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Blocks 25, 26 and 27 - Baskets!


Next up are 3 baskets  

My first problem was the handles since it seems like a lifetime ago that I last did applique.  I don't really enjoy applique and usually avoid applique patterns.  But, the basket blocks look great so I must.  The raw edge fusible method which is the easiest doesn't really go in this quilt.  If I had more blocks to do, I would probably do machine applique but for the 6 baskets I decided to go by hand and it actually went faster than I thought it would.  

I know that I'd done freezer paper applique before but I forgot the details so I found Kim Diehl's Simple Applique which walked me through the steps.  I prepared the freezer paper applique using her methods but hand stitched instead of machine.  For the handles, I hand drew the shapes knowing that they wouldn't be perfect.  But, the originals weren't perfect either.  Each handle has it's own personality.

The first basket I'm cleverly calling Basket 1.  It's 9 inches square.



The upper left is just a half square triangle with the applique on one half.  Then the sides are added and then the final triangle is added (the other half of the half square triangle square).  Once again, I wasn't paying attention and got the stripes in the wrong direction which is turning out the be the theme of the quilt. 


For my second block, I went with some busier prints.


Next up is basket 2 which is slightly more complicated and is 10 inches.  10 inches is a good size for this block because its based on a grid of 5.  That means that the half square triangles finish to 2 inches.


The piecing for this block was trickier.  Trickier than I expected it to be.  In the blue block, I'm going to have a few cut off points on the edges.  But, finished is better than perfect.



Basket 3 is basically a variation on Basket 2.  It has a different base and different corners, that's all.  It was supposed to be 9 inches but I couldn't deal with that and made it 10 inches instead.  I'll have to adjust the sashing when it goes into the quilt to make up for the bigger size (and hope that it doesn't throw off the balance).  I like Basket 2 better.  The cut off sides on 3 don't look right to me but I really like the look of the base.


This block gave me fits!  I was assembling it just like I did Basket 2 and the body wasn't going together.  My quarter inch seam was way off.  So, I had to rip out and redo.  Then I realized that the base didn't go on the same way.  It was either rip out or sew some Y seams.  I ripped out.  


Again, I have blocks that are finished but not perfect.  One of the handles ended up right on the seam allowance and I'm going to loose the points on the base.  Oh well.  They are done.  

I love the look of the baskets and would love to have a basket quilt but I don't know if I could make a whole quilt worth of baskets.  





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