Baskets hand-pieced, blocks and borders joined by machine. Hand quilted with grid pattern (cross-hatching) around blocks, and double grid (two lines running close together rather than just one) in large triangles. Bound with a wide bias binding that matches the backing.
Probably out of all the quilts I've made, this one has taught me the most! It started out as a Block-of-the-Month quilt (BOM). We'd just moved to NZ when I was laid up in bed for weeks on end after falling from the deck of a house I was looking at with a real estate agent. I did extensive damage to both ankles and was off my feet for weeks. After the first week or so I'd finished the projects I'd brought over in my luggage, and the rest of our worldly goods hadn't yet arrived. With nothing to occupy my time and no way of getting to the shops, I ordered this BOM from Queensland, Australia (and no, we didn't buy that house).
At the time the fabrics were quite different from anything I'd ever used before, so it was a step out of my comfort zone. After messing up one of the blocks (I ironed the interfacing onto the right side of the fabric instead of onto the wrong side!), I substituted another pattern and used some scraps that I had on hand (our furniture etc had arrived by this time).
It was while making this quilt that I learnt never - and I mean NEVER - cut borders by eye. The large triangles surrounding the centre medallion were originally in another fabric. I tried trimming the edges after the quilt was basted together and ready to be quilted without a ruler and made a huge mess. I had to remove the fabric and substitute it with another fabric (which I didn't think was as pretty). The fabric that I removed I was using for years and years in other scrap quilts until I got well and truly sick of it! Thankfully it's all used up now!
The quilt graces our Family Room wall and I'm always amazed at the number of people that say it's their favourite. I love it - but I also know that it's not perfect. If this quilt were folded into quarters, the corners wouldn't match! My motto is: do the best job you can then sit back and enjoy the results. Chances are no one but you will noticed the imperfections.
Since the top photo is none too clear, I'm including some close-ups of some of the blocks.
Colonial Basket:
Lily Basket:
Scrap Basket:
Strip Basket:
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