Vertical Baskets in Spring 2015 Bloggers Quilt Festival

Time for spring Bloggers Quilt Festival again over at Amy's Creative Side! Love this mammoth online quilt show to pieces. So many wonderful quilts to look at and admire!

Vertical Baskets

I've been dragging my heels a bit about getting the binding finished up and then remembered the quilt show. Sadly, extra motivation is always a good thing when it comes to the binding around here.

Looking at some of the texture...

This was a quilt I made after buying a yard of the brown fabric for my birthday one year. I think it was 2012? {Oh yes, I can work on my quilts for a very long time.} Then I went back to the store later and saw it in the clearance bin. Oh no! Not this great fabric! So I bought up enough to use as vertical panels in a quilt that quickly materialized in my brain.

Hanging on the railing....

Not that I had all the pieces figured out until much, much later, but somehow it all came together anyway. All the rest of the fabrics were straight out of my stash {I tried to use a lot of reproduction fabrics} and the pattern and different basket handles were sort of made up as I went along. I ended up using a lot of different fat quarters to make up the setting triangles and I love how the value change creates movement in the quilt.

And another view...

It could've been a very dark, somber looking quilt because of the colors I used, but somehow there's just enough lighter colors to generate a bit of energy. The different colored diamonds in the center panels were created when I decided to try inserting two other fabrics behind the panel and attempted some reverse applique. So easy to do and I think it completely changed the look of the quilt for the better. Just a little spark of color can go a very long way.

A close up of the stitching

It's hard to get a good picture of this quilt, but I wanted to show you the texture of the quilt too. I ended up hand quilting this one a little more than I meant to, but I think the effect is well worth the effort!

Taking it out of the dryer this afternoon was a really big highlight of my week. Why do I ever procrastinate on the binding anyway? There's just something about a freshly washed, crinkly quilt that always makes me have a great big ol' smile! So that's it. You finally get to see the whole, entire quilt finished and ready to start snuggling with.*sigh This 81 1/2" x 86" quilt is entered into the large quilt category of the quilt show. My other quilt is entered into the hand quilted section.

The Loose Ends

Getting the bits and pieces figured out for all five panels on the fire quilt. I usually consider it 'cleaning up the loose ends', but sometimes it takes more time than others. I spent several hours with it laying on the floor, scratching my head and wondering how to get everything perfect. haha Like that ever happens. And hey, I'm the one always telling my family to think 'representational' not realistic. 

All five panels in my handwork bag, ready for detail work...

Better listen to myself and move on or it will never get done. Thinking seriously about taking a quick break from that pesky project and doing some final handwork on Vertical Baskets. Sometimes it's really not about wanting to do something, it's about not wanting to do something else!

A bit of binding work to do

My husband has been working a bit on our camp-trailer, getting things ready for Memorial Day. Wowsers is it coming up fast this year! I need to recover a couple couch cushions and think about doing a major cleanup in there. Guess I need to schedule a trip to JoAnnes for some sturdy fabric too. There can't be anything in that store to derail me from my current projects, right? Hmm... I wonder if they might have the 1718 Coverlet book? lol

Lovin' the Hand Quilting

There wasn't a lot left to hand quilt on Vertical Baskets, so I pushed a little and managed to finish up. It's a lovely, rich looking quilt and was a joy to stitch on until the last couple borders. Only then did the repetition start getting a little tedious. huh  More time to ponder the next quilt!

Vertical Baskets all quilted...

It's still a wonder to me that most of my quilts are hand quilted. I may not get anywhere near 10 or 11 stitches to the inch {try 4 or 5?}, but I do persevere and get finishes throughout the year. The results keep pulling me back, time after time, because I absolutely adore the old fashioned, crinkled look!

The first step of the binding

I've thought and thought about ways to finish up faster, but it all involves throwing money at someone else or learning how to machine quilt. The latter is something I've been tentatively working on, but so far I don't really enjoy it. There is nothing about it that calms my soul or gets me excited about the finish. I finally paid for the walking foot class on Craftsy with Jacquie Gering several months ago. The walking foot just seems more me than a free motion foot so I thought 'why not take a look?' She's a great teacher and I really appreciate what she has to teach. Seriously. The problem is all me. True confession? I just can't quite make myself watch all the videos yet. I'm not sure what kind kind of  learner I am, but teaching videos just seem to make me itchy. Or twitchy.

