Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Improv Baskets

For some reason I thought AHIQ would be starting today. Oh well! I'm ahead of the game for once. :D

Almost a month ago Barb (Fun with Barb) and Kelly (Pinkadot Quilts) started a basket sew along ( #basketswu ) inspired by an antique basket quilt. They have both posted excellent tutorials, click the links by their names to find them. I thought I would have a crack at an improv version:


I had the idea for a small improv wall quilt with a red background right away. For some reason I always want to do improv on a red background! Then a week or two later I watched a documentary about the watercolours of Prince Charles, which was quite interesting. It included some B roll from Windsor Castle, and this outrageous day bed:


The combination of scarlet silk damask on the walls, pale jade, lavender and copious amounts of gold gilding caught my eye right away! A colour scheme was born.

I'll admit, it's a challenge to translate to my stash! But, at least the improv piecing is going well.


I'm determined to keep this quilt small, so only five blocks are planned. Three are made:


I'll probably have to make the one on the right again. I did plan to put the lavender in the spikes and the gold in the centre, but somehow I mixed them up when cutting. Argh! Since there will only be five, they will all have to be fairly strong on their own.

I'm not thrilled with the values in the other two either, but, I think the next three will have more contrast and that will make it all work. I hope! Anyway, that is the beauty of a small quilt -- it's not a big investment so it's easier to take a risk. I'm planning to make small quilts my focus in 2018 as well.

In the meantime, happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers! Technicolor Turkey is coming along, but it won't be a flimsy by Thursday. I still have two quadrants left to join, and the border as well. Definitely by the end of the year, though!

And, every day for the past two months I've had a different plan for On Ringo Lake. Right now I think I will have to pass. As part of my decision making process I've added a new page to my blog that summarizes all my Bonnie Hunter Quiltville quilts. I am happy with all of them, and I think it will be better to move them along rather than adding another.

So, that's my update for today. See you again next week for AHIQ!

8 comments:

  1. You are a bad influence! I have always wanted to make a basket quilt and while I like hand applique, never wanted to face appliquing a bunch of identical basket handles. This may be the answer. I like your color scheme and am amused at where you found inspiration. A royal boudoir indeed. Small quilts also a sensible idea.

    I may also take a page from your (blog) book and add a page to my blog that features Bonnie's quilts I have made. Maybe a third one with baby quilts as I have made so many. I was messing around with my blog today. I attempted to change the background and although it shows in the editing page, it doesn't show anywhere else. I have successfully edited in the past, so I am hopeful it will work out eventually.

    I am right there with you as regards Ringo Lake. I will follow along nonetheless. It was fun to see all your Bonnie quilts together in one place. Technicolor Turkey will have plenty of company!

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  2. What great colors for your basket blocks! Love the rich vibe! It's always a challenge to take inspiration and use it to the best impact. Or at least the way we are envisioning things in our head.:)

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  3. Delicious reds! Love these. May your Thanksgiving basket be full!

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  4. The grands and I loved your inspiration photo. I think the attraction was all the gold! Small projects are sometimes quicker to finish. I hope you find that with this project!

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  5. I always intend to use a red background. Love this combination and so fu to see your inspiration.

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  6. Love your inspiration of colours for this project. Regal red can't go wrong.

    Too bad about Ringo Lake. I was looking forward to "making it" via you.

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    1. Thank you! Let's hope that "finishing" the others will be just as fun!

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  7. I had a brief moment of panic there about AHIQ! I love these colours, and the inspiration photo, and always like baskets, so this is a winner for me.

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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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