Thursday, December 20, 2012

Easy Street and something not so easy

My progress this week on Bonnie Hunter's current mystery quilt, Easy Street is not photo-worthy, so I'll spare you. I re-stitched some of those step one 4-patches, but I'm still not happy with them, sooooo, I'm going to get back to basics--cut again, stitch my twosies then 4-patches all over again, being as precise as I can. This is not Bonnie's fault or her pattern or instructions--it's all me. It's a simple, basic 4-patch for Pete's sake! All I can figure is my original cuts must have been skimpy and it's gone downhill from there.

In the meantime, have you seen the video Bonnie posted yesterday with the bed turning at the AQS Quilt Show? Beautiful antique quits there. When I saw Baby Baskets, I fell in love! (This is a screen shot from the video.)

I want to make this! Probably the baskets will not be as small as those on the original quilt, and I think I will do a more traditional on-point setting--maybe not--but I definitely want to make this. I think it should be a leader and ender project.

First for the pattern--I did a quick draft this afternoon and made the two blocks in the picture. Cute, but see how different they are? The larger basket is squatter and the smaller basket is taller. And I had to trim them down to odd sizes. The larger one is a skimpy 4.25" and the smaller one is 3.25". This is tougher than you might think at first glance. I'm going to work this out, and when I do I'll post a tutorial here on my blog. If you haven't ever drafted a quilt block, it will increase your appreciation for people like Bonnie who give us patterns for free...

I will be using Inklingo triangles for this little project, because it is really hard to get an accurate 1/4" seam on the little bitty triangles at the base of this basket. If I go down to a 3" block or less (not likely!), those triangles are less than 1"! What am I thinking? AND, and, and, and then I'll need to applique or embroider handles on every single little block. Really--WHAT am I thinking? But I really love that quilt!

2 comments:

  1. I've see this basket quilt too and thought, hmmmmm start it? Now that you've mentioned it as a leader and ender project, why not?!!! Thank you for the inspiration. How about premade bias with fusible on the back for the handles. I'm on step 7 for Easy Street. You hang in there. What is going on with your 404? Can I help in some way? Or, is it just needed time to sit and tinker with it?

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    1. Yep, I need time to tinker, but I would love having help. I have done little more than normal maintenance on my vintage machines up to now. I've sent you an e-mail with details. Thanks!

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