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Sew a Fun and Easy Fabric Basket on Your Featherweight!
April 02, 2021

by Tammy Olson

Here is a fabric basket pattern that is cute, fast, and easy to make! You might even want to whip one or more up for Easter Sunday! It is a fun pattern by Pink Penguin! You can use them as gift bags for everything from Easter treats, baby supplies or sweet gifts for a friend’s birthday…or keep one yourself for all those extra little items that need a home in your sewing room!

Products Used:
Mini Charm Pack or Forty-Two (42) 2 1/2" Squares
Featherweight Accurate Seam Square & Seam Guide
Rotary Cutter
12" x 18" Lori Holt Reversible Cutting Mat
Quilt Basting Spray
Sewline Water Erasable Roller Ball Pen
Super Fine Glass Head Pins
Aurifil Thread
Batting

I started with a single mini charm pack but you can cut 2 1/2" squares from a charm pack or jelly roll or even use scrappy fabrics you have leftover from a previous project. Dividing the pieces up to make two baskets, I designed how I wanted them to look. I took a quick photo on my phone to remind myself how I had them all set up perfectly! (All seams are sewn with a ¼” seam allowance unless otherwise noted.) I did not cut all the pieces of the charm pack down. I headed right in and began sewing! The basket will turn out a little bigger, but that was ok with me.

I needed three extra small squares per basket panel so I cut them out of the color of shabby fabric that I had chosen for the bottom of the basket.

I laid the blocks on the right onto the blocks on the left and chain stitched them together. This is where taking a photo really helps keep things straight!

I continued to match and sew until there were two rows of the 12 squares sewed together creating the front and back of each basket.

Make sure to nest the seams so the finished panel lays flat.

I cut one piece of shabby fabric that was 8” x 12” to sew in between the two panels to create the bottom of the basket and sewed them together.

Once this was done, I laid the completed piece onto batting and cut one piece 16” x 12 ½”.

I "stitched in the ditch" along the line that separated the shabby from the patchwork pieces.

Then I basted both of the raw edges to hold them in place.

I cut off the excess batting to make the edges neat.

I folded right sides together in half and sewed the side seams. I like to start at the top and sew my way down to the fold, preventing any slipping of the fabric and creating uneven edges or puckers.

I positioned the seams to make a point so I could measure 1 ¾” up from the tip and drew a line, then sewed a box corner and cut the tip off leaving a ¼” edge.

To make the handles, I cut two strips of the shabby fabric 4” x 8 ½”. I pressed wrong sides together in half. Then I reopened the strips and folded the outer edges into the center line, folded them shut, pressed again, and sewed a scant ¼” seam up both sides, being careful to catch both edges of the strip.

I pinned the strips onto the outer basket creating the handles.

I placed the handles on the edge of the basket, sewing them on using a scant ¼” seam.

To make the basket lining, I cut more shabby fabric for the inside of the basket 16” x 12 ½”. Fold this piece in half, right sides together, sew down both sides (remember to begin sewing at the top ends to help with any fabric shifting), but leave about a 2” gap on one side. (You will use this to pull the rest of the bag through once it is finished.) Remember to back stitch on all your seams when you begin and end. This will help stop unraveling of the seams when you are actively working with the pieces.

Measure up 1 ¼” from tip of the seams, sew and cut off the points leaving a ¼” edge.

Leave the outer bag assembly right side out. Turn the shabby lining outside in. Place these right sides together. Pin by matching the side seams first, then continue around the rest of the basket. Sew using a scant ¼” seam. Make sure to inspect that all edges have been caught in the stitches.

Turn the basket right side out through the opening you left open. Stitch around the top of the basket using a ¼” seam, creating a top stitch to finish and hold the top edge.