Forget about smelly mesh bags. Make a sturdy, washable hamper out of PVC pipe

It's not always easy to find a laundry basket that looks nice in a room. Most choices are mesh, burlap, wicker or bland shades of plastic. This project opens the door to creativity because any sturdy and washable fabric will work. There's no restriction on the pattern, so go ahead and make one for the nursery, man cave or Victorian bathroom.

This project does require moderate to advanced sewing skills. Use a sewing machine instead of hand sewing the basket as there is a lot of stitching involved.

Materials
- 4 three-way 1-inch PVC pipe connectors
- 8 pieces of PVC pipe, 16 inches long
- 4 pieces of PVC pipe, 24 inches long
- 4 pieces of washable fabric, 19 inches wide, 28-1/2 inches long
- Ruler
- Tailor's chalk
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine or thread and needle
- Iron with steam setting

Instructions
1. Place the connectors on the table with an opening facing up and each one making an internal 90-degree angle.

2. Connect the 16-inch PVC pipes to the bottom legs of the connectors. This forms a square base.

3. Orient the fabric pieces (F1, F2, F3 and F4) so they are longer from top to bottom. Flip over F2 and place it right-side down on F1. Line up the edges and smooth out the fabric.

4. Measure 4 inches down from the left corner and from the right corner. Draw a chalk line connecting the marks (not shown).

5. Pin along the left edge 1/4 inch in, beginning at the 4-inch line and ending at the bottom. Sew a straight seam 1/2 inch in, beginning at the bottom of the pinned side. Stop when you reach the line. Remove the pins.

6. Smooth the fabric and open it up. Smooth it again. The fabric should be right-side up. Place fabric piece F3 face-down on top of F1 (on the right).

7. Measure 4 inches down from the right corner and the left corner. Draw a chalk line connecting the marks (not shown).

8. Pin along the right edge 1/4 inch in, beginning at the 4-inch line and ending at the bottom. Sew a straight seam ½ inch in, beginning at the bottom of the pinned side. Stop when you reach the line. Remove the pins.

9. Repeat with the remaining three pieces of fabric so they create a 3-D square, sewing them together so the print side of fabric is facing inward.

10. Cut a square piece of fabric that measures 18-1/2 x 18-1/2 inches. This will be the bottom of the hamper liner.

11. Pin the square to the edge opposite the chalk line (the bottom edge) on the fabric cube with the print facing inward. Sew together 1/4 inch from the fabric edge. Repeat on the three remaining sides, creating a base for the 3-D cube.

12. At the top of each fabric wall above the chalk mark, pin and sew the seam edges flat. Do this to all four seams.

13. At the top of the fabric wall flap, pin the edge 1/4 inch down and steam a crease in it with a preheated iron. Fold the flap over and line it up just above the chalk line with the print side facing out.

14. Pin the fabric together and double check the PVC pipe fits into the pocket. Sew in a straight line from one edge of the flap to the other. Repeat with the three remaining sides of fabric.

15. Find the spot where you'd like your hamper to be and place one of the PVC pipe squares down on the ground. Place one of the 24-inch pipes into each of the upright elbow sockets. Place the other PVC square elbow sockets down onto the four poles.

16. To attach the hamper liner, run the four top 16-inch pipes through the pocket in each side of the liner (like a curtain rod) and place the pipes securely back in their elbow sockets.