Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Low Volume #2 and More Work on the Vertical Basket Quilt

I couldn't resist any longer.  Just had to get started on my next Low Volume project!  These are the first cuts I'm going to play with and see what happens next.  I didn't get very far though because the Vertical Basket Quilt has been weighing very heavily on my conscience lately.  There's actually very little left to do!
Low Volume #2
I had so many side setting triangles left that I just ended up using them for the corner setting triangles too.  Fold in half and slice with the rotary cutter!  Easy peasy.  I know that's not proper 'straight of the grain', but I just can't see wasting fabric when I know all I have to do is be careful and pin a lot.
Corner setting triangles on Vertical Basket panels
I very carefully cut my brown fabric strips so that the same part of the pattern is showing through the width cut.  It probably seems ironic to do that when my baskets are definitely not perfect, but that's the beauty of quilting!  My motto is: It's important to learn how to do things correctly so that you fully understand where you might end up if perhaps you choose not to.*wink
Sewing the panels together
After all the baskets panels were sewn to the inside brown strips, I checked to make sure that I was still okay with the width of the brown fabric strips.  At first I was worried they were too wide in proportion to the baskets, but after I stepped back and looked?  I like it.  I really, really like it!  I think if I cut off more of the width, then I would be losing the cable effect that is acting as a great design element.
Vertical Basket Quilt without borders
I know I mentioned in an earlier post that this quilt was initially inspired by the brown French General fabric that I bought for my birthday a couple years ago. The funny thing was, about a year after my original purchase I discovered it in the bargain bin and then of course felt compelled to buy another couple yards. You know, just in case!  Sometimes my impulses do over-ride my innate frugal streak which in this case made it much easier to settle on a kind of Kaye England look (something I always associate with fussy cut strips).
Looking at it with borders....
Since I haven't actually followed a pattern, I guess it should come as no surprise that simply adding the brown strips to the outside doesn't seem to do it for me. That would be way too easy.  I love how the basket panels 'pop', but right now I'm thinking about adding a coping strip of accent color to frame the main part of the quilt?
With coping strip border and outer border...
Except for the brown fabric, every other fabric I used was straight out of my totes.  Wouldn't it be nice if I could find something for the accent border right out of my totes too?

19 comments:

  1. I really, really love it! That brown fabric is just perfect to set of the rows of baskets & the baskets are just great, what a lovely pattern. Like your new project, the fabrics you pulled for it.

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  2. WoW! So pretty a basket quilt!!
    I love basket patterns. :D

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  3. The brown fabric stripes/sashing - wonderful! And I like the idea of an accent fabric mini-border, too. Can't wait to see the finished top!

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  4. Very nice! I think the sashing strips are perfect for your quilt and really worth the effort to fussy cut.

    I have done the same with bargain bin shopping. I figured if I liked the fabric enough to pay $$$ for it, I would like it even more if I only paid $ for it!

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  5. love your baskets such a scrappy old fashioned looking quilts - reminds one of grandma (if grandma quilted that is :) )

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  6. The brown fabric is just perfect for your basket quilt. The careful cutting paid off. Do you know what line of fabric the brown is from?

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  7. I REALLY want this quilt!!!
    Absolutely gorgeous!
    A cup of coffee or tea with a good book and this quilt to snuggle with...haha, as if that ever happens for Mom!! Dreaming is almost just a good. :)

    blessings on such a beautiful creation

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  8. Stunning! Nice work on cutting the borders. Obviously very labour intensive, but soooo worth it!! It looks perfect.

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  9. Yes, I really love the fussy-cut brown strips too. Personally, I prefer the quilt with just the brown edges, and no extra stripe in there. I like the way the baskets "float" on the brown background. But you must do what feels best to you, of course! The extra stripe would "anchor" the quilt, and sometimes that is nice too. :)

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  10. Wow! I love the brown fussy cut sashing! I wasn't sure about the green coping strip until I enlarged the picture... love it! Looking forward to seeing the quilt when it's completed!

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  11. What a beautiful quilt. I love the brown also , it goes perfect with the baskets.

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  12. I really like what you have done with the brown print. It is a very nice effect.

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  13. What a beauty! Love the brown strip with the baskets. It looks very vintage and charming.

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  14. I love how your sashing fabric mimics the diagonal lines in your baskets. I also love that it's all made from fabric on hand. Beautiful quilt!

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  15. Beautiful quilt. Love the colors. I think the border sets it off nicely.

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  16. I like the colour combinations of your baskets and the fussy cut sashing complements them beautifully. I like the top with and without the coping strip. No help there, sorry.

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  17. I love this quilt!!! Your strips are so perfectly cut to create a wonderful pattern! I'll be interested to see if you go with a coping border. I like the plain brown border but then you're the one standing in front of the quilt and can see things we don't. Isn't it great when you see a favourite fabric in the bargain bin! You can't get too much of a good thing, especially if its a good price :)

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  18. What a great quilt ! I love the baskets and your colors are so nice....

    Karin

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