Monday, July 02, 2012

Basketweave top finished!


It is a finish...well the top is anyways.  I started this challenge quilt several months ago.  (Bill V. posted an antique version...someone said it would be difficult to make and I opened my big mouth and said no it wouldn't...so now I have a quilt top...) I made great progress until the border....let's just say three sides went on well but the fourth?  Not so much....

So it got stuffed into a tote and ignored for a bit.  With the heat keeping me hostage this weekend I pulled the quilt, Charleston Baskets, out of the tote and un-sewned (ode to the seam ripper....)  Part of the frustration was I no longer had any of the exact fabric I needed to turn that last corner...so I went with something close.  Yet another reason I love to make scrappy quilts....close is good enough!  (and sometimes even better!)

I've made good progress on my corn and beans...now I have almost 60 done!  I need 80 for an 8x10 block top...since the blocks are only 4-1/2 inch finished it is a small quilt!  I am playing with some ideas for a pieced border to give it a bit more size....

And of course while I have the fabric out on the cutting table and an surplus of hst I tried another of the blocks from the auction.  (bought a box of quilttops from the 1930's last month in rural South Carolina.)

This one spooked me a little bit.  I didn't know the name of the block so I hung the top off the quiltroom door and pulled out the Brackman's Encyclopedia.  The book fell open the page with this block on it...page 297, block number 2342, Aunt Mary's Double Irish Chain.  My Dad had a sister named Mary and my Mom had a sister named Mary...so I had two Aunt Mary's...both Irish!  So it is kismet...I've got to make a quilt using this block!  I liked the test block but I'm going to make the pieces just a tad larger (this used 2 inch strips and the block finished as 6-1/2.)  Also I'm debating making it all in the blues and whites or multi-colored scraps...

We had wild storms yesterday but got some rain with them so I can't complain.  Looks like the temps will be over 100 degrees again.  I put water out for the animals early this morning.  Saw a possum by why is left of the stream...hope the temps cool off soon.

9 comments:

Gypsy Quilter said...

Your new projects are simply beautiful. On the Mary block, I'd say go with scrappy. We also finally got rain, thank goodness.

Impera Magna said...

Congratulations on a such a cool basket weave flimsy! I love scrappy quilts more and more...

..and the corn and beans quilt is looking good!

My mother's name was Mary and I had two Aunt Mary's... does this mean I need to make this one too?

:)

Janet O. said...

The Basket Weave is stunning! You should sell patterns! : )
Corn and beans is an ambitious block--that will be a great little quilt.
I can't believe your Brackman Encyclopedia FELL OPEN to the page with the right block. Mine NEVER does that. I spend hours hunting down block names at times. Sounds like serendipity that you learned the name, because you need to make that block into a quilt!

Janet said...

Your basketweave quilt turned out beautifully!! The heat is good for something :0)
I love how corn and beans is shaping up too.

Mary Johnson said...

I love remaking antique quilts and this one looks wonderful!

Jeanne said...

I love your basket weave quilt top! I'd definitely buy a pattern.

Tonya Ricucci said...

thank goodness we have a basement - it stays cool down there even in three digit heat (and no a/c). love the CB quilt! oooh, double Mary - definitely calling out to you.

Merilyn said...

Love the Aunt Mary's Double Irish Chain block! and you are using your Easy Angle ruler too, I have those as well in a couple of different sizes, so easy to use!!!
The basket weave is looking great and so are the corn & beans, very nice!!!!!

Bill Volckening said...

How did I miss this?!? (I know, I know - it's because Mom's been here for three and a half weeks) - LOL! Looks amazing! Love the scrappy border!!