Tray Jolie

How about a new free pattern?  An early Valentine's Day present.

Here's a sweet little project that goes together quickly -- a bow-tied box for treats or trinkets.  Perfect for displaying tasty truffles and candies for your Valentine or hip paperclips and doo-dads for your desk.  The pattern and instructions below are for one 3" x 3" x 1 1/4" tray.  However, once you have the hang of it, you can scale the design up or down as needed. Imagine tasty trays for sewing supplies, post-it notes, business cards, candies, jewelry, buttons, keys, coasters...

MATERIALS LIST (one 3" x 3" x 1 1/4" tray) 

7” x 7” fabric*
7” x 7” lining fabric*
3/4 yd narrow piping
1 1/3 yd ribbon, 1/8” wide
8” x 10” stiff, thin cardboard
Thread 

HELPFUL TOOLS
Pins, scissors, needle, liquid seam sealant (such a s Fray Check™)

* Suitable fabrics include laminated cotton, quilting-weight cotton, light-weight decorator fabric, and other light to medium-weight woven fabrics

 

INSTRUCTIONS (click on illustrations to enlarge)

A. Cut Out Fabric & Cardboard – Click here to download pattern pieces. Using pattern, cut one 5 7/8” square of fabric and one 5 7/8” square of lining fabric. Round corners per pattern & clip at circles to mark ribbon placement. Of cardboard, cut one 3” square, and cut four 1” x 3” rectangles.  If cardboard is flimsy, cut two sets & glue corresponding pieces together to stiffen.

B. Baste Piping to Tray Exterior – Baste piping to tray exterior. Join piping at one black circle by overlapping piping neatly. Trim.

C. Attach Ribbon Ties – Cut eight pieces of ribbon, each 6” long. With a small stitch-length, sew one ribbon to tray at each black circle, on top of piping; stitch back & forth across ribbon to secure well.

D. Sew Lining to Exterior – With right-sides-together, pin lining to exterior. Sew around tray, leaving one side open between black circles. Notch curve at each corner. Turn tray right-side-out through opening in seam.

E. Insert Cardboard & Stitch Around Sides – Insert one rectangular cardboard piece into tray;  butt cardboard up to stitching at side of tray opposite from opening, beneath the seam allowance on exterior side of tray. Secure cardboard in place by stitching 1 1/8” away from fabric edge (not piping edge) along stitching line shown on tray pattern, beginning & ending at black circles. See illustration. Be sure stitching runs alongside cardboard & does not go through it & ribbons are not caught in seam. Insert another cardboard rectangle at one adjacent side & stitch as before. Repeat at opposite side of tray. Slide cardboard square into place at center of tray & stitch along last stitching line, parallel to opening. Insert last cardboard rectangle into opening. Fold tray lining edge under 1/4” & ladder-stitch to close opening in seam.

F. Tie Corner Bows & Trim – Fold sides up & hold corners together with a pin. Tie two ribbons at each corner into a bow. Once tied, trim ribbons to desired lengths. Finish ribbon ends with liquid seam sealant to prevent fraying.

ENJOY!

Comments

[Katie]

So fun! I've actually been thinking of making some of these lately. But I hadn't thought of putting treats in them. :) Now maybe I'll do both!

[BethG]

Cute! Thanks!!!
b.

[courtney k]

thank-you!! can't wait to try it :)

[Emmmylizzzy]

These are adorable and would look so cute holding my pins next to my sewing machine. Thanks for the free tutorial!

[Amy]

"tray" jolie ~ ha! I love it!

[Felicity @ Our Little Beehive]

So adorable! I can see myself giving away a lot of cupcakes in these little trays.
xo

[Susanne]

so sweet! Great idea...as always!

[Heather {WhipperBerry}]

This is FABULOUS!!

[Orit]

Thanks! Love it!!

[chelsea alexander]

Thanks! What I'd really like to know: WHAT is the frosting recipe for that lusciousness above?

[vicki]

oooh this is lovely-thank you for sharing :)

[Sarah]

That is wonderful! Thank you. I can envision one piled high with foil-covered chocolate hearts! :)

[Nannys Rodriguez]

Heater, than you for you post in my blog, i love your work!

Nannys

[Melissa S.]

I can easily see my sewing studio being overrun with these cute little trays! Thanks for the pattern!

[andrea]

so cute!thanks for sharing :)

[April-Living the Sweet Life]

I love these boxes. What a wonderful idea to make them mini.

[Karuna (designcrafty)]

That is really sweet - perfect! I'm on a stash-busting project so I shall give them a go. thank you for sharing. Have a lovely week. KP

[Cindy]

Very cute! Thanks for the tutorial. Would make a great gift.

[Teresa D.]

Very sweet idea Heather. Think while I am snowed in this would be a good time to finally make me a quilting pin tray. Going to attach some magnets to the cardboard so it will hold them in there.

[Maria del Pilar Guerra]

Thank you for sharing with us yours projects

[Heather Bailey]

Great idea to use a magnet in the base for pins! Let me know how that works out.

[Brenda C]

Can you tell me more about the piping? Where did you get it? Can I buy it somewhere? Thanks

[Kirstin]

Very cute. I might have to give this a try with some of your gorgeous fabrics... I wonder about adding a little ball of cotton batting under the centre surface to create a tray/pin cushion in one?

[Yasmin Davis]

wow, that is a great project - thank you for posting it for free. I might use some thin plastic (like the sides from icecream containers) instead of the cardboard, that way I can wash it if I need to - especially if I use it for food stuffs.

Thank you!! X Yasmin