Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Missing Baskets

One of my "design wall" areas (using masking tape to hold blocks in place!) is in a room at the end of a long hall.  The door opens to a view of this wall above my computer where my Baskets of Plenty have been hanging, a new one added each month through August.  I've grown accustomed to seeing those baskets with their big flowers hanging there.  They were an invitation to come in as I walked down the hall.  They brightened my mornings when I walked into the room.  They entertained me as I pressed fabric and blocks.  They had a benevolent cheerfulness about them.  And now they're gone.


There is a blank wall opposite the door and above the computer.  I didn't realize how much I enjoyed the baskets till they weren't there and I saw an empty wall as I walked down the hall.


Now they lie on the floor with possible sashings around them, patiently awaiting play time.


Before I can move forward I want to consider and then decide on several things, listed below in no particular order.  I think most of these considerations will resolve themselves as I play and try out ideas.
  • Layout.  Tall ones in a row, short ones in a row, or some other arrangement?
  • Sashing colors/fabrics.  Which colors/tints/shades will look best with these blocks?  I think black is too strong but perhaps the others are too bland.
  • Will I make them look more "primitive" by adding walnut dye (similar to but more permanent than Cheri Payne's tea/coffee dye)?  I think most of the backgrounds are very light, maybe too light.  And if I turn them "primitive,"  will the black still be too dark or just right?
  • Do I need to make another basket block or can I fill in with pieced blocks?  I don't really want to make another basket but it's more about what the quilt needs than whether I want to make another basket.
  • Width of sashing.  I want a quilt that's large enough to nap under.  Seven of these blocks are 10½" x 13½" (with one horizontal), and one is 7½" x 10½".  That's a lot of sashing to make the quilt larger.  Of course, the other option is to make more blocks.  Or add a border or two....
  • And does that horizontal block with the dark background and the coral/peach/salmon blocks look too out of place?

There are so many considerations when creating a scrappy quilt.  These baskets and fabrics have only been on the floor since Saturday and I gave them no attention until late last night.  I'm just beginning to play with layout, sashing, etc.

That large white section at the very top is a paper angel I think I will use.  Cheri created it to go with a different sew-along but I really like her and think she could be perfect at the top of this quilt.  I enlarged the original pattern 200% which makes her about 20" wide.


My family will be coming into town next Wednesday so I either need to hurry and decide or take lots of photographs and keep the fabrics together.  I think this happened last year when I had to take up the medallion quilt.  Sometimes I bemoan my slowness.... 

I'm linking this post to
> Moving it Forward at Em's Scrapbag
> Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
> Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
> Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River
> Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts
Thanks for hosting, ladies!

--Nancy.
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26 comments:

  1. Hmm... I really love all your baskets, and you're really making me want to pull out these patterns and make some of my own!
    I think I'd make another basket to add to this mix - if you decide you don't like it, you can always put it on the back. And I'd make a bunch of hourglasses and/or pinwheels and/or four-patches for fillers. (After making my bigger Gwennie medallion and Long Time Gone, I've realized that I really like the kind of quilt with a variety of blocks fit together like a puzzle instead of an orderly layout. So maybe you shouldn't listen to me, as I try to pull your quilt into my area!)
    I've used walnut hulls as basket dye, but haven't used it for fabric. I love the shade of brown it gives! If you decide to dye your backgrounds, I'll be watching with great interest.

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    1. Thanks, Gayle. I was thinking about the layout of these baskets along the same direction as you are -- uneven placement of the blocks and using pieced blocks to fill in. It will be more complicated than straightforward rows and columns, which means it will take me more time to figure it out. Not a problem except it will have to be put off until at least after Thanksgiving.

      I sprayed some of the walnut dye (the second "boil" of the hulls, so the lighter of the two dyes) on fabric on Saturday. I think the sprayer makes a difference. The one I used was very fine and very even with no option for any other kind of spray. Consequently, the pieces of fabric look like they were dipped in the dye and rinsed. And they're relatively light. It wasn't a good drying day, either. I have another sprayer to try but may have to wait until after Thanksgiving for that, too.

      My husband likes these blocks and things I should leave them alone, but they are just so light. Not compared to WHITE, but when all together several look almost white.

      I'll do a post or two about the walnut dye -- after Thanksgiving. (It must sound like my life is on delay till then. Ha ha.)

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  2. Love these blocks! Maybe you will need another one to close the gap. :)
    As much as I do use black for sashing my own quilts, I get the feel that these baskets need something not so harsh.
    The angel would be a nice touch, Nancy!

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    1. Thanks, Janet. I think you are right about needing another block -- or maybe several more. And I completely agree with you about the black. I had thought it would make the colors pop but it didn't have that effect at all! I hope I can get another block ready to applique before Thanksgiving but we'll see.

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  3. I got a chuckle out of this one. But, whether on the design wall or the design floor, they are beautiful and I look forward to seeing them as a quilt.

