Trial and error

Well, after talking about it for ages, I'm finally getting down to lining the box for my mother in law.  It is here birthday next weekend, so it is now or never.

Phase one went really well.  I cut a circle of velvet larger than the padded base I'd made and used the sewing machine to stitch gathering stitches around the edge.  Then I gently pulled them to gather the edge so that it would fit around the padded card base.  And it looks lovely!  I'm really pleased with the choice of colour for the velvet and the feel of it is gorgeous.

Next step is the sides.  Now, the first attempt at this didn't go too well - the card was too short and when I tried to roll it to fit the inside of the box, it bent!  So, this morning I cut another length and clamped it to the outer edge of the lid of the box to curve it and left it while I got on with phase one.  So far so good.  I then cut a length of velvet about twice the width and a little longer than the card strip.  Then panic set in.  I thought the velvet was too short for the card!  Anyway, I was wrong.  I sewed the short ends of the velvet together to create a tube.  The next bit was a fiddle.  Trying to wrap the velvet tube around the card was difficult - it either slipped off or bent the card.  Again, with the help of some clamping I got there and on the reverse I pulled the edges together to get it as smooth as possible.

Now came the test.  Could I get the velvet covered tube inside the box and then fit the base in after?  It wasn't easy and at times I thought the tube was too big and I'd have to start again, but I got there in the end.  It isn't perfect and the velvet isn't quite as smooth and snug as I'd hoped, but it doesn't look too bad really.

The velvet lined box after phases 1 and 2

My only concern now is whether, with the added thickness of the velvet, I have enough space to make the  tray insert I'd planned.  While I think about it, I'd better hoover up all the velvet 'fluff' that is all over the floor and my clothes!