x back of petals.

Following the manufacturer’s instructions, fuse the fabric to both sides of all the interfacing pieces.
If your interfacing is not fusible on both sides, here is how to use it:
first fuse the fabric to the fusible side. Then attach the fabric to the non-fusible side with glue (I used a glue stick and I added it along the sides).

Zig-zag each  piece along  all the edges; use a wide and tight stitch.
You could use matching or contrasting thread or variegated thread.

Now you have to attach the petals (with the fussy cut side up) to the sides (with the plain side up).

Place the two pieces next to each other under the presser foot. Do not overlap the edges.

Join the pieces with  a tight and widest zig zag stitch and be sure you catch both edges.

It’s a little difficult to start stitching exactly from the corner so start 1/4” ahead  corners, take 2 stitches then stitch back until you reach the corners; continue stitching; backstitch at the start and end of each seam.

Here is how the pieces should look like.

repeat and attach all the petals to sides.

In the same way attach the sides to the base.

We will shape the box by stitching two adjacent edges together (see the picture above).

Keep the piece with the inside up (like in the photo above); fold the piece in half as shown, keeping all the edges aligned; stitch the 2
adjacent edges together (see the green arrow) using a zig zag stitch (the widest possible and 1mm long). Do not catch the petal in the stitching. Backstitch at the beginning  and end of the seam.

The first two sides joined; the stitching is done on the outside.

The stitching is almost invisible inside.

In the same way, join the next two adjacent edges together.

And continue with the other edges.

Here is the finished box.

Finger-press the stitching done on the base, from the outside, to give the box a nice shape.

Also, finger press the stitching at the top of the box and guide the petals toward the exterior.

Do you want a closed box? Finger press and guide the petals toward the center!

Why should we limit to a square box?
The hexagonal box is stitched the same way.

It’s really cute!

And here is an octagonal one.

Do you want to sew your own versions?
Download the templates below – it’s free!

Recommended reading:

Tips for quick and easy fussy cutting

Related pattern
Simply Irresistible – Gift Boxes Pattern

Happy sewing,

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