Works in Progress - 2/13/2013

Since finishing up Easy Street, I've been working on catching up on some of my other projects, and whittling away at my Get It Done list for February.

But first I thought I'd share this SO CUTE little Heart Basket I made for Valentine's Day!

Isn't it just the sweetest little basket?  

I gave this to my husband filled with his favorite candies for Valentine's Day.  

No, I couldn't wait!!!  He got it early :*D

Here are a progression of pictures as I put it together.  It was a lot of fun!
(And yes, that is a Pocahontas beach towel under there LOL!!!)

The base is sometimes the hardest part, getting it square and the right size. 
It's especially hard when you have these odd angles!!!
Then getting the strips to stand up straight - I learned that this process is called "upsetting".
Yes, it was definitely upsetting to me at times LOL!!!

You have to clip the corners together until it is far enough along to begin keeping the correct shape.

It's beginning to look like a basket!!!  Don't you just love that deep pink reed?!?

The finishing touch!

This basket took me about 2-1/2 hours to make.  The other girls in the class finished up much more quickly than I did because they make baskets every month.  I also got there late :)  So they were halfway finished by the time I got there.  By the time I left, they had finished their basket, as well as a miniature one just like it!  Donna Christian teaches these classes, and she is such a great teacher!  If you're local to Nashville and would like to learn basket weaving, Donna's your girl!  Thanks again Donna!!!

Basket making is something I enjoy as a totally different hobby than quilting.  Sometimes I tend to get in too deep with quilting, too intense, too obsessed, so that I eat, sleep, breathe quilting!  I'm sure that never happens to any of you LOL!!!  It's nice to totally switch off the quilting button once in a while and take a breather.

Knitting/crocheting is another way I like to switch it up and relax with something different.  As I shared in my last post, I am working on this scarf which is a free pattern from Red Heart called Shore Thing.

And this is how far I've gotten on it.  

It took a little bit to get started because I couldn't get the instructions right to save me!  But it finally came together and it's coming along nicely now.  It's not an easy pattern though, so it won't be one of those I just pick up and work on without thinking about it.  I'm loving the colors, especially since they are not colors that I've worked with recently - another nice change!

As I expected, I was able to get quite a lot done on my next blocks for The Blue Collection at sit-n-sew on Monday!  This first block is completed except for leaving an opening at the mouth of the vase for flowers to come later after the blocks are assembled.

This was a really easy block to do because I basically let the fabric do the work of embellishment.  All the fabrics have lovely goldwork in them.

Then, I began working on the second vase, which will require quite a bit more work because it is assembled with lots of layers...

I noticed when posting this picture that the brown section seems woppy at the bottom, but I went back to check the pattern and it is that way too.  I may have to go back and smooth that out anyway.  We'll see.

And last, but certainly not least, I need to decide on a back for Easy Street.  I have this wonderful wide-back piece of aqua that I just love with it...

The problem however, as you can see here, is that it is not long enough....  

I must have bought the end of a bolt in a sale when I got this, because I always buy at least 3 yards of a wide-back - this is only a little over 2 yards.  I thought about keeping it for a lap-size quilt, and I may still do that.  But if I decide to use it, I either need to find a similar or complementary piece to make up the difference or make more Easy Street blocks to carry the design over to the back.  Ugh!!!  Not sure I could handle making more ES blocks right now!  Having this quilt and the backing ready for quilting is one of my February Get It Done items, so I want to get it done quickly and not just put it on a shelf until later.

So that's what I'm up to this week - busy, busy, busy!!!

And what does Gypsy think of all my hard work?  

Something tells me she is NOT impressed LOL!!!

I'll be linking up here with these fun blogs - come join in the fun!!!

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Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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Orange’s Last Hurrah!

I kind of hate to see Orange leave for this year.  It’s been such a fun color to play with :*)  

I am combining my posts for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and Kathy’s Slow Stitching on Sunday.  It’s Ryder Cup time in the golf world, so hubby and I will be cozied up to the TV most of the weekend, watching to see how the US fares.  Which is of course a perfect time for me to do some really relaxing slow stitching :*)

This is the block I am working on today.  It is part of The Blue Collection, an old project that I've been stitching on for years now, in an off-and-on fashion.  The below picture is the designer's quilt... isn't it just so gorgeous???  And with all those blues, it was way too tempting for me to not attempt it!  =^..^=

The Blue Collection, designed by Maggie Walker
Photo from maggiewalkerdesign.com

Sometimes I put it down for months, because I can only handle so much needleturn applique without a good long break.  But I always pick it back up because I love it so and would love to have it hanging on my wall! =^..^=  And since I finished up my Orange mini-pineapples earlier in the month, I thought this old UFO would be perfect to work on today.

Almost all of these fabrics are from my scraps.  I bought most of the patterns as BOM sets from a friend who sold some of her stash when she moved north.  Then I contacted the designer, Maggie Walker, to purchase the remaining 5 patterns.  She was so warm and helpful, delighted that I loved her pattern of course!  Most of the fabrics in the kits provided by the quilt shop to my friend were not fabrics that I would have chosen, so I have mostly replaced them with my own, and many of my replacements have come from my scraps.

I thought this might be a good day to show off my Sewing Basket too :*)

I made this basket last year in a class taught by Donna Christian, a local award-winning basket & quilting teacher.  Thanks Donna!!!  Isn’t it amazing!?!  I never thought I could make such a thing, but I learned that basket making is not really that hard when you have a great teacher =^..^=  As you can see, it has everything you need for hand stitching!

And I love the different compartments which keep me from having to dig out the tool I need from a jumbled up mess in the middle of the basket!

I put my silk threads for applique on the bobbins - all the thread ends held neatly on the bobbin by little pony tail holders! - and then add other spools as needed for colors since I don’t have a very wide variety of colors in the silks.  The bobbins & spools are held in place on dowels that run through the handle.  And on each side of the dowels, are these cute little decorative charms!

My initials on the left.....

And on the right a lovely red heart & a musical clef symbol for Music City Quilt Guild

So it appears I am all set for some lovely stitching this weekend!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and fun projects to play with :*D

As for Stash Enhancement, there was no fabric in and none out this week!  Be sure to go to Patchwork Times to see what lovely fabrics others added to their stashes, and maybe I'll do better next week ;*)

Hugs & Blessings!
Teresa
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