Warming Bread Basket

I like my buns hot. Yes, I did just say that. Yes, I am sleep deprieved from being up every night with a newborn.

His Royal Highness's mom has a bread basket with a cloth liner that keeps the bread warm. Every one drools over this basket. So as a thank you gift to his aunt this year, I recreated the basket.

It is very simple to do. You will need a medium sized basket, two dishtowels, rice, muslin or other scrap fabric, and a sewing machine.

To start, measure the size of the bottom of your basket. Or if your princesses been using your measuring tape as a leash for their stuffed puppy, you can just turn the basket upside down and do a basic size assesment. Cut two pieces of muslin the same size as the bottom of your basket. Sew the pieces together but leave a small opening where you can fill it with rice. You are basically making a pillow of rice. Turn the muslin inside out first to hide the stitched edges before you fill it with rice. After you have filled it with rice, stitch the opening closed. You know have a rice pillow that should fit easily inside the basket.

Take one dishtowel and lay it out flat. Lay the rice pillow in the middle of the towel and trace around it using a fabric pen or a crayon. Take a wild guess at which one I actually had on hand. Cut the other dishtowel to the size of the rice bag plus another inch or so for the hem.

Now you're going to make a pocket for the rice bag to go into. Fold all the edges of the dishtowel squares under to make pretty edges. Sew these edges down. Then lay it in the middle of the large dishtowel and make sure all the edges from your tracing are covered. Does that make sense? I'm sleep deprieved, email me if it doesn't. Now sew down three sides, leaving one open to slip the rice bag into. You can add a way to close up the pocket if you want to get all fancy.

Heat the rice bag in the microwave with a small cup of water for 2 minutes. Then slip it into the pocket on the back of the dishtowel. Lay the dishtowel into the basket, rice bag down in the bottom of the basket. Add your bread and cover it with the edges of the towel. This should help keep your buns nice and toasty.

If this is too much work, just come sit in my van. I'll turn on the seat warmers and your buns will be nice and toasty without any sewing. haha. really sleep deprieved.

I am willing to make these for anyone wanting to buy one. This would be an awesome housewarming gift when filled with a small loaf of homemade bread and your own favorite recipe.