Amish Baskets

Inspired by La Rouge Baskets from Wendy Sheppard

Quilt tester: Diane Tomlinson

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

• 2 yards solid black (large and small basket blocks, setting pieces, binding)
• 9—18×21" pieces (fat quarters) assorted solids (large and small basket blocks)
• 7/8 yard solid blue (border)
• 3 yards backing fabric
• 53"-square batting
• White marking pencil

FINISHED QUILT: 44-1/4" square

FINISHED BLOCKS: 7-1/2" and 6" square

Cut pieces in the following order.

If you prefer to make triangle-squares larger than necessary and trim them to size, cut 4" and 2-1/2" squares instead of the 3-7/8" and 2-3/8" squares listed in cutting instructions.

Cut assorted solid pieces in sets as indicated, and keep sets together for block assembly.

From solid black, cut:

• 5—2-1/2 ×42" binding strips
• 2—12-1/4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 8 setting triangles total
• 4—8" setting squares
• 2—6-1/4" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 4 corner triangles total
• 13—3-7/8" squares
• 58—2-3/8" squares
• 18—2×5" rectangles
• 29—2×3-1/2" rectangles
• 13—2" squares

From assorted solids, cut 9 sets for large Basket blocks:

• 1—3-7/8" square
• 6—2-3/8" squares
• 1—2" square

From assorted solids, cut 4 sets for small Basket blocks:

• 1—3-7/8" square
• 1—2-3/8" square
• 5—2" squares

From solid blue, cut:

• 4—6-1/2×32-1/4" strips for border

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. From solid black, gather two 2×5" rectangles, one 3-7/8" square, one 2×3-1/2" rectangle, six 2-3/8" squares, and one 2" square. From one assorted solid, gather a set of large block pieces (one 3-7/8" square, six 2-3/8" squares, and one 2" square).

2. Use a white marking pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of solid black 3-7/8" and 2-3/8" squares and assorted solid 2" square.

3. Layer a marked solid black 2-3/8" square atop an assorted solid 2-3/8" 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 small triangle-squares. Each small triangle-square should be 2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 12 small triangle-squares total.

4. Using marked solid black 3-7/8" square and assorted solid 3-7/8" square, repeat Step 3 to make two large triangle-squares (Diagram 2). Each large triangle-square should be 3-1/2" square including seam allowances. Set one aside for a future project as you will need only one.

5. Align marked assorted solid square with right-hand end of solid black 2×3-1/2" rectangle (Diagram 3; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim excess fabric, leaving 1/4" seam allowance. Press open attached triangle to make a rectangle unit. The unit still should be 2×3-1/2" including seam allowances.

6. Referring to Diagram 4, lay out solid black 2" square, nine small triangle-squares, and rectangle unit in three rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows. Add a solid black 2×5" rectangle to right-hand edge of joined rows to make Unit A. The unit should be 8×5" including seam allowances.

7. Referring to Diagram 5, join remaining small triangle-squares. Add remaining solid black 2×5" rectangle and one large triangle-square to make Unit B. The unit should be 8×3-1/2" including seam allowances.

8. Sew together Unit A and Unit B to make a large Basket block (Diagram 6). The block should be 8" square including seam allowances.

9. Repeat steps 1–8 to make nine large Basket blocks total.

1. From solid black, gather one 3-7/8" square, five 2×3-1/2" rectangles, one 2-3/8" square, and one 2" square. From one assorted solid, gather a set of small block pieces (one 3-7/8" square, one 2-3/8" square, and five 2" squares).

2. Mark a diagonal line on wrong side of solid black 3-7/8" and 2-3/8" squares and assorted solid 2" squares.

3. Referring to Assemble Large Basket Blocks, steps 3 and 4, use marked solid black 2-3/8" square and assorted solid 2-3/8" square to make two small triangle-squares. Use marked solid black 3-7/8" square and assorted solid 3-7/8" square to make two large triangle-squares. Set one aside for a future project as you will need only one.

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

5. Align remaining marked assorted solid 2" square with one end of a solid black 2×3-1/2" rectangle (Diagram 8; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim excess fabric, leaving 1/4" seam allowance. Press open attached triangle to make a rectangle unit. The unit still should be 2×3-1/2" including seam allowances.

6. Referring to Diagram 9, lay out one solid black 2×3-1/2" rectangle, one small triangle-square, Flying Geese units, one large triangle-square, and solid black 2" square in three rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make Unit C. The unit should be 5×6-1/2" including seam allowances.

7. Sew together remaining solid black 2×3-1/2" rectangle and a rectangle unit to make Unit D (Diagram 10). The unit should be 2×6-1/2" including seam allowances.

8. Sew together Unit C and Unit D to make a small Basket block (Diagram 11). The block should be 6-1/2" square including seam allowances.

9. Repeat steps 1–8 to make four small Basket blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out large Basket blocks and solid black setting squares and triangles in five diagonal rows.

2. Sew together pieces in rows. Press seams toward solid black setting squares and triangles.

3. Join rows; press seams in one direction. Add solid black corner triangles to make quilt center. Press seams toward corner triangles. The quilt center should be 32-1/4" square including seam allowances.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew two small Basket blocks to ends of a solid blue 6-1/2×32-1/4" border strip to make a long border strip. The border strip should be 6-1/2×44-1/4". Repeat to make a second long border strip.

2. Sew remaining 6-1/2×32-1/4" solid blue border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward border.

1. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste.

2. Quilt as desired. Handi Quilter Studio Educator Kristina Whitney used the Pro-Stitcher quilting system to digitize the large Basket shape and add it to the solid black setting squares (Quilting Diagram). She filled the setting triangles and borders with a variety of designs, including waves, pebbles, and figure eights.

3. Bind with solid black binding strips.