Toy Storage Basket

Inspired by: Fall's Finery from designer Andy Knowlton

Quilt tester: Diane Tomlinson

Finished basket: 12" square

Finished block: 12" square

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

• 1/3 yard green print (blocks)
• 3/8 yard white print (blocks)
• 1-1/8 yard red print (blocks, lining, binding)
• 1/4 yard each blue print and alphabet print (blocks)
• 1/2 yard pink print (blocks, basket body)
• 36×58" rectangle foam stabilizer (We used ByAnnie's Soft & Stable.)

Cut pieces in the following order.

From green print, cut:

• 16—3-1/2" squares
• 8—2-1/2" squares

From white print, cut:

• 8—3-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles
• 8—3-1/2" squares
• 8—1-1/2" squares

From red print, cut:

• 2—2-1/2×42" binding strips
• 2—12-1/2×24-1/2" rectangles
• 1—12-1/2" square
• 16—3-1/2" squares
• 8—2-1/2" squares

From blue print, cut:

• 4—3-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles
• 4—3-1/2" squares
• 4—1-1/2" squares

From pink print, cut:

• 1—12-1/2" square
• 4—3-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles
• 4—3-1/2" squares
• 4—1-1/2" squares

From alphabet print, cut:

• 4—6-1/2" 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. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of green print and red print 3-1/2" squares and 2-1/2" squares and white print, blue print, and pink print 1-1/2" squares.

2. Align a marked green square 2-1/2" square with one corner of a white print 3-1/2" square (Diagram 1; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim seam allowance to 1/4". Press open attached triangle.

3. Align a marked white print square with green print corner of Step 2 unit (Diagram 2). Stitch, trim, and press as before to make a white corner unit. The unit still should be 3-1/2" square including seam allowances.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make eight white corner units total.

5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 using blue print 3-1/2" squares, marked red print 2-1/2" squares, and marked blue print squares to make four blue corner units total.

6. Repeat steps 2 and 3 using pink print 3-1/2" squares, marked red print 2-1/2" squares, and marked pink print squares to make four pink corner units total.

7. Align a marked red print 3-1/2" square with one end of a white print 3-1/2×6-1/2" rectangle (Diagram 3; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim seam allowance to 1/4". Press open attached triangle. Add a second marked red print 3-1/2" square to opposite end of rectangle to make a white Flying Geese unit. The unit still should be 3-1/2×6-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight white Flying Geese units total.

8. Repeat Step 7 using marked green print 3-1/2" squares and blue print 3-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles to make four blue Flying Geese units total.

9. Repeat Step 7 using marked green print 3-1/2" squares and pink print 3-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles to make four pink Flying Geese units total.

10. Referring to Diagram 4, lay out four matching corner units and four matching Flying Geese units that use the same background color and one alphabet print 6-1/2" square in three rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make a block. The block should be 12-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four blocks total.

1. Referring to Diagram 5, 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 6). Press seam open to make a cube.

5. Layer a pink print 12-1/2" square atop foam stabilizer 16" square; press lightly to adhere. Trim foam stabilizer even with edges of pink print square.

6. Lay Step 4 cube atop Step 5 square with right sides together; match cube seams with corners of square (Diagram 7). 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 exterior; press well.

1. Layer red print 12-1/2× 24-1/2" rectangles with right sides together. Sew both sets of short ends together (Diagram 8). Press seams open to make a cube.

2. Lay Step 1 cube atop red print 12-1/2" square with right sides together (Diagram 9). Sew together, stopping 1/4" before each corner and pivoting before sewing the next set of edges, to make basket lining.

1. Insert basket lining into basket exterior with wrong sides together (Diagram 10). Sew top edges together using a scant 1/4" seam allowance.

2. Bind top edges using red print binding strip to complete basket.