ilsa handlebar basket {hemma design}

Whew! A bit tricky, but well worth an afternoon of effort. The basket's size and shape would make a fantastic knitting / hand sewing / baked goods / organizer tote - just omit the straps and D-rings.

Pattern Notes:

• I used an old size 12 needle instead of the suggested 16, no problems. 
• I decreased the pressure of my presser foot to glide easier over the laminate surface. 
• There is plenty of laminate left over to make snack bags, or better yet, matching bike seat and helmet covers for a complete bicycle makeover. 
• I did not reinforce the corners of the lining, or clip corners at the marked circles at the bag bottom; I just sewed the bottom seam. 
• Masking tape (Extra wide? Or duct tape instead?) is a must. 
• I used Sobo glue, but Elmer's might be worth a shot. I was too excited to "let glue dry" every time it was mentioned, however... 
• I did not use the clothespins either, but a couple of straight pins in the seam allowance helped the top edges stay put. 
• Had to fiddle about with the casing width - too narrow for my buttonholes. Don't forget to make four buttonholes, either. 
• The bias tape fit like a GLOVE, so gorgeous. Before I glued it around the basket edge, I whip stitched the edges to hold the two layers of laminate and stabilizer together, glue was not quite enough (um, while still wet...) and there was a bit of wrinkling on the inside facing laminate to deal with. 
• Top stitching the bias tape seemed daunting but went very smoothly. Plus the basket is so pretty, the minor stitching imperfections won't get noticed!