The June Block is Liberated Basket

In June we're making liberated baskets using what I'm calling the Drawing with your Rotary Cutter technique. Michelle made this great example.

This liberated basket has a traditional appliqué handle–it's another exercise in using bias and if you haven't made handles (or vines) like this before, I hope you will give it a try as your quilting S*T*R*E*T*C*H for this month.

Block Pattern

The directions for  making this block can be found here:

Liberated Basket Block

And there's a post on this blog with tips for making the handles  here:

A closer Look at Making Basket Handles 

Rules for Our Blocks

All of our blocks must:

• Measure 6.5 by 8.5 inches (to finish at 6 by 8 inches)
• Have yellow or gold (solid or tone-on-tone) backgrounds
• Have red (solid or tone-on-tone) bases and handles
• Have curved handles which are 1/2 inch wide
• Have scrappy basket bodies containing 5 or more fabrics.

For multiple blocks, you may use the same yellow or gold background and red handles/bases in all your blocks.

The shape and proportions of your basket are up to you as is how you choose to free piece the basket.  Try strings, crumbs, a wonky log cabin.  If you have small orphan blocks, try including them.  The technique in the directions uses a shape cut from the background as a foundation, but if you have (or choose to make) string-pieced fabric or crumb blocks.  You can use the shape as a template to cut the basket from your pieced fabric.

Labels for Blog Posts this Month

Please use the label liberated basket for any blog post related to the blocks this month.  Add the label June 10 photos to any post that contains the photos of your blocks.

Some Inspiration: a Virtual Quilt

Here are 30 of the 41 blocks already made by sneak peekers Caroline, Ginny, June, Michelle, Pat, Rho and Sarah. Original photos of all of the blocks from everyone appear in the next post. You can click any of the individual photos for a full size photo or see them all in my flickr photo stream tagged Liberated Basket Quilt Block.