Sunday, March 13, 2016

Little Wooly Baskets

Little Wooly Baskets, block 2

Resistance is Futile

Or, even more accurately, resisting something makes it a certainty!

On Thursday night I made a quick list of the projects I want to get done in the next few months. Plenty to keep me busy! "Really," I thought to myself, "I would have a satisfying year without one more new project. I have tons of great projects already started. I should resolve to spend the rest of the year finishing some of them"

Friday morning I was clicking through blogland, and this project, "Little Wooly Baskets," caught my eye. Again. I know a few people have joined in with this free BOM by Dawn Heese at Linen Closet Designs, but I have deliberately resisted looking at it too closely. Because I know that once I start thinking about how it might work, I am done for. But, on Friday I had a look at the patterns:


I really love those unpretentious ink sketches! So much scope to make it my own way! For me, that is the primary appeal of any given pattern -- how much room for personalization does it have? So, that was that. I've been wanting to design a pattern with neutral baskets and colourful flowers for a couple of years. Now I don't have to, I can just make Dawn's!

There will be two blocks per month for a total of 24 blocks. I went down to my stash and pulled 12 beige fabrics, but somehow I only cut one square from each of them. What to do? Should I unfold and cut them again, or can I find 12 more suitable beiges in the stash? Well, it wasn't too hard to come up with 24 unique backgrounds:


Now I'm well on the way! The first four blocks are all cut out, laid out, and basted into place. I plan to spend an enjoyable Slow Sunday Stitching stitching them down.

(Edit 16/5/16: Well, somehow I got the wrong end of the stick, and there are only 12 patterns after all. I guess I read "12" and "2 per month" and jumped to the wrong conclusion!)

Little Wooly Baskets, block 4
This past week I've been breaking my back with machine quilting, so this little project will be a welcome relief!

As I mentioned, this is a free BOM. You can download the patterns for Blocks 1 & 2 here, and Blocks 3 & 4 here. You can also read Dawn's introduction and the fabric requirements right here.

(Edit 16/5/16: To see all my Little Wooly Baskets posts so far, please click here.)

And finally, don't forget to see what everyone else is making for Slow Sunday Stitching by clicking this link right here.


You can see that Mod Trips is now washed and put into service. On to the next!

Have a great day everyone!

29 comments:

  1. Your baskets are perfect...I wish I had gone with the beige backgrounds as they look so Springy!

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  2. Your baskets are looking very cute--resistance was futile!

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  3. Too funny. I just copied the patterns this week! No sense trying to resist. I was thinking a dark background, but like Paulette, I like the look on a lighter background. Thanks heehee

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  4. I went over and looked at the patterns and then smacked myself upside the head, LOL! Too much going on now so I better just enjoy yours! Adorable!

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    1. Don't hurt yourself now! LOL. Thanks, Deb! You may come back any time and enjoy mine. :D

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  5. But The Force is clearly with you! I love how you let inspiration take you away, even while you are evaluating your current line-up of projects. And often, those end up being our favourites. Never a lack of inspiration in blogland, that's for sure.

    Great wools and felts as well as all of your beiges. Did you just happen to have all of those in your stash as well? You must have a very interesting stash! Enjoy your Slow Stitching Sunday.

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    1. Thank you! Yes, the wools are all stash too. I'll talk more about them next time. With such small pieces, very little will be needed.

      Even though I can't avoid starting new projects, I AM going to try to avoid buying any new fabric until Black Friday. Except maybe a wide back or two. I really like how easy they are. But, to qualify for a wide back, I have to finish the top first!

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  6. I wasn't as smart as Deb. I went and looked at patterns and joined the BOM. However this is your fault. Your blocks were so tempting. This is absolutely last thing I'm joining for this year. Well, after your blog site that is. I found you at Kathy's quilts Slow Sunday stitching, hey maybe I can blame her too. I feel better already.
    Blessings
    Tonia

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  7. Sorry I meant to ask, are you putting ou wool applique on cotton?

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    1. Thanks, Tonia! Yes, I'm sewing my felted wool onto quilt cottons. I don't glue or fuse them, I just baste and then sew them down. It's a wall quilt, and it will rarely if ever be washed, so that will hold together fine. Happy stitching!

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  8. Your Little Wooly Basket is coming right along. What's one more project? I think many of us do just what you have done.

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  9. Those are cute baskets. I can see why you could not resist. I think they are cute too but I'm not the best when it comes to applique and not much wool here so it's easy for me to resist.

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  10. That is an amazing collection of backgrounds casually assembles from your stash. It's going to look amazing. Hope the stitching goes smoothly and brings pleasure.

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    1. Thanks, Jillian! Yes, my stash is rather enabling sometimes. But, maybe it is time to stop worrying about it! In the big scheme of things, it's a small vice. :D

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  11. This was a dangerous post to read. How am I ever going to resist?

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  12. I can see why you found this project hard to resist! The initial drawings are very appealing and you have so much room to personalise. Your first block looks fantastic.

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  13. What a lovely basket,this basket project looks fun but resisting!! I do not have any wool in my stash.

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  14. Love your basket project! What a dangerous post this was. . .inviting me to jump into a new project. . . .when I've plenty of current projects to more than occupy my time!!! I'm glad you didn't resist and yes, when you are machine quilting that "back breaking" project, you must have a project to recover with! :)--Terry

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    1. Thanks, Terry! Blogland is a dangerous place sometimes. But fun too!

      It's definitely a challenge quilting larger projects on my home machine. I'm too stubborn to farm it out, though! I'm sure that eventually I'll get used to it.

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  15. Your baskets are all beautiful! Thanks for the links.

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  16. Those baskets are beautiful. I am impressed that you have that many beiges. My stash is clearly lacking.

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  17. Love the baskets Monica, especially the tulips..
    I've never done any wool appliqué ...may have to try it.

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  18. Baskets are the best. I've always wanted to make some with flowers in them, too. I'll enjoy seeing yours progress but, right now my list is full. (Where have we heard that?)

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  19. Your wooly baskets are so sweet! I've looked at them myself but I just don't do wool. Love seeing these come together!

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  20. Your wooly baskets are adorable! Thank you for sharing the links to the patterns. Enjoy your slow stitching!

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  21. Absolutely in love with your little baskets! Tempting...

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    1. Thanks very much, Christine! You will probably have a few months to think about it, but, I think that the more of these you see, the more tempting they will be!

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  22. Love, love your baskets! I refuse to look at them. :) I must finish UFOs. I must finish UFOs. blessings, marlene

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I'm told Blogger has been bouncing some comments, so if it happens to you I'm sorry! But the settings look right so I can't explain it. In any case, thanks for reading!

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