Over thirty basket handles stitched on the background fabrics and ready for further sewing. Hoping to see some progress this weekend, but it's not looking super promising for the marathon sew-in I was hoping for. Who plans a baby shower for 1:00 on a Saturday afternoon? People with zero hobbies?
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| Basket Love |
I spent quite a bit of time in the quilt room the last several days, playing with fabric stacks, drawing quick sketches and thinking about new quilt ideas. There have been at least five different stacks of fabrics that I've been contemplating for awhile, wondering which direction to go. Several of those stacks have very similar colorways {I do tend to get in a
rut, ahem! groove}, although possibly in darker, lighter or brighter tones and shades and in every group there is at least one different color introduced as I continually play and experiment. The brightest fabric stack always causes me the most self doubt. I have one stack I've put back into the totes at least twice now and then pulled back out again at a later date. It keeps drawing me in, trying to get me to play, but I am sooo... nervous to dive in and test the waters! What if it ends up looking exactly like every other quilt I see on the Net these days? How boring would that be?*wink
Yesterday, after spending way too much valuable time seam ripping the hems out of several pairs of {my sons} khaki shorts, I finally gave in to temptation and started a new project. For real this time! Not just dreaming and a stack of fabric anymore, but actual cutting into fabric and applique prep. I still need to fiddle around with proportion, but I'm well on my way to taking the first stitch to the foundation of my new Big Basket. It's going to be a charmer, I can already tell....
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| Another Big Basket |
And then there's the new quilt in the hoop. The flowers in Scrappy Tulips are made strictly out of the scrap bin and all the fabric in the quilt top came straight out of the stash. I adore these stringy tulips, and as always, wonder why I don't make ALL my quilts exactly like this one. There's just something about a random mix of scrap bin prints that completely melt my heart.
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| Scrappy Tulips |
These kinds of quilts are so easy to hand quilt because I just soak in the colors and fabrics and it never gets old. I started out hand quilting because I love the look and all these years later? Still loving the look, only maybe a teensy, tiny bit more because of the Perle Cotton. That texture. Hhmm, hymm good....
I love that scrappy tulips quilt and the big stitch qulting is perfect for it!! Love it!
ReplyDeleteHave fun with the new project!! Totally understand the possible quilt stacks, too.
ReplyDeleteNeat scrappy tulips---and that big basket looks so promising...have fun in the "stacks" hugs, Julierose
ReplyDeleteLove your 'scrappy tulips'! They look quite big, yes? I love spending time making up 'stacks' for future projects, but I tend to forget what plans I had in mind over time! {note to self - must write my ideas down!}
ReplyDeletethat is a lot of handles to make - I'm so glad the basket quilt I am making I redrew the template up into one piece after I had done about 5 handles separately
ReplyDeletecan see you are having fun playing around with your fabric stash, I had a good look at mine the other day pondering what to do but still pondering. Liking the scrappy tulip I too am a scrap lover. Re hand quilting do you use a hoop? have just completed a second hand quilted quilt but stitches aren`t all the same size and my left hand has 2 very pricked fingers. Love using perle too
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be getting a lot done at the moment, even with baby showers interrupting your sewing time. I'm excited by the idea of another Big Basket - maybe a whole series of them even? I play around but have never had the sense to make notes. Now I will take a leaf out of your better-organised book and write more stuff down.
ReplyDeleteI love this tulip, my friend! It will turn out great!
ReplyDeleteThat scrappy tulip looks so good, especially with the hand quilting. I now have perle cotton and other beautiful threads, so no longer have an excuse to do my own hand quilting.
ReplyDeleteThe tulips are great--wonderful use of the stripe for background
ReplyDeleteGood for you - starting a new project. Looking forward to seeing what you have planned for the large basket. You come up with such unique ideas. I enjoy the "Big Stitch" too. It makes me happy that the quilt is coming together faster and that it's not as much of a strain on my hands as regular hand quilting.
ReplyDeleteWoo hoo! Can't wait to see where the next big basket goes. Love the scrappy tulips too -- those string appliques are very tempting. :D
ReplyDeleteSuper fun new project...but my heart melts with your string tulips...amazing!
ReplyDeletegorgeous project! and yes, some people think quilters do it to use up time...NOT!
ReplyDeleteYou ARE having fun, aren't you?! Can't wait to see your new basket quilt grow. Enjoy, my friend xx
ReplyDeleteLove those basket handles!!I absolutely love quilt makers who can mix bright and muddy colors and make them look fabulous together and you definitely have that gift!! Can't wait to see the finished quilt!!
ReplyDeleteI have the opposite problem, AudreY. My quilts end upbright. I Question the quiet stacks instead.
ReplyDeleteYour string tulips remind me of Susan McCord's string leaves. Beautiful.
I adore the background of your scrappy tulips!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the baby shower time!!