Sometimes I think I'm too resistant to change, but also, loving the results I get right now makes it hard to get excited about new methods. The best way to learn something new is to have a driving need for it. When hand quilting doesn't suit my lifestyle {or style} so very well, then I'll probably have more incentive to learn won't I?

Slow Stitching the Baskets

It seems like there's been a few more 'no-reply' comments lately what I usually get. Please understand, if you're not getting a personal reply back from me in your e-mail, it's because I have no way to contact you! I know that Google Plus and Typepad don't always play nice with Blogger {what I use here} so just leave a email in the comment if you'd like a return comment.

Vertical Baskets quilt in the hoop

I've been steadily working my way through Vertical Baskets late in the evenings. At first I was a little dubious about how the stitching in the panel fabric would look alongside the basket stitching, but as you can see, all is well. My 'loose' pattern of stitching has definitely turned out to be a bit denser than intended {not sure how that always happens} but it's difficult to be upset at the end result.

Looking at the stitching pattern in the lighter backing fabric...

I'm using a light tan colored thread, hoping the color will be light enough to show stitching lines when looking close-up, but not so dark as to compete with the print in the dark brown panels. Yep! I'm liking the results of that too.

The color of the stitches doesn't show up very well in the back of the quilt, but I don't worry much about that. My backings are always clearance/sale or scrappy bits anyway. At the back of the quilt, the texture is much, much more important to me than actually seeing the stitches. I'm kinda strange that way.

So happy to see it all start to come together.....

It always takes me awhile to relax into a quilt and trust how my instincts are telling me to progress, so yes, it's fun to get this far and be happy with the results. I still can't 'see' the full stitching pattern in my mind prior to actually doing the work of implementing it, but now that I'm a good third of the way through the quilt, it's right in front of my eyes. Oh yes! This is even better than what I envisioned! You have to know by now that I always expect something less than wonderful with my own work.*wink

Linking up to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching where the slow stuff is the good stuff....

Some Slow Stitching on a Nice Winters Day

Getting a little bit of hand quilting done on the Vertical Baskets quilt. Not a lot, but just enough to start seeing a good pattern emerge. The way I'm stitching directly next to the cable motif in the brown fabric should highlight that fabric especially. Fingers crossed that I'm right!

Vertical Baskets in the hoop

I'm trying not to get too crazy with the stitching on this one though, as I don't want it to be too stiff and formal looking. User friendly quilts are the mantra in this home.*wink

Working panel by panel...

So far I'm quilting one long panel at a time {totally different from what I normally do}, as radiating circles of stitching just doesn't seem very efficient this time around. I do love my square hoop for that that quality alone!

Very simple stitching pattern....

I'm quite enjoying the opportunity to get to know my lovely baskets again. Time for linking up to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching. Hoping to get a lot more of this done this afternoon....

Always Another Quilt To Get Ready For the Hoop

I finished up the hand quilting on 'Imagine A Quilt' and figured out an acceptable binding. It's a whimsical quilt, not very formal at all, so it seemed perfectly suitable to go digging in the leftover binding tote for a starting place. I gathered up five pieces of binding ends and then went digging for mixed blue fabrics for the rest. 

Imagine A Quilt

Hand sewing it to the back will come when all the stars align I guess. I had hoped to get it done in time to link up to Julie's Binding Blitz, but I don't know if that's possible. My week is already running out of days and I so hate to be a slave to deadlines!

My husband was home sick this week and so I took the opportunity to have him help me move the dining room table. It has to be moved every single time I want to sandwich and baste a new quilt. So annoying, but with a little preplanning I can usually get help when needed. {The table has carpet underneath which means I can't just shove it out of the way. I learned that the um... hard way once. Broken table legs? Yeah. It was ugly.}

Knowing the hand quilting on 'Imagine A Quilt' was nearing a finish, I had decided that 'Vertical Baskets' would be next up in the hoop. It's been in the queue for a very long time!

Vertical Baskets

I never finish quilts in the exact same order they get to the quilt top stage, but I do try to get them quilted before they are so outdated that dislike or disdain starts to set in.*wink

Loving these baskets....

The quilting design is still very much up in the air for this quilt, but I am sure something will come to me when I actually have it in the hoop. On the last quilt, I ripped out a whole hoops worth of quilting before finally settling on how to venture forward! Whatever it takes, but I never do anything super complicated. Or intricate. Laziness Simplicity is my byword when it comes to hand quilting.

And a closer look....

