Basket Quilt Patterns
Four Little Baskets finishes at 12-inches square. I altered the design's outer edges just a bit, taking away the template-cut patches under each basket base and replacing them with half square triangles. I also added a narrow frame around each block to make the finished piece a 12-inch design.You can omit the outer frames if you like, resulting in quilt blocks that finish at 11-1/2" square. That's kind of an odd size if you plan to use the blocks with alternates (although many could be reconfigured to match) but won't matter at all if you sew the basket quilt blocks side-by-side.
Traditionally, this design has a light background and four scrappy baskets. I reversed that, placing black in the background and creating baskets from vivid colors. On page 4 you'll see an example of blocks with frames in different colors -- a nice way to separate the blocks and add a little visual movement to a quilt.
Like so many basket designs, this version makes a wonderful scrap quilt, but design it in an orderly fashion if that suits your needs.
Black print for background:
- (4) 2" x 5-1/2" bars
- (1) 2-1/2" x 8-1/2" bar
- (2) 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" bars
- (2) 1" x 12-1/2" bars (could be cut from contrasting fabric)
- (2) 1" x 12-1/2" bars (could be cut from contrasting fabric)
- (2) 3-7/8" x 3-7/8" squares, each cut in half once diagonally
- (2) 2-7/8" x 2-7/8" squares, each cut in half once diagonally
Four bright, warm-to-hot fabrics for baskets, cut the following from each fabric:
Basket bodies each use a half square triangle cut by dividing a square, one will not be used if you sew the block with four different baskets. You could double-up baskets, placing like-versions on the diagonal from each other (similar to the method used in the Fruit Basket quilt block pattern.
Cut patches for one test basket before cutting all fabric.
- (1) 1" x 4-1/2" handle bar
- (1) 1" x 3-5/8" handle bar
- (1) 3-7/8" x 3-7/8" square, cut in half once diagonally
