Basket Tutorial

 Hello Everyone,

I've had several requests through emails and at the shop for a little basket tutorial.  Your wish is my command!

Cutting directions:  For those of you participating in the Block of the Week, your cutting guide is located HERE for the fabrics you receive in your weekly bundle from In Between Stitches so you can make 12 blocks at a time and maximize the use of the fabric you receive.

Cutting directions for TWO blocks. Mix your lights and darks up for variety within the block.

From LIGHT fabrics cut:
(1) 4" x 4" square
(4) 1-1/2" x 2-1/2" rectangle
(2) 2-7/8" x 2-7/8" square (cut in half diagonally)
(2) 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" square

From 2 DARK fabrics cut:
(1) 4" x 4" square
(2) 2-7/8" x 2-7/8" square (cut in half diagonally)
(2) 1-7/8" x 1-7/8" square (cut in half diagonally)

STEP ONE:
Make (8) half-square triangles (HST) at once following the tutorial HERE.  For this block use the two, 4" squares, one dark and one light. 

Now that your HST are made and trimmed to 1-1/2" square, you can proceed to the next step.
- Stitch HST together, press in the direction of the red arrows
- Stitch basket center triangles together.  Press in the direction of the red arrow. Trim dog ears.
- Stitch basket bottom blue triangles to light rectangles.  Press in the direction of the red arrows.

 

Next, stitch HST to the right- hand side of the basket.  Press in the direction of the basket.

Stitch the 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" square to the left-hand side HST.  Press in the direction of the square.

 

 

 

Stitch the left-hand side HST and square to the basket.  Press toward the basket.

 



 

Stitch the lower right hand side to the basket.  Press toward the rectangle.

 



Stitch the left-hand side to the basket.  Press toward the rectangle.

If you have a Marti Michell corner trimmer, now is the time to use it and trim off the bottom triangle points at a 45 degree angle.  Doing this allows you to line the triangle up perfectly with the bottom of the basket.  When you stitch this triangle to the basket, have the triangle on the bottom, next to the feed dogs.  Press toward the triangle.  I use this tool all the time and we have them at the shop.

You will end up with a perfect, adorable, tiny, 4-1/2" x 4-1/2" basket. No points were lost in the making of this basket!

 

In Between Stitches is offering this as a Block of the Week.  I've been selecting, cutting and packaging all of the fabrics for you to make 12 blocks per week for 10 weeks.  I have 38 baskets made and on my design wall so far.  The baskets are just stuck to a piece of black fabric.  I haven't decided on their final setting arrangement yet. I have countless ideas that I'm going to be previewing over the next few weeks as I add to the pile of blocks.  The weekly fabric bundles offer a wide variety of color, scale and just plain cuteness! 

 

Have fun and make some baskets of cuteness this week.

 

Soon,

Lynn