Fat Quarter Pop Up Fabric Bucket

I’ll be honest, when I first made this fat quarter pop up fabric bucket, I thought it would just be a cute little project to try. But now? I use it every single day in my sewing room. It’s collapsible, easy to tuck away when I don’t need it, and the perfect size for holding all the little things that otherwise end up scattered across my cutting table. Wonder Clips, small rulers, lint rollers… they all find a home in this bucket. And the best part? You can make it with just one fat quarter and a simple pattern.

Supplies for a Fat Quarter Pop Up Bucket

You’ll need:

• Wonder Clips by Clover (a must-have sewing notion!)
• Fat Quarter Pop Up Pattern by The Fat Quarter Gypsy (includes spring + elastic)
• 1 Fat Quarter (17-½? × 19-½? for non-directional or ? yard if directional)
• ? yard fusible interfacing (light–medium weight)
• Large safety pins (4)
• Small scissors + fabric marking pencil

Want to know what else I keep close at hand? Check out my favorite sewing tools, they make every project easier.

Cutting & Preparing the Fabric

To make this: Basically, you cut out two circles from the fabric and the body from the fabric and the fusing.  There is an option for adding a tag and a hanging loop, but I skipped that.  (The template for the circle is included with the pattern.  The body is a simple rectangular cut.)

Sewing the Fat Quarter Pop Up

1. Clip the fabric circle to the bucket body with Wonder Clips.
2. Sew the circle to the body slowly and carefully.
3. Insert the pop up spring—don’t remove safety pins too early.
4. Remove pins and let it pop into shape!

This project builds confidence with basic sewing skills while creating something you’ll use every day.

I felt so accomplished after I sewed this circle!  It’s not really that big of a deal, but when you’re still learning to sew, it’s pretty huge.  I took my time and read the directions very carefully, being sure that I cut my fabric the right way, especially since this fabric is directional.

Why I Love Making These

• They collapse – no bulky storage here. Flatten, tie, and stash until you need it again.
• They’re useful – I toss in Wonder Clips, mini rulers, scissors, and a lint roller to keep my sewing space from looking like a thread explosion. (I literally wrote a whole post about lint rollers. I use them constantly in my sewing room.)
• They’re customizable – your fabric choice makes it uniquely yours. I used “Dressmakers Tape Blue” by Dana Brooks from the Henry Glass 9706-11 Sew What collection.

More Fat Quarter Pop Up Styles

Once you love the bucket, you can try:

• Stacking Pop-Ups
• Basket Pop-Ups
• Pet Pop-Ups
• T-Shirt Pop-Ups (theme for your favorite team!)
• AND they also have pop up refills!

Practical Uses That Make This a Go To Project

Who knew one little fat quarter could create something so useful? I love that this fat quarter pop up keeps my sewing room looking less like a thread explosion, and the fact that it collapses flat when I don’t need it is just icing on the cake. It’s useful, it’s fun, perfect for travel and it’s the kind of project that makes you want to grab another fat quarter and sew up a whole stack.

If you make one, I’d love to hear how you’re using it — and don’t forget to pin this project for later so you’ll have it handy when inspiration strikes!

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