Happy Baskets

Inspired by True to Tradition from designer Annette Plog

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 2⁄3 yard solid white (block backgrounds)
• 7⁄8 yard yellow print (setting squares, setting and corner triangles)
• 1⁄4 yard teal plaid (inner border)
• 5⁄8 yard blue floral (outer border)
• 1⁄2 yard solid teal (binding)
• 3⁄4 yard total assorted medium and dark floral (blocks)
• 3⁄4 yard total assorted light and medium florals (blocks)
• 3 yards backing fabric
• 53" square batting

Finished quilt: 44-5⁄8" square

Finished block: 8-3⁄4" square

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

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.

Cut pieces in the order that follows in each section.

From solid white, cut:

• 5--7-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 10 large triangles total (you will use 9)
• 18--2-1⁄4 ×5-3⁄4" rectangles
• 5--4-3⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 10 small triangles total (you will use 9)

From yellow print, cut:

• 2--13-3⁄4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 8 setting triangles total
• 4--9-1⁄4" setting squares
• 2--7-1⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 4 corner triangles total

From teal plaid, cut:

• 2--1-1⁄2x39-5⁄8" inner border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2x37-5⁄8" inner border strips

From blue floral, cut:

• 5--3x42" strips for outer border

From solid teal, cut:

• 5--2-1⁄2x42" binding strips

The following instructions result in one block. Repeat cutting and assembly steps to make nine blocks total.

From one medium or dark floral (A), cut:

• 5--2-5⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 10 triangles total

From a light or medium floral (B), cut:

• 3--2-5⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 6 triangles total (you will use 5)
• 1--2-1⁄4" square

From a second medium or dark floral (C), cut:

• 1--2-5⁄8" square, cutting it in half diagonally for 2 triangles total (you will use 1)

From a remaining medium or dark floral (A, B, or C), cut:

• 1--1-1⁄4 ×12" strip

1.    Sew together a floral A triangle and a floral B triangle to make an A/B triangle-square (Diagram 1). The triangle-square should be 2-1⁄4" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four A/B triangle-squares total.

2.    Using floral C and B triangles, repeat Step 1 to make one C/B triangle-square (Diagram 2).

3.    Referring to Diagram 3, lay out four floral A triangles, A/B and C/B triangle-squares, and floral B 2-1⁄4" square in four rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Join rows to make center unit.

4.    Sew together a floral A triangle and a solid white 2-1⁄4 ×5-3⁄4" rectangle to make a side unit (Diagram 4). Reversing placement of triangle, repeat to make a reversed side unit.

5.    Sew side unit and reversed side unit to adjacent edges of center unit to make basket unit (Diagram 5).

6.    Fold floral 1-1⁄4 ×12" strip in half lengthwise with wrong side inside. Stitch 1⁄4" from long edges; trim seam allowance to 1⁄8" (Diagram 6). Refold strip, centering seam in back, and press to make a 3⁄8 ×12" handle appliqué.

7.    Fold handle appliqué in half crosswise with seam side out. Referring to Diagram 7, position folded handle appliqué 1-1⁄4" from top edge of a solid white large triangle with folded end 1-1⁄4" from right-hand edge. Holding bottom half of handle appliqué in place, bring top half down vertically, creating a 45° fold in corner. Pin or baste in place.

8.    Hand- or machine-stitch handle appliqué in place with matching thread, securing the 45° fold with a few stitches. Trim handle appliqué ends even with solid white triangle to make a handle unit.

9.    Referring to Diagram 8, sew together handle unit and basket unit. Add a solid white small triangle to make a basket block. The block should be 9-1⁄4" square including seam allowances.

1.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out basket blocks, yellow print 9-1⁄4" setting squares, and yellow print setting triangles in five diagonal rows.

2.    Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams away from blocks. Join rows; press seams in one direction. Add yellow print corner triangles to complete quilt center. Press seams toward corner triangles. The quilt center should be 37-5⁄8" square including seam allowances.

3.    Sew teal plaid 1-1⁄2x37-5⁄8" inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add teal plaid 1-1⁄2x39-5⁄8" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border.

4.    Cut and piece blue floral 3 ×42" strips to make:

• 2--3 ×44-5⁄8" outer border strips
• 2--3 ×39-5⁄8" outer border strips

5.    Sew short outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward outer border.

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

2.    Quilt as desired. Handi Quilter Education Coordinator Vicki Hoth first stitched in the ditch around the blocks and borders with monofilament thread (Quilting Diagram). For the remaining designs, she used white Deco Bob thread from WonderFil. She stitched every other triangle with closely spaced straight lines to create a basket-weave effect and make the remaining triangles stand out. She quilted a half-inch channel around the setting squares to frame a digitized medallion motif from the HQ Pro-Stitcher library. She filled the outer border with a digitized flower design that also is from the HQ Pro-Stitcher library.

3.    Bind with solid teal binding strips.