Picnic Basket Cover

Measure your picnic basket lid to determine what size to cut your fabrics. This cover is designed to fit a picnic basket lid that measures 13 x 20 inches. Make any necessary measurement changes for your own picnic basket cover before beginning the project.

• Two 9-1/2-inch unfinished Woven Star quilt blocks in coordinating colors
• 1-3/4 yards of red check
• 1/4 yard of white print
• 2 yards of piping cord
• 15 x 22-inch piece of fleece
• Two 2-1/2-inch star appliques

1. Download the free pattern for this project. (Downloading requires Adobe Acrobat Software.)

Woven Star quilt block pattern

Download Adobe Acrobat

2. Cut and sew from desired fabrics, following pattern instructions.

All seam allowances are 1/4 inch wide.

To make the best use of your fabrics, cut the pieces in the order that follows.

1. From red check, cut:

• 36 x 42-inch rectangle. Cut enough 5-1/2-inch bias strips to piece two 5-1/2 x 55-inch strips for ties and two 5-1/2 x 45-inch ruffle strips.
• 12 x 18-inch rectangle. Cut enough 1-1/2-inch bias strips to piece two 1-1/2 x 40-inch cording strips, two 10-1/2 x 13-1/2-inch backing pieces, four 2-1/2 x 9-1/2-inch sashing strips, and two 1-1/2 x 13-1/2-inch sashing strips.

2. From white print, cut:

• Two 3-1/2 x 42-inch strips for ruffle

3. Sew the two blocks together. Beginning at outside edge of a quilt block, sew a 2-1/2 x 9-1/2-inch sashing strip to top of the cover. Stop stitching 1/4 inch from inside edge of block. Repeat with three remaining sashing strips, adding to the top and bottoms of two blocks, again leaving a vent opening. Sew a 1-1/2 x 13-1/2-inch sashing strip to each side of basket cover top.

4. Layer cover top and fleece together; baste. Quilt as directed. Trim fleece to match the top. Cut a slit in the fleece 2-1/2 inches long at center top and bottom for a vent.

5. Cut two pieces of piping cord, each 36 inches long. Cover the piping cord with the 1-1/2-inch bias strips. Position one piping cord on the right side of the cover front, raw edges together, beginning and ending at the vent opening. Stitch the piping to one half of the cover top. Repeat with the second piping cord. Trim raw edges to match the cover edges. Right sides together, join one red check 5-1/2 x 45-inch bias strip with one white print 3-1/2 x 42 inch-strip lengthwise to make a ruffle strip 8-1/2 x 42 inches long. Repeat for a second ruffle strip. With right sides together, fold ruffle in half lengthwise. Sew across the ends of ruffle. Turn to the right side; press. Position ruffle's finished edges 1/4 inch from edge of vent. Gather raw edges, adjusting gathers around one half of the top. Stitch ruffle over piping, matching raw edges. Repeat for second half of basket top.

6. Measure 2-1/2 inches from each top and bottom edge of backing squares. Sew together, beginning and ending at the 2-1/2 inch mark.

7. Lay cover back on cover top, right sides together. Begin 1/4 inch from a vent, sew to opposite side, stopping 1/4 inch from vent. Repeat for a second side, this time, leave an opening for turning along the side seam. Stitch. Stitch opening closed at side seam.

8. Turn under seam allowances on sashing and back at vent and turn to back side of the cover. Hand stitch facing hem.

9. With right sides together, sew each tie together lengthwise, tapering to a point on either end. Leave an opening for turning. Trim corners. Turn to right side. Stitch openings closed; press. Make a pleat at the center of each tie. Stitch each tie over a vent opening. Glue or sew an appliqued star to center of each block.

10. Place cover on basket lid. Secure by tying in a bow around handles.