Still on plan, making progress on my Hill Country Baskets blocks. Wow. There sure are a lot of them. And they don't go together very fast. Now, Thelma made this quilt, and she grumbled quite a lot in the process, but I don't recall that she complained about how long it took to make the darn basket blocks.
But as I recall, she DID make her quilt smaller than the pattern… About now, I am begininng to understand why.
I've made quite a lot of these baskets, and I estimate that I am perhaps close to being half way done. Some of these baskets will not make it into the quilt, so it's good that I make extras. Can you see those two blocks that look like the baskets are empty? lol Not quite enough contrast going on I'd say!
I will probably make my version of this quilt slightly smaller than the pattern, as Thelma did, mainly because I don't need it to be as big as a circus tent, but also because I am afraid there may be an issue with the lattice fabric not being quite enough for the full sized version.
Although now that I think about it, I have changed up the fabrics so much in this quilt that the lattice, setting square, and border fabrics that came in the kit are probably all wrong now! Do you ever do that? Make so many changes to a kit that you kick yourself for spending the money on the kit in the first place? Story of my life!
The past two days have been my complete idea of perfection. Two days of being on my own, with maximum sewing time taken advantage of. I think I got in six or seven hours of sewing in on both Tuesday and Wednesday. I managed to squeeze time for both Eva and Grandpa into the schedule, don't worry!
Speaking of kits…come back tomorrow, and see what I dug out of the cupboards!
18 responses to “Endless Hill Country Baskets”
its looking wonderful. I make changes to patterns all the time. I have never purchased a kit of fabric before. They are just too darn expensive for me. I really try to only buy fabric on sale. In Canada regular cotton is $14-99-16.99 crazy.
its looking wonderful. I make changes to patterns all the time. I have never purchased a kit of fabric before. They are just too darn expensive for me. I really try to only buy fabric on sale. In Canada regular cotton is $14-99-16.99 crazy.
This will be a lovely quilt and looking back, you will be delighted you stuck with it!
I wonder if I don’t see 3 empty looking baskets? One at the top left and two on the lower right. You could take Micron fabric pens and doodle on those small fabric squares to add contrast without taking the blocks apart or not using them.
Years ago I visited a wonderful quilt shop in Austin, TX and there I was encouraged to never buy border fabrics until the quilt center was together. That made good sense to me. You’re right, things change, ideas come to mind, and suddenly your new quilt is headed in some direction you didn’t imagine. By the way,that visit to the Austin shop was in the days before fabric lines were named or many quilt kits offered for sale either.
Cheers for time to sew to your heart’s content!
Hugs!
This will be a lovely quilt and looking back, you will be delighted you stuck with it!
I wonder if I don’t see 3 empty looking baskets? One at the top left and two on the lower right. You could take Micron fabric pens and doodle on those small fabric squares to add contrast without taking the blocks apart or not using them.
Years ago I visited a wonderful quilt shop in Austin, TX and there I was encouraged to never buy border fabrics until the quilt center was together. That made good sense to me. You’re right, things change, ideas come to mind, and suddenly your new quilt is headed in some direction you didn’t imagine. By the way,that visit to the Austin shop was in the days before fabric lines were named or many quilt kits offered for sale either.
Cheers for time to sew to your heart’s content!
Hugs!
I don’t think I have ever made a quilt from a kit but i have about 6 kits sitting at home.
I tend to avoid them because of the reason you mention. I’m so picky with my fabric and too controlling to go completely scrappy.
When I started quilting the key term in color was “Focus Fabric”. Find a busy print you like and if the fabric matches that piece, it will look good together. I always keep it in the back of my mind when shopping, especially when the comfort of buying fabric lines atrophies my color balance skills. lol!
Anyway, I will say that your experience with this quilt has dampened my love for the pattern. I think it’s so pretty but I’m not rushing to buy it. I will wait for your finish to ‘bring back that loving feeling’.
I don’t think I have ever made a quilt from a kit but i have about 6 kits sitting at home.
