Panels like this one are always enticing. I really like the motifs, but then I get them home and they sit because I can’t decide what to do with them. I loved these Santas, but I don’t need another Christmas wall hanging or lap quilt. So, what to do? I began looking around on the internet for inspiration and spent a lovely Sunday morning noodling on Pinterest. I saw a quilted laundry bucket that I was stunned to find out was a Walmart ad!! Well, this panel could be something like that!

I’m going to show this pattern as a process here, because you won’t be able to find this exact panel and the one you do find may have a different size of motif. I began by cutting across the bit that I had to get two rows of Santas.

I wanted it bigger around, so I added more Santas to the end. Some of the motifs will repeat. Now I have two rows of five motifs each sewn together.

Measure the width of the main patchwork.

Now, don’t get scared. There is some math here, but you don’t have to do it. This piece will be the sides of the bucket. So, we need to figure out how big to make the bottom. The piece measures about 35 inches, so let’s put that into a calculator to calculate radius from the measurement of the circumference – use this online Radius Calculator. I put in 35 inches, and it told me the radius would be 5.5729 inches. That is over 5-and-a-half, so I rounded up to the next quarter inch at 5-3/4. Remember, you can always trim a bit, but you can’t go up in size if you make it too small.

Using a piece of freezer paper, mark a dot where the center will be, and another dot at 5-3/4 inches away.

Put a pin in the center, and tie a piece of string to a pencil with the length allowing the pencil to make the right size circle.

Cut out the circle pattern, and use it to cut a bottom piece.

Layer the pieces with batting and backing. Quilt the panel piece.

Then quilt the bottom piece.

Trim the pieces. You’ll need additional fabric for binding.

Fold the base piece in half, meeting the short edges right sides together and stitch the seam.

Next, cut a strip of backing fabric at 1-1/2-inches wide x the length of the seam. Sew the strip along the same seam line on the backing side.

Press the seam open.

Wrap the strip over the raw seam edges and tuck the raw edge of the strip under the seam allowance.

Topstitch the folded edge to finish the inside seam. I fold the edges of the bucket up a bit and sew with the seam inside the bucket rather than turning inside out.

That is plenty for today! We’ll finish the bucket tomorrow. Have fun!!

**************

Fat Quarter Shop has several cute Christmas Panels to make this project! See the Holiday Cheer panel, this cute Claus and Co panel, the Feathered Festivities panel, or this Holly Jolly Snowmen panel.

Shop July Fat Quarter Shop July specials! Take 20% off the Basic of the Month Grunge Basics by Moda, 30% Off the Notions of the Month from Taylor Seville, and book of the month Strawberry Garden Quilt Book. Take 30% off featured Patterns of the Month from Jen Kingwell! Then, check out Today’s Flash Sale and see the Precuts of the Week!! Check out the new holiday project bags by It’s Sew Emma. Pre-order the Limited Edition Christmas travel mug from Fat Quarter Shop. Modern red and teal on a pink background, it has cute motifs with the look of a vintage quilt.