How to sew square fabric baskets?

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Ingrid Alteneder

Ingrid Alteneder

Hey there, I love fabric, sewing, quilting and most of all Foundation Paper Piecing. Welcome to my blog!

square fabric baskets

Do you love square boxes and baskets as much as I do? I have to admit I am a little bit obsessed.
I love storing things in little boxes, baskets and containers, especially if they’re square shaped.
So I decided it’s high time I made  a free pattern for some little square fabric boxes.
When I saw this new fabric line from Minkie Kim for Riley Blake Designs I thought
​fruits, fruits and some more fruits.
And these delicious fruits needed to go somewhere special, don’t you agree?
So I made some cute little square fabric baskets or containers.
These are really easy to make.

fruit quilt blocks

Fabric square boxes: please read through the instructions first

Tools needed:
-sewing machine/ thread and fabric
-cutting mat/ rotary cutter and acrylic ruler
-pins or clips and iron
optional tools to make your life easier:
-spray baste
-fabric glue pen for your foundation paper piecing 

Materials needed: 
box sizes: S – 4″x 4″x 4″ , M – 5″x 5″x 5″, L – 6″x 6″x 6″ ( width x hight x depth)
S: quilt block apple in 4″ size (will be 4 1/2″ when sewn together) 
    4 squares 4 1/2″ of fabric for exterior
    5 squares 4 1/4″ of ‘soft and stable’ @byAnnie or Pellon Fusible Flex foam stabilizer
    5 squares  4 1/2″ of fabric for lining.

M: quilt block strawberry in 5″ (will be 5 1/2″ when sewn together)
     4 squares 5 1/2″ of fabric for exterior 
     5 squares 5 1/4″ of stabilizer (see above)
     5 squares 5 1/2″ of fabric for lining

L: quilt block lemon in 6″ (will be 6 1/2″ when sewn together)
     4 squares 6 1/2″ of fabric for exterior 
     5 squares 6 1/4″ of stabilizer (see above)
     5 squares 6 1/2″ of fabric for lining

Materials for fabric box

1. Sew your apple quilt block ( size 4″x 4″)
​and cut your fabrics and foam stabilizer according to the measurements given above..

add foam stabilizer to your fabric squares

2. Add the foam stabilizer to your fabric squares.
If you have fusible stabilizer  you will need to iron it on your squares. If you’re using ‘soft and stable’ @Byannie like me, you can attach it to your fabric squares with glue baste spray.
Your foam stabilizer will be 1/8″  smaller than your squares.

fabric squares for your fabric square box

3. Assemble the exterior of your fabric square box.
Place your squares as shown above.  First start with sewing your apple quilt block to the center square. Before you start sewing, mark 1/4″ cross from both edges at the corners.
Start sewing at the point of the cross with 1/4″ seam allowance, back stitch at the beginning and the end of your seam. 

mark the corners

seam 1/4" seam allowance

Then sew the opposite square of your quilt block to the center square the same way.
​Then add the two side squares. Sew all 4 squares to your center square the same way.
​The center square will be the base of your fabric cube.

join the side edge seams of your fabric cube

Next you will need to lay the adjacent side pieces together (right sides together).
And sew them the same way, with a 1/4″ seam allowance, start right at the top, but stop 1/4″ from the end. Repeat for all 4 sides till your cube is all sewn together, like shown above.

place lining squares as exterior squares

4. Sewing the lining of your fabric cube
Place your lining squares the same way you placed your exterior squares. Stitch them together the same way too. Attach the side squares to the bottom square first. Then sew the side seams.
​Leave a 3″ gap in one of the side seams for turning your cube later. 


leave a 3″ opening in one of the side seams of the lining
turn the exterior cube right sides out, leave lining cube as is.

5. Put the square fabric box together.
Turn your exterior box right sides out, but leave your lining cube the way it is, insides out.
Now place your exterior box inside the lining box.
​Align the side seams and pin or clip in place, make sure the top edges align.

place the exterior box inside the lining and clip in place.

Sew along the top edge with 1/4″ seam allowance.

turn your box inside out

To finish your fabric basket/ box, turn the box right sides out through the opening in the side seam of the lining. Press the lining at the top edge into the box.
Do not press down the foam stabilizer, this way you get a cute trim of your lining fabric at the top edge. Stitch along the top edge with a small seam allowance.

square fabric boxes

apple fabric box

fabric square box 5"x 5"

lemon fabric box 6"x 6"

Thank you Riley Blake Designs for the opportunity to design these fruity quilt block patterns and for supplying the super pretty fabric series ‘misty morning’ designed by Minkie Kim

that I used in this quilt pattern series.

​Happy sewing everyone

Ingrid x

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