Riley Blake Grandma's Basket - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Grandma's Basket – Downloadable Quilt Pattern by Erin Turner Studio

The Riley Blake Grandma's Basket pattern, designed by Erin Turner Studio and available as a free downloadable PDF, is a classic basket-block quilt pattern that results in a stunning 68½" x 68½" finished quilt. Rated as beginner-friendly, this pattern is an excellent introduction to traditional quilting with a timeless, heirloom aesthetic. It is part of the Riley Blake brand family and is associated with the Penny Rose Fabrics collection.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a square throw or lap quilt measuring 68½" x 68½", constructed from classic Grandma's Basket blocks, each finishing at 10" x 10". The overall design features a traditional on-point setting with setting triangles and corner triangles that frame the basket blocks beautifully, giving the finished quilt a diagonal, dynamic visual layout. Multiple coordinating borders frame the central design, adding structure and a polished, finished look.

Techniques Used

This pattern requires a basic knowledge of quilting technique and terminology, making it accessible to confident beginners while still offering enough construction detail to engage intermediate quilters. Key techniques include:

• Y-seam construction – The pattern specifically calls out familiarity with the Y-seam method, a technique used when three seams meet at a single point. This is essential for achieving the precise angles found in the basket block design.
• On-point block setting – Blocks are arranged diagonally, requiring the cutting and piecing of setting triangles and corner triangles to fill in the edges and corners of the quilt top.
• Half-square triangle (HST) construction – Squares are cut once diagonally to yield half-square triangles used throughout the blocks and borders.
• Quarter-square triangle construction – Larger squares are cut twice diagonally to yield quarter-square triangles, labeled as Piece B and Piece E within the pattern instructions.
• Strip cutting and sub-cutting – Width-of-fabric (WOF) strips are cut to specific measurements and then sub-cut into rectangles and squares for efficient, accurate piecing.
• Multi-border construction – The quilt features four distinct borders, each requiring careful measurement through the center of the quilt before cutting, ensuring flat, square results.
• Template use – The pattern references provided templates, suggesting some pattern pieces require tracing and cutting beyond standard rotary cutting.

Stitches and Piecing Details

As a quilting pattern, Grandma's Basket is constructed entirely through straight-stitch machine sewing. All seam allowances are a consistent ¼ inch, which is the quilting industry standard. Pieces are sewn with right sides together unless otherwise noted in the instructions. Precision in cutting and sewing is especially important given the diagonal setting and the Y-seam junctions within the basket blocks.

Materials – Fabric and Notions

The pattern is designed around the Isabella Fat Quarter Stack (FQ-4690-27) from Riley Blake / Penny Rose Fabrics, supplemented by coordinating yardage cuts. The specific fabrics required are:

• Blue Main (C4690 Blue) – 1¼ yards (1.15 m), used for Border 4 (cut as 7 strips, 5½" x WOF)
• Blue Rose (C4692 Blue) – 1 yard (95 cm), used for Border 2 (cut as 5 strips, 4½" x WOF)
• Blue Petal (C4696 Blue) – 2¾ yards (2.55 m), the primary block fabric used for the basket pieces, setting triangles, corner triangles, and Borders 1 and 3; also yields the various triangle pieces (Piece B, Piece E, Piece F) and rectangles throughout the block construction
• Binding fabric – 5/8