Quiltspiration

Basket quilt block

A large half-square triangle basket with a row of small half-square triangles along two sides. Set on point, the basket sits upright.

The Basket is pieced on a 5 × 5 grid, so a 10" block has 2" grid squares.

Also called Amish Basket.

Basket quilt block in cranberry and cream
In cranberry and cream
Basket quilt block in navy and white
In navy and white

Cutting for 5", 7½", 10", 12½" blocks

Cutting for one block
FabricPiecesCut5" block7½" block10" block12½" block
mainSquares11½"2"2½"3"
backgroundHalf-square triangles41⅞"2⅜"2⅞"3⅜"
mainHalf-square triangles41⅞"2⅜"2⅞"3⅜"
backgroundSquares41½"2"2½"3"
backgroundHalf-square triangles13⅞"5⅜"6⅞"8⅜"
mainHalf-square triangles13⅞"5⅜"6⅞"8⅜"
backgroundRectangles11½" × 3½"2" × 5"2½" × 6½"3" × 8"

Cut sizes include ¼" seam allowances. One pair of squares makes two triangle units; where one block needs only one, the spare goes into the next block.

How to sew a 10" Basket block

Basket block laid out in its units before sewing
  1. Make 8 half-square triangles, 2" finished. Pair a 2⅞" background square with a 2⅞" main square right sides together. Draw a line corner to corner, sew ¼" on both sides of it, cut on the line and press. Each pair makes 2.

  2. Make 1 half-square triangle, 6" finished. Pair a 6⅞" background square with a 6⅞" main square right sides together. Draw a line corner to corner, sew ¼" on both sides of it, cut on the line and press. Each pair makes 2.

  3. Lay out the units as drawn and sew them into 3 rows. Press the seams of each row the opposite way from the one before so they nest, then sew the rows together. The block measures 10" finished, 10½" with seam allowance.

Quilts made with the Basket block

To paint it on a board, the Basket barn quilt pattern has the measurements for 2, 4 and 8 ft boards and the paint for each color.

Design a quilt with this block

Quiltspiration draws it in your own fabric and gives the cut list for any size.

More picture blocks