In the gifting season, small containers are good to use to wrap things in. Home made treats or lollies look that much better in a hand-made container like these Easy Fabric Bowls. People really appreciate that it’s hand-made too. Lynn Pavey made these fabric bowls with very simple materials – fabric and a cornflour and water paste. Like the String Stars decorations we made, and the Rope Bowls Kit the cornflour paste forms a stiffening agent and makes the fabric hold it’s shapes when moulded around a base. Try it with Christmas coloured fabrics for a festive container for your small gifts. We tried it with red and white gingham, linen, and gold-on-red fabric.

2. Make the cornflour paste
mixture with this recipe.
Mix ¼ cup of cornflour to ½ cup of
water to make a paste. In a small
saucepan add this mix to 1 + 1/2
cups (375ml) cold water. Bring to a
simmer and cook for 3 – 4 minutes
until mixture turns translucent.
Stirring continuously. Allow to cool
to room temperature. Don’t leave
too long as a surface skin will form.
This keeps for a week in the fridge.
Gently rewarm slightly and remove
any skin that has formed to make it
smooth to work with.
N.B. Our paste went a little lumpy
because it cooled while we took
photos. It’s easier to work with
while it’s warmed and a bit runnier.

3. Measure fabric in a
square shape to fit
wider than the bowl, so
there is loose fabric at
the top.

4. Wrap the outside of the
bowl in plastic cling wrap.

5. Paint the inside of the
fabric with cornflour paste.
The patterned side of the
fabric will be on the
outside.

6. Turn the bowl upside down,
place the piece of fabric
over the top and press the
fabric around the outside of
the bowl. Scrunch up the
edges that hang over the
side. Paint the paste
generously over the fabric
surface. It needs to be really
wet.

7. Let it dry
completely (a full
day in hot
weather). Then it’s
ready to use as gift
containers or as
receptacles for
your small things.

8. Here are some
we tried with
other fabrics like
linen and
gingham.