Monday, April 09, 2012

Basket weave quilt - lessons learned (ing!)


Spent much of the weekend working on the woven quilt. After the first row or so this quilt comes together pretty quickly...very surprised.


Now that I am halfway through these are what I've learned about this pattern.

Fabric selection: I decided to use up scraps from my 1-1/2 inch basket but this is a "controlled" scrappy pattern. The trio of strips consistently has a red (mine go from dark pink or purple, through reds, to a couple of orange-y) then a medium value and then a light. The strip is oriented consistently through the quilt which gives it the "weave." The squares need to contrast with the weave. I used black but sort of wish I had gone with dark brown...oh well. I did do a test block using a light in the background and found it worked well as long as you replaced the last strip with a dark instead of light.



Piecing: I made a pile of three-strip sets. I am halfway through and the pile is gone. This quilt uses a lot of strips. Back to the basket for me! I am sewing this on my featherweight since I can control this machine to the individual stitch. That is important since on the areas that are going to have the block set in I need to stop 1/4 of an inch from the edge...too much and there may end up with gaps in the stitching but too little and the next seam has not place to set.
Pins mark 1/4 inch start and stop point

I am pressing towards the strip sets. This didn't come naturally...my first few rows I tried to force it towards the dark block but quickly found when it came to setting the next row of blocks in they were easier to set if the seam went the other way. Also the dark fabric falls a bit further back this way and the "basket weave" is more pronounced....

I started piecing this from the upper left corner and and going across. This quilt is constructed row by row instead of block by block.
There are two different types of rows...the square and weave and then one that is just weave.
Weave row
Once that rhythm gets going it goes together quickly!

There are a few tricky places at the edges. I found it works best for me if I cut those strips a bit long and then pin the strip on from the black square out. Need to get some photos of this....

Also, I feel like this needs a border. The original doesn't have one but I am a border sort of quilter...tried a few ideas but not wild about any of them....yet!




22 comments:

Janet O. said...

I think this is so eye-popping with the red accent fabric and the black background squares. I don't think a brown background would have had the same eye-appeal. Just my HO.
You say it goes together easily, but it looks pretty involved to me. You are doing a beautiful job. I love the woven look.

Nancy said...

Ok, that is way too cool and I want to make one. Is there a pattern for this? Are you writing one? Will you share???

I also love the quilt on your header... that the lovely cat is laying on.

I love scrappy quilts... almost can't bring myself to make one that isn't scrappy.

Hugs!

AnnieO said...

This kind of construction is so foreign I would need a spotter next to my machine at all times :) Yours looks great and I think the black works just fine.

Pam in KC said...

I love it! I may have to put this on my list of quilts to make.

Teresa Rawson said...

This is so cool, but I'm having a "bear of little brain" type of day, so it is blowin' my mind! I will bookmark and check it out later, as I've always wanted to try this! It looks very cool. I like that it's good for scraps!

In stitches,
Teresa :o)

Tonya Ricucci said...

fabulous!

Merilyn said...

Looks to be a bit of a piecing challenge, but the result is awesome!!!! Nice to see you using your Featherweight!!!

Quilting By Celia said...

Very striking quilt... Where did you purchase the pattern ?

abelian said...

To avoid marking the 1/4" seam allowances, and stopping right there, I'm using a partial seam technique: whenever you're sewing a short length to a longer length (a square to the long side of a stripped piece. or the short side of one stripped piece to the long side of another), start the seam where the corners match, and stop a half-inch or so from the end where the longer piece extends. On the next row, ou're going to be sewing something along the rest of that longer piece, and you can finish the partial seam when you do that. Hard to explain without pictures!

Dot

abelian said...

Oops! "...on the next row, you're going to be ..."

Linda in NC said...

Very cool! Thanks for the piecing tips.

Sheila said...

Beautiful! I love the woven look.
Sheila

gail.designs said...

Would love to purchase this pattern. Would you send me a resource for this design. Thanks!
gauen at mbc dot edu

Unknown said...

Oh my! I need the pattern as well. What a beautiful project.

Sew Create It - Jane said...

That is coming along beautifully...though I'm still scratching my head trying to work out how you've sewn it together.

Purple Pam said...

Love the basket weave in progress.

Judi in DBS said...

I have made a weave quilt before out of scraps, nothing as pretty as yours but it was mind blowing. It took me several blocks to get the hang of it then if I didn't pick it up again for a while I had to really be careful cause I would be back to square one. I had a pattern and it still was one of those things you really have to be careful and alert. I love yours!!

Unknown said...

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Laura Miller said...

I know this is from five years ago, but hopefully you are still checking your blog. This is gorgeous. I love the black, it is what grabbed my attention on Pinterest. I agree with others that the sewing together looks like a challenge, but what abelian said makes so much sense, I will definitely try that when I attempt this. Thanks so much for sharing and your tips. Did you finish the quilt and figure out a border?

YankeeQuilter said...

Laura...you ar listed as no comment so this is the only way I can answer! Yes I finished the to and am almost finished quilting. I am handquilting it so it is taking a long time! I'll post a photo of my progress this weekend!

Alicia Key said...

Very cool! found it on pinterest!

SBW said...

I know you made this strip quilt awhile ago. I hope you could still answer my questions. I love the look of it with the red strip on one side and the black squares. I've bought my black fabric and am using up strips of leftover fabric.

Can you please give more detailed pictures of step by step sewing the strips to black squares and on and on - ie how you sewed it together.

Thanks again, just love this quilt. SBW