This Modern Baskets quilt block, featuring Riley Blake Confetti Cottons, is an easy pattern for a simple, graphic quilt block.
Modern Basket Block
by Amy Smart
Finished size: 7” x 9 ½”
Fabric Requirements Requirements:
- One 11” x 13” piece per block (if you are only making one block, you will still need two different fabrics. After that you will get one block per 11 x 13” piece. Decide how many blocks you want to end up with and cut that many pieces 11” x 13”) You can get two 11" x 13" pieces from a Fat Quarter or three pieces from a ⅓ yard cut.
- Freezer Paper (find it near the aluminum foil at the grocery store)
- PATTERN TEMPLATE (print your own here)
For a crib size quilt I used 25 11” x 13” pieces (or 13 Fat Quarters) and four border strips cut 2 ½” x width of fabric.
For the larger 54” x 72” solids version I used 49 11” x 13” pieces (or 25 FQ’s) and six borders cut 6” x wof.
Stack and Whack Basket Block Instructions
Trace the Basket Pattern (but not edges of the paper) on the dull side of Freezer Paper. Label each piece as they are labeled on the pattern.
Center the traced pattern (leaving an inch of fabric on all sides) and press the traced pattern on top of a stack of 5 or 6 fabric pieces with a warm iron. This will help the pattern stick to the fabric.
Rotary cut through the marked lines of the pattern, using a ruler to keep your lines straight. Don’t cut of the extra inch of fabric on all four sides – this will help you have extra fabric when squaring up.
Shuffle the fabrics by moving basket pieces (bottom + handles) replacing original basket pieces inside contrasting background fabrics. Contrasting fabric will make the baskets show up nicely in each block.
TIP: When shuffling fabric, baskets blocks do not need to always be two contrasting opposites. If you’re cutting through 3 or more fabrics in your stack, just move the basket pieces to the bottom of the pile – then you’ll have multiple variations of basket combinations.
Sewing Quilt Block Together
To begin reassembling the baskets, start with Section A and sew the pieces together in numerical order. (The pieces will not match up perfectly and there will be some pieces longer or shorter than the new piece they are being sewn to. This is normal and the edges will be squared-off eventually.)
Repeat the process assembling Section B pieces.
Square off top and bottom of Sections A and B. These baskets are supposed to be a little imperfect and off-kilter – that is what will give them some personality. Don’t stress about squaring things up perfectly at this point. You just need straight edges to sew the three sections together.
Sew Section A to Section B. Center the handles above the base. Add Section C to the top. After the entire block is sewn together, square up the block to 7 ½” x 10”.
(If your blocks are measuring slightly smaller, just square them all up to the same size.)
Make as many baskets as you need to create the size quilt you desire. Use your creativity. 🙂
For a crib-size version I used 25 pieces of 11" x 13"
There are so many fun variations possible with this pattern – mix and match a variety of prints, solids, monochromatic, etc.
You can variations of this pattern in modern solids, or pastel prints. The choice of fabric will change the entire look of the quilt!
I’d love to see what you make! Email me or tag me @diaryofaquilter on Instagram, Facebook, or with the hashtag #ModernBasketsQuilt