And I do know that keeping it in the drawers accomplishes nothing in getting it to a absolute finish. Oh my, how very, very many quilt tops I have now.... And you know me, already trying to figure out another quilt project to get started on!

Too Many Pictures of the Vertical Basket Quilt

Hope you're ready for a picture overload!  I am just so excited and overwhelmed at how well this quilt top finished out.  I've said it before, and I know I'll say it again, but the difference between initial inspiration and end result is often extremely hard for me to bring together.

Vertical Basket quilt top is finished!

I started out with my birthday (border) fabric, added a whole bunch of fabrics that I thought looked super sweet with it and let it set.  For a very long time. Every now and then I took the fabric out and played with it a little, taking one out and putting another back in.  What to do?  I had a vague idea of a Kaye England look and that was it.

Sometime it comes out just right in the end.

I came across a picture of this basket in one of my stacks of ripped out magazine pages and stuck that in with the fabrics, so then I was playing with the fabric and trying to imagine it working with that basket somehow.

And more detail....

One day I came across a picture of an antique quilt set in the vertical lay-out (working on a totally different quilt you understand) and it all just sorta clicked.

Even my 'off pink' block works.

But I'm slow getting started sometimes, don't want to rush anything.  The basket blocks gave me a few problems.  For a long time things looked a little iffy.  My colors not so warm and inviting like I envisioned.  The lay-out seemed maybe a little bland.  You know how it goes.  Lots of time simmering until I could be sure.

Love how it warms up in the right light.

Then finally, just attacking it and making myself decide.  And then in the end, that perfect moment of 'AHA'! The reverse applique pulling it all together in my mind anyway.  Which then pretty much made the coping/accent border decision a total non-decision!  No I did not miter the corners on the borders.  I like it like this.  It seems kind of ingenious and maybe like it doesn't even want to pretend to be an heirloom quilt.*wink

The Reverse Applique Detour

I guess I always tend to do things the most difficult way possible.  It was only after I sewed the basket panels together in my Vertical Basket Quilt that a light bulb went off in my head and started blinking madly at me.

Vertical Basket Quilt thinking.....

Hey, how about doing some of that reverse applique stuff and really trying to make this quilt special?  And the idea would NOT leave me along.  Deep V applique stitching is not exactly my best friend you know, so I was a bit nervous to just leap into the idea without thorough consideration.  Plus, wouldn't this have been waaaay easier before the panels were sewn to the strips?  Just saying....

Reverse Applique: Baste through both layers of fabric.

Yep.  Seriously weighing the pros and cons here, all the while busily basting the little bits of fabric to the back of some of the panels....

Reverse Applique: Back view of bottom layer of fabric
 with red basting stitch holding both layers together.

Hard to see the basting stitch, but okay!  Plenty of fabric to trim away after the stitching is completed!

Reverse Applique: Cut out top layer of fabric, leaving enough
fabric to turn under and stitch down (1/4" or even less).

I was cutting very, very slowly here because of the clipping oops I made on my last scrap attack quilt.  Looks pretty good, but I did try to trim it down just a little bit more so it was more like a 3/16" seam instead of a 1/4".

Reverse Applique: Clip seam allowance at the V-sections.
Shallow clip at side V's and deeper clip at top and bottom V's.

I think a shallow cut is more than sufficient at the sides and the bottom? Probably best to cut almost to where I want the fabric to fold over.  Only 4 clips in all since the sides are straight and don't need any clipping at all.

Reverse Applique: Turn seam under and stitch to
 fabric in back with simple applique stitch.

I really like needleturn applique so I just finger pressed the fabric over and stitched it down as I went (with a matching color of thread), trying to be really good and neat at the deep V's.  I think I probably need some more practice there, but the detail on the brown fabric is obviously going to be a great distraction from the actual stitching.  Oh yeah, I'm loving that part.  lol!

Reverse Applique: Remove red basting stitch.

Time to get that ugly red basting stitch off and out of the way!

Reverse Applique: Trim fabric in back to
within 1/4" of the new applique stitch.

And then its time to turn it over and trim off the excess fabric up to about 1/4" next to the new applique stitch.  Even that sort of looks pretty from the back.*wink

So you see?  This is why I never know at the beginning where my quilts are going to be taking me!  I'm usually only too willing to take a detour with just the slightest bits of provocation.  Glad it worked out this time or I would have been crying all over the new big cut-out right in the middle of my 'almost finished' quilt!  

It's a good day to link up to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching and check out what's happening over there.  Remind myself how sane and normal people approach the quilting dilemmas of life!

