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Previous Block of the Month: Flower Basket

You'll enjoy making this sweet, summertime block.

According to The Encyclopedia of Quilt Patterns by Barbara Brackman, "Flower Basket" is an original design by Carlie Sexton Holmes. Mrs. Holmes sold patterns by mail-order from Wheaton, Illinois, in the 1920s and 1930s. Take time to relax and make this bright and cheerful pieced and appliquéd block.

BLOCK SIZE: 10" square

MATERIALS

• 3/8 yard muslin
• Blue plaid at least 14" square
• Pink print scrap at least 4" square
• Yellow print scrap at least 1 1/2" square
• Green print at least 4 1/2" x 6 1/2" square 

CUTTING                                                                                                 Appliqué patterns are full-size and do not include a seam allowance. Make a template for each pattern piece. Trace around the template on the right side of the fabric and add a 1/8" to 3/16" turn under allowance when cutting the fabric pieces out. All other dimensions include a 1/4" seam allowance.

• Cut 1: 11 1/4" square, muslin, then cut it in half diagonally to yield 2 large triangles. You will use one.
• Cut 1: 5 1/4" square, muslin, then cut it in half diagonally to yield 2 small triangles. You will use one.
• Cut 2: 2 1/2" x 7" strips, muslin
• Cut 1: 7/8" x 13" bias strip, blue plaid
• Cut 1: 6 7/8" square, blue plaid, then cut it in half diagonally to yield 2 large triangles. You will use one. NOTE: To make the plain run horizontally and vertically like in the block shown, cut the 6 7/8" square on the bias.
• Cut 1: 2 7/8" square, blue plaid, then cut it in half diagonally to yield 2 small triangles.
• Cut 1: flower print, pink print
• Cut 1: flower center, yellow print
• Cut 2: large leaves, green print
• Cut 4: small leaves, green print

DIRECTIONS

Press both long edges of the 7/8" x 13" blue plaid bias strip 1/4" toward the wrong side. Trim 1/8" from each long edge to reduce bulk, if desired.
	Place the prepared bias strip on the large muslin triangle, aligning the ends of the strip with the raw edge of the triangle and keeping them 5 7/8" apart. Pin the strip to the triangle, forming a curve, as shown.
	Appliqué the strip to the triangle to make the handle section. Set it aside. Sew a small blue plaid triangle to a 2 1/2" x 7" muslin strip. Make a reverse unit, as shown.
	Sew the pieced units to the large blue plaid triangle to make the basket unit, as shown. Trim the end of the muslin strips even with the long side of the large blue triangle.
	Center and sew the small muslin triangle to the bottom of the basket unit. Center and sew the handle unit to the top. Referring to the block photo, appliqué the flower on the basket block. Appliqué the flower center on the flower. Appliqué a large leaf on each side of the flower. Appliqué the small leaves above and below the large ones. Trim the block to 10 1/2" square.

To print out the full-size pattern pieces for Flower Basket, click here.

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