I tend to avoid them because of the reason you mention. I’m so picky with my fabric and too controlling to go completely scrappy.
When I started quilting the key term in color was “Focus Fabric”. Find a busy print you like and if the fabric matches that piece, it will look good together. I always keep it in the back of my mind when shopping, especially when the comfort of buying fabric lines atrophies my color balance skills. lol!
Anyway, I will say that your experience with this quilt has dampened my love for the pattern. I think it’s so pretty but I’m not rushing to buy it. I will wait for your finish to ‘bring back that loving feeling’.
You are so funny! I didn’t see the empty baskets until you pointed them out…they’re kind of cute 🙂 I had to check out Thelma’s and you’re right she had problems with her sashing plus made it slightly smaller. I think it will look great when you’re done, but may have to buy more fabric. I’m horrible with colors so love kits and hardly ever change them, I change all the time when I pick colors though especially if I bought borders ahead of time 🙁
You are so funny! I didn’t see the empty baskets until you pointed them out…they’re kind of cute 🙂 I had to check out Thelma’s and you’re right she had problems with her sashing plus made it slightly smaller. I think it will look great when you’re done, but may have to buy more fabric. I’m horrible with colors so love kits and hardly ever change them, I change all the time when I pick colors though especially if I bought borders ahead of time 🙁
You might keep the “empty” baskets to spice things up in your quilt. I enjoy looking at “old” quilts where some of the blocks “look” different even when they are the same block. Your tastes are very specific though and you definitely have a vision in your head of what you want the quilt to look like (you are often changing fabrics or getting rid of blocks that you make)—you definitely have much more of the “artist” in you than I do. I just buy tons of fabric that I like and then throw it all together and call it done! You are much more focused and careful and want it to turn out a certain way when other people can’t see any flaws in your choices. Maybe THAT is the secret to a beautiful quilt!
Hope you have a nice (and productive) day!
Tricia
You might keep the “empty” baskets to spice things up in your quilt. I enjoy looking at “old” quilts where some of the blocks “look” different even when they are the same block. Your tastes are very specific though and you definitely have a vision in your head of what you want the quilt to look like (you are often changing fabrics or getting rid of blocks that you make)—you definitely have much more of the “artist” in you than I do. I just buy tons of fabric that I like and then throw it all together and call it done! You are much more focused and careful and want it to turn out a certain way when other people can’t see any flaws in your choices. Maybe THAT is the secret to a beautiful quilt!
Hope you have a nice (and productive) day!
Tricia
Low contrast blocks are not bad things! They draw you in for a closer look, IMHO. The baskets look pretty small, so that’s probably the main complaint I would have–it takes a bazillion of them to make a bed sized quilt. Maybe you can made two twins instead of one big quilt, with all those extras you made 🙂 I’ve only ever bought one kit and didn’t change a thing, so don’t know your pain. However, I’m pretty sure I’ve never repeated a colorway on a pattern I’ve bought 🙂
Low contrast blocks are not bad things! They draw you in for a closer look, IMHO. The baskets look pretty small, so that’s probably the main complaint I would have–it takes a bazillion of them to make a bed sized quilt. Maybe you can made two twins instead of one big quilt, with all those extras you made 🙂 I’ve only ever bought one kit and didn’t change a thing, so don’t know your pain. However, I’m pretty sure I’ve never repeated a colorway on a pattern I’ve bought 🙂
Pretty little basket.
Pretty little basket.
It’s beautiful but if it is going together slowly, make it smaller! ;p
It’s beautiful but if it is going together slowly, make it smaller! ;p
I bought a kit for that pattern about three years ago. Everytime I pull it out and look at all the baskets I pat the fabric and put it back in the closet. Reading your post isn’t going to get it started anytime soon. Still, I love the fabrics in the kit and I suspect they might eventually wind up in another project.
I bought a kit for that pattern about three years ago. Everytime I pull it out and look at all the baskets I pat the fabric and put it back in the closet. Reading your post isn’t going to get it started anytime soon. Still, I love the fabrics in the kit and I suspect they might eventually wind up in another project.