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    1. Thank you, Wendy. I'm glad this post gave you a chuckle. I smile when I see these baskets but I'm sad they're still on the floor with no apparent progress. I'm still trying sashing colors, thinking about pieced blocks and an uneven layout of the baskets....

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  4. I really like the angel idea. I'm wondering if some words could fill in the blank space, just a thought. I hope you can get it put together before the demands of company take over. It is a delightful combination of colors and textures.

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    1. Thanks, Robin. The more I think about the angel the more I like the idea of her "presiding" over these baskets. In my brainstorming about these baskets, the layout, what this quilt might look like when it's finished, etc., the idea of words came to mind. I thought of Baskets of Plenty (Cheri's name for the blocks), benevolence, joy, delight, etc. I've not appliqued words before and wonder how hard they will be. (I can't imagine pieced words to go with these baskets.)

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts and making suggestions. I appreciate it.

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  5. I often leave blocks up on my design wall. Better than looking at all the threads that are on it. And it keeps the project in mind rather than forgetting about them in a container on a shelf or in the closet.

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    1. Hi, Karen. I think this is the first time I've had a bunch of blocks on the wall for any length of time. It really helps to keep them in mind and to notice the next steps -- colors, shapes, etc. Definitely better than threads. (I wish I had a real design wall even if it did have threads all over it, but even without I'm glad to have a bare wall to put blocks.

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  6. I like your basket blocks! I love your angel! She will be sweet wherever you decide to use her. I can imagine her presiding over your baskets of flowers. Did you want ideas? (I think I heard you say yes!) I agree with your idea of maybe slightly darkening the whitest fabrics (two blocks in bottom row?). I like all the fabrics you have laid out. I would choose a different fabric for each block, using that fabric to make a sashing (maybe 1” wide? Or maybe varying widths) for each block. Then I would use the black print fabric in the lower right of the photo as the background for the quilt top. I don’t think I would lay the blocks in straight rows. If you need to add a border to make the quilt larger, you could make a scrappy border using the different fabrics that you used for sashing around the blocks. Those are just some ideas that I had, looking at your pretty blocks. I always feel the same as you do.....so many considerations but they do resolve themselves as you work with the fabrics and move things around. I can imagine that you would miss them on your wall. You might have to hang the quilt on that wall!
    Sally Warren (https://pondhollowquilts.blogspot.com/)

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    1. Hi, Sally. Thanks for sharing so many ideas for these blocks! Cheri's finished layout has different sashing around the blocks, too. She arranged them in rows but I was thinking of an uneven layout. I just need to play with placing and fabrics some more -- but probably not until after Thanksgiving.

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  7. I love your baskets, so happy and cheerful - no wonder you miss them. However, you finish it up it's going to be so pretty. Oh I do like the idea of the angel block in midst the flowers.

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    1. Thanks so much, Linda. I'm hoping that the finished quilt will do justice to the blocks. And, definitely the angel.

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  8. I like the angel presiding over the baskets of flowers, and I would like to see uneven rows, not all same size across the quilt. But my opinion is what you pay for it - do what makes your heart sing. The angel definitely makes my heart sing. Thanks for linking with Design Wall Monday, Judy.

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    1. Hi, Judy. Yes, I was thinking of an arrangement without rows but I'm going to need to play some more -- after Thanksgiving.

      Thanks for hosting Design Wall Monday.

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  9. Your baskets are all beautiful! I think you should make a quilt to hang permanently in that spot!

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    1. Thank you, Connie. It would be fun to see them there all the time.

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  10. I can see why you would miss those baskets on the wall. They will make a lovely quilt though. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

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    1. Thank you, Em. I think the baskets will have to go back up on the wall till after Thanksgiving and while they're there, I'll have to keep imagining layouts and fabrics.

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  11. I know exactly the feeling Nancy when blocks come down. Your baskets are so lovely I really do believe whatever you decide will work with them. I think your questioning is a sign of your knowledge of all the great possibilities...any of which would be fine.
    Yes your big celebration, Thanksgiving, is upon you. Enjoy it all!

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    1. Thank you, Jocelyn. I had to put the blocks back up over the holiday but will take them down again later this week. If I don't want to put them up again over Christmas I'll have to decide on layout, sashing, etc. in the next week or two! What fun.

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  12. Oh dear.... all of those hard decision would result in long term residence in the UFO closet at my house!!!

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    1. Hi, Kathy. In some ways they are hard decisions but we probably all make similar decisions about every quilt we make except if the quilt is a kit or a very specific pattern. The blocks had to go back up on the wall because I didn't make enough decisions before Thanksgiving. I hope to take them down again toward the end of this week....

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  13. I love your baskets, and I can relate to missing things when you take a collection down from the wall. But, hey - it just means you'll need another long term project to add blocks to the space as they get made. :) That angel is really great for this project.

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    1. Hi, Lynette. Thank you. I like your way of looking at an empty wall. There are so many options to fill that wall, too, but I think I should get these blocks together into a top before I begin another big applique quilt. I like that angel, too.

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