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?

Totally Distracted

I definitely have some ufq's that are on a list just waiting to be crossed off.  You know the LIST.  It is supposed to help bring focus and organization into the quilting room.  Uh huh.  It's sorta, kind of working.  Occasionally.  I worked on the Vertical Basket quilt panels for a bit....

 2 Vertical Basket panels

Then I went ahead and cut out my applique pieces for the red and blue scrap attack quilt.  They even have the little snips in the curved areas so that they are completely ready to go.  Yay me!

All ready for the next step....

But the real distraction seems to be ahhh... apparently the Basket Medallion quilt.  It keeps capturing my attention and getting in the way of focus and dedication......

Basket Medallion center

It's not like the colors in this quilt are dazzling or anything brilliant like that.  I think it must be the whole medallion thing that is making my brain spin like crazy.

1st border on Basket Medallion

It's so terribly interesting and challenging to think about what another border should look like!  At least right now it is.  The best medallion quilts always seem complete 'as is' until you add the next border on and realize how much better it looks with the new addition.  Then you add on another border and another border until the quilt says enough already or it gets embarrassingly large and unwieldy.  That's the real challenge of course--adding on something that makes everything before look even better than you thought possible!  And of course, knowing when to quit.*wink

Hmm.... what next?

So that's why I'm linking up with Favorite Things Friday over at Quilting in My Pyjamas.  Her post totally made me laugh as it seems I'm doing much the same thing as she is this week. lol

Just Can't Resist Baskets

After playing around with different settings for these baskets, I went back to my original plan.  I already had the brown fabric from a birthday shopping trip a couple years ago that I've been wanting to use forever.  It seems like a fabric that requires a more formal setting, but maybe that's just me?

Vertical basket project

The other setting that almost made me change everything I had planned out was the one below.  Hmmm... So very interesting.  Of course I love baskets in almost any color or setting so I can always see numerous possibilities.  I played with the different settings so much I actually gave myself a headache.  lol

Another setting to play with....

Then I went back to my Low Volume quilt because really, it was so close to a finish, how could I ignore it for much longer?  I'm really happy with the end result--how old fashioned it looks yet, not old fashioned all at the same time.  I know.  I'm confusing myself.

A completed quilt top (maybe!)

I am going to fold it up and put it away with my other completed quilt tops for now.  There is always the possibility that I will add another border onto it and play with it some more on another day, but for now I'm satisfied with what is done.  I really thought I'd at least add on enough hst's to edge the two sides that don't have them, but it didn't look right to me when I auditioned them.  So--enough is enough.  Moving on.

Low volume with just a little extra.

Playing with the basket settings made me want to rush upstairs and start working on other basket blocks, so of course I did.  No impulse control at all!  I had bought a third of a yard of some interesting fabric the other day when my mother dragged me into a quilt store against my will.  Funny how the colors are the exact colors I see when I look outside the window in my quilting room.

Getting derailed.....

So far it's looking quite different from my current ongoing projects, but it's definitely holding my interest.  I'm thinking this will end up as a medallion quilt.  Hope the baskets will succeed in holding the center down.*wink

Hmm...  Who can resist these baskets?

Checking Some Hand Work Off the List

Lots of hand work for the Slow Sunday Stitching link-up over at Kathy's Quilts.  I still have the leaves etc. to add to my applique block but here's what's finished so far.  It's a Ginger Cookie Co. pattern I started a couple years ago and decided to add in with my Random Sampler QAL blocks.  Hopefully once I add the leaves and berries on it will look better.  Right now it's a little stark looking!

Applique block for Random Sampler QAL

 I've been peck, peck, pecking away on the handles for the baskets in my vertical basket quilt project I started way back when.  I tend to find time to sew, do prep work or hand quilt, but the applique?  Not so much.  I do enjoy my needle turn applique though and it feels so very good to see a finished project.

All the handles on my baskets finally.

I had to completely clear off my sewing counter to put the bottom row of baskets on my design wall.  It's always piled up with small project totes, quilt magazines and fabric stacks that look promising.  No where else to put them, so I don't see the point in a quilt room clean-up.  lol

This is the setting I intend to go with I think.

Then I decided to take advantage of the cleared off counter and look at the baskets in a vertical setting which is what I intended to do with them all along.  There are more baskets of course, but this is all my design wall could hold in this arrangement.  Hmmm....  We'll have to think this one over.  Wouldn't want to make a rash decision.*wink