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Sewing Basket Foundation Paper Piecing Pattern

Free to print · Advanced · 67 pieces · 15 sections · 14″ block

Open and print this pattern
Pattern diagram in the suggested fabrics. Every line is a seam.

A woven basket in gold and copper rows with rust stakes going over and under, a rust rim and arched handle, and folded teal and rose fabric and a red spool peeking over the top, on sky blue.

Opens in the free FPP tool. Pick your fabrics and block size, then print or download the PDF. No account needed.

Finished size
14″ × 14″
Prints at
4 to 18″
Pieces
67
Sections
15
Smallest piece
about 0.4 sq in at 14″
Fabrics
7
Skill level
Advanced
Price
Free, no sign-up
Using it
Use it for anything you sew, including quilts you sell. Please don't resell or repost the pattern itself; share a link to this page instead.

About this pattern

The Sewing Basket is a free foundation paper piecing (FPP) pattern from NiftyFifty: a 14-inch square block of 67 pieces sewn in 15 sections, using 7 fabrics, at a advanced skill level. It opens in NiftyFifty's free browser-based FPP tool, which prints mirrored foundations with 1/4-inch seam allowance at 4 to 18 inches. Every seam is a straight line, so the whole block is sewn with the flip-and-sew method.

Piece map

Letters are sections, numbers are sewing order. Dashed lines outline each section's foundation.

F2F1C8C9C10C7A10A11A12A9B10B11B12E5E6E7C5B6A6B8B7A7B9A8C6C2A2B2C4B4A4B5A5C3B3A3D1C1B1A1E3E4E2E1E8G1I2I3I1I5I4I6H2H1H5H3H6I7H4H7J1L1N1H8K1M1O1

How to sew it

  1. Open and printOpen the pattern in the free FPP tool, pick your fabrics and a block size (4 to 18 inches), and print or download the PDF. Print at 100% and check the 1-inch test square.
  2. Cut the foundations apartCut each section's foundation apart just outside its dashed line. The dashed line is the 1/4-inch seam allowance.
  3. Sew each section in number orderSew all 15 sections on the foundation, piece 1 first, then 2, 3 and on. Flip, press and trim the seam to 1/4 inch after each one. When a section is done, trim it on its dashed line.
  4. Join the sections
    Show all 14 joins, in order
    1. Join section A to section B along their shared straight seam.
    2. Sew section C to the A+B assembly along their shared straight seam.
    3. Sew section D to the A+B+C assembly along their shared straight seam.
    4. Sew section E to the D+A+B+C assembly along their shared straight seam.
    5. Sew section F to the E+D+A+B+C assembly along their shared straight seam.
    6. Sew section G to the E+D+A+B+C+F assembly along their shared straight seam.
    7. Join section H to section I along their shared straight seam.
    8. Sew section J to the H+I assembly along their shared straight seam.
    9. Sew section K to the H+I+J assembly along their shared straight seam.
    10. Sew section L to the K+H+I+J assembly along their shared straight seam.
    11. Sew section M to the K+H+I+J+L assembly along their shared straight seam.
    12. Sew section N to the K+H+I+J+L+M assembly along their shared straight seam.
    13. Sew section O to the K+H+I+J+L+M+N assembly along their shared straight seam.
    14. Join the G+E+D+A+B+C+F assembly to the K+H+I+J+L+M+N+O assembly.
  5. Finish the blockPress, check that the block measures 14.5 inches square with seam allowance (14 inches finished), then tear the paper away.

Fabrics

  • Sky Blue59% of the block, 21 pieces
  • Rust17% of the block, 17 pieces
  • Copper10% of the block, 12 pieces
  • Mustard10% of the block, 14 pieces
  • Teal2% of the block, 1 piece
  • Ruby1% of the block, 1 piece
  • Dusty Rose1% of the block, 1 piece

Suggested colors. The printed pattern lists rough-cut sizes for whatever fabrics you choose.

Choosing a block size

Smaller blocks mean smaller pieces. Under about half a square inch, pieces get fiddly, so this one is most comfortable at 16″ and up.

Finished blockSmallest piece
6″ × 6″about 0.1 sq in
8″ × 8″about 0.1 sq in
10″ × 10″about 0.2 sq in
12″ × 12″about 0.3 sq in
14″ × 14″ (as drafted)about 0.4 sq in
16″ × 16″about 0.5 sq in

A sewing tip for this block

The over-and-under look comes from the small rust stake pieces, so keep them lined up from row to row and press each row flat before joining it to the next.

What to make with it

Color the folded fabrics to match a quilt you love, and use the block on a sewing room mini quilt or the lid of a real sewing box.

Try it in other colors

A pale wicker basket in butter and parchment with a brown rim looks sunny on soft green. Every fabric can be swapped in the FPP tool before you print.

Make it yours: every pattern is a starting point

These patterns are free and open to change. Think of each one as a starting point, not a finished rule: remix it into your colors, your size, your idea.

  1. 1Open itEvery pattern opens in the free FPP tool, no account needed.
  2. 2Change anythingSwap fabrics, change the size, move or add seams. The sewing order and sections update on their own.
  3. 3Save it as yoursSave your version to a free account and share it. Other quilters can then remix yours, credited to you.
Open and remix this pattern

Questions

What can I make with the Sewing Basket block?

Color the folded fabrics to match a quilt you love, and use the block on a sewing room mini quilt or the lid of a real sewing box.

Is this sewing basket FPP pattern free?

Yes. The Sewing Basket pattern is free to open, recolor and print, and you don't need an account. It opens in NiftyFifty's free FPP tool, which prints the foundations or downloads them as a PDF.

Is the Sewing Basket block good for beginners?

It's best once you have a few paper pieced blocks behind you: 67 pieces in 15 sections, so there are 14 joins to line up. Printing it larger makes every piece roomier.

How many pieces and sections does the Sewing Basket block have?

67 pieces in 15 sections, using 7 fabrics. Each section is sewn on its own foundation, then the sections are joined along straight seams. The printed pattern numbers every piece in sewing order.

What size does it print?

It's drafted as a 14-inch finished block, and you can print it at 4 to 18 inches. At 14 inches the smallest piece is about 0.4 square inches; at 6 inches it's about 0.1 square inches.

Can I sell quilts I make from the Sewing Basket pattern?

Yes. Use it for anything you sew, including quilts you sell. Please don't resell or repost the pattern itself; share a link to this page instead.

Is there a PDF of the sewing basket pattern?

Yes. The FPP tool downloads a PDF with a 1-inch test square, a color key, an assembly map, the sewing order and every foundation drawn at exact size with 1/4-inch seam allowance. Print it at 100%.

Can I change the colors?

Yes. Open it in the FPP tool, click a piece, then click a fabric: over 600 real Kona and Bella solids plus thousands of prints. You can also move seams or add new ones before you print.

More like this

Part of: Free Sewing Room Foundation Paper Piecing Patterns. Or browse all free FPP patterns.

Want to draw your own? The free FPP pattern maker turns any drawing into a printable pattern, and the Pattern Designer builds pieced blocks on a grid.