Thursday, August 15, 2013

Craftsy BOM 2013- The basket block - Whine time


Jana and her basket block

This summer is going by fast and our sampler quilts are getting closer to completion. This month our task was to complete a basket block with a curved handled (appliqued). Well the basket was simple enough. And the instructions for the handle where simple enough, but not simple enough for us to be happy with our work. We had little pleats in the handle. And we decided to go ahead and machine applique the handle. Jana started whining early and when we talked about next month we would applique leaves and flowers she whined ever more. "I can't hand sew. I won't be able to do it. My hand sewing is ugly", said Jana. I told her how practice makes perfect...She didn't buy it.

I told her Bonnie Hunter has a no whining rule, her sassy little comment was "Well this isn't Bonnie Hunter's quilt. It's mine and I'll whine if I wanna!" What a cranky girl. This is a girl who went through 9 hours of back surgery and 7 months in a back brace and she is whining about a little applique. Whoa! A little overwhelmed, I think.

Despite the whining we got the blocks together. As usual her's is snappy looking. She picked bright colors and actually used fabric from the fat quarters she purchased on vacation in Port Clinton.I am sticking with my reproduction fabrics. Mine is going to be a rather dull quilt compared to hers. Being the first to make the block, and making the mistakes, my handle is not exactly centered. What worked? I do think that the blanket stitch in the contrasting color worked on my block handle. It looks rather old fashioned. Jana says if we do another basket block it's won't be appliqued or curved. She is like me, she prefers piecing.

old schools versus modern baskets.


We accidentally came up with a solution to Jana's whining and worrying about hand sewing. She was helping organize some of my sewing items and discovered a yo-yo maker. She was curious and wanted to give it a try. She thought they where fun and we realized these would make nice flowers for our basket. We agreed to try to applique leaves and flowers, at least one. If she isn't happy with the results we will cover it over with lots of  yo-yo once it is quilted. It is the happy compromise. I have this feeling this basket will eventually be overloaded with yo-yo flowers. She is finding it a little addictive.She likes adding the buttons to the center.  This is something she can take home with her for rainy days or do in the evening, especially once it starts getting dark early.

We love yo-yos


We finished this and with spare time we cleaned and organized our sewing area. She took more pictures and we are beginning a quilt for her mother that will commemorate a trip to the mountains of South Carolina.
We will report on that next week. In the meantime. School starts today.We are still having fun and looking forward to this coming week's sewing adventure.

Jana organized the sewing area.

1 comment:

  1. Looking good guys!

    Somehow I get the feeling that Jana will say she doesn't like how the leaves look just to make the Yo-Yo's. :)

    And Miss Jana. Grandma is right, the more you practice hand sewing, the better you get at it. No one gets it perfect at the start. Just keep practicing, and you will get it.

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