Looking for a small gift to make or something to hold jewellery? Try these - they're super-easy and look fabulous.


Covered boxes are easy little projects and you can use up bits and pieces from the sewing basket. You can buy boxes in all shapes and sizes from craft stores.

Cream and gold oval box

You'll need
Oval box
Wadding
Fabric for outside and inside
Cord (we used a 15cm length)
Tape measure
Scissors
Iron
PVA glue

Step 1
Cut a piece of wadding to fit the lid. Cut a piece of fabric for the outside, 1cm larger all round than the top of the lid. Measure the circumference and depth of the box and lid. Cut a long strip of fabric for each, 1.5cm larger all round for both.

Step 2
Brush PVA onto the top of the lid to attach the wadding. Leave the glue to dry. Snip into the 1cm allowance on the fabric, for the top of the lid, every 2cm or so. Brush PVA onto the side of the lid, lay the fabric over the wadding and glue down the snipped edge all the way around.

Step 3
Press under a 1.5cm allowance on each long edge of the fabric strip to cover the sides of the lid. Brush the extra glue around the lid and apply the strip of fabric around the edge, folding under the end allowance and covering the raw edges of the top fabric.

Step 4
Brush PVA over the outside of the box as well as 1.5cm inside the top edge and underneath. Iron under the seam allowance on one short edge of the fabric and glue it around the box, folding the top edge to the inside and the bottom edge beneath the box. Cover the raw edge with the pressed edge of the fabric, where the two ends meet.

Step 5
To line the box, cut a piece of lining fabric 5mm larger all round than the base. Cut another piece 1cm larger all round than the inside circumference of the box. Glue the base fabric in place, smoothing the raw edges up the inside of the box. Press under the allowances on the fabric for the side and glue in place, covering the raw edges.

Step 6
To make the cord knot for the centre of the lid, tie a knot in one end of a 15cm length of cord. Glue the raw edge of the knot to the centre of the lid and curl the rest of the cord around the knot, gluing in place as you work. Push the raw end under and glue in place.


Red velvet-covered box
To make the red velvet-covered box, follow the instructions above using red velvet fabric. The only difference is that you glue the cord knot to the front edge of the lid, not to the top of the box, and attach a tassel to finish it off.