Quilted Storage Basket

Inspired by: Spring Has Sprung from designer Minki Kim

Quilt tester: Martha Gamm

Finished size: 12×12×12"

Finished block: 12" square

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

• 1-1/4 yard total assorted prints in blue, black, brown, gray, cream, and white (basket body)
• 1 yard dark gray print (basket body, lining, binding)
• 36×58"rectangle foam stabilizer (We used ByAnnie's Soft & Stable.)

Cut pieces in the following order.

If you prefer to make triangle-squares larger than necessary and trim them to size, cut 4" squares instead of the 3-7/8" squares specified in the cutting instructions.

From assorted prints, cut:

• 48—3-7/8" squares (12 matching sets of 4 squares)
• 16—3-1/2" squares (4 matching sets of 4 squares)

From dark gray print, cut:

• 2—2-1/2×42" binding strips
• 2—12-1/2×24-1/2" rectangles
• 2—12-1/2" squares

From foam stabilizer, cut:

• 1—16 ×52" rectangle
• 1—16 " square

Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam toward darker fabric.

1) Gather four matching 3-7/8" squares from each of three assorted prints (for a total of 12) and four 3-1/2" squares from a fourth assorted print.

2) Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of two 3-7/8" squares from each assorted print (six squares total). (To prevent fabric from stretching as you draw lines, place 220-grit sandpaper under each square.)

3) Layer a marked square atop an unmarked, nonmatching 3-7/8" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of drawn line (Diagram 1). Cut pair apart on drawn line. Press open to make two triangle-squares. Each triangle-square should be 3-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat with remaining assorted print squares to make 12 triangle-squares total (four triangle-squares in each of three print combinations).

4) Referring to Diagram 2, arrange assorted print 3-1/2" squares and triangle-squares in four rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make a block. The block should be 12-1/2" square including seam allowances.

5) Repeat steps 1–4 to make four blocks total.

1) Referring to Diagram 3, sew together blocks in a row to make patchwork unit. The unit should be 12-1/2× 48-1/2" including seam allowances.

2) Layer patchwork unit atop foam stabilizer 16 × 52" rectangle. Press to lightly adhere foam to patchwork unit. Trim foam stabilizer even with patchwork unit edges.

3) If desired, machine-quilt the unit. The denser the quilting, the stiffer the basket will be.

4) Fold quilted unit in half crosswise with right side inside. Sew short ends together (Diagram 4). Press seam open to make a cube.

5) Layer a dark gray print 12-1/2" square atop foam stabilizer 16" square. Press to lightly adhere squares to one another. Trim foam stabilizer even with edges of dark gray print square.

6) Lay Step 4 cube atop Step 5 square with right sides together; match cube seams with corners of square (Diagram 5). Sew together cube and square, stopping 1/4" before each corner and pivoting before sewing the next set of edges.

7) Turn Step 6 unit right side out to make basket body; press well.

1) Layer two dark gray print 12-1/2× 24-1/2" rectangles with right sides together. Sew both sets of short ends together (Diagram 6). Press seams open to make a cube.

2) Lay Step 1 cube atop remaining dark gray print 12-1/2" square with right sides together (Diagram 7). Sew together, stopping 1/4" before each corner and pivoting before sewing the next set of edges to make basket lining. Do not turn right side out.

1) Insert basket lining into basket body with wrong sides together (Diagram 8). Sew top edges together using a scant 1/4" seam allowance.

2) Bind top edges using dark gray print binding strip to complete basket.