Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Great big scrappy fabric basket


The last 10 days have gone by in a bit of a blur. Returning to work is hard....it takes so much time to get used to the pace of a working day again, doing all the family stuff in the evenings and even having to travel for a couple of days for training. So crafting has been a bit hit and miss here in the last couple of weeks and I haven't gotten close to replying to emails unfortunately.

FairyFace Designs

But I did manage to get one of this month's scrappy projects finished for my Put Your Scraps to Work challenge .....a lovely fabric storage basket made out of scraps, for my scraps. Seeing as the scrap pile was completely out of control, I needed something new to put them in and decided to divide them up by colours - cool, warm and neutrals & multicoloured/novelty. As I said previously, I really want my scrappy projects to be practical as well as pretty so a basket was a great project to start with.

 I meant to post progress pics of this, but what with the travel and the kids and falling asleep on the sofa within an hour of sitting down in the evenings, I just didn't get to. So here's a recap - you'll have seen some of these pics before if you follow me on Instagram or FB.


I started off just piecing random scraps together. It is improv in terms of the method - no plan, I just put pieces together - but I didn't go completely crazy and wonky, I kept it reasonably squared off to fit with the shape of the basket. Some of my fave scraps went into these panels; I love the hedgehogs, and the tree, all the dots. The bear and the whales and owls. I really had fun making it.

I decided to try matchstick quilting. It's pretty haphazard, not a straight line in there (I believe the official word is "organic"). I really love how dense it is. And how it turned out. I used Aurifil medium turquoise 50wt thread. I'm normally very boring with my thread colour choice, sticking to neutrals, but decided to give this a whirl and I have to admit I absolutely love it. The turquoise pops off it and gives the quilting an extra nice feel.



I used Nova's great pattern to make these. I did think a bit before buying it, as fabric baskets are not the most complicated thing in the world to make, and I've made them before. But I love how all the measurements are done for various sizes, and there are lots of options there that there are additional measurements for too. Well worth the few euro for it when I keep using it over and over again.


 

 I made the 9" basket and I could probably go up a couple of inches as my Expedit bookcase would take a bigger basket, and I certainly don't have all my scraps in here yet. Aren't those little scraps there pretty? I love looking at this from different angles. I keep seeing favourite prints. See that tiny bit of blue and red paisley over the navy Saffron Craig print with the birds? That paisley is a Tanya Whelan and one of my all time faves. I sadly put the tiny last bit I had in there....and then someone was selling it in the IG destash on Sunday night and now I have 3/4 yard of it again...hooray.



I used a few large scraps for the lining. Honestly, apart from the green dinos, none of them are prints I really like a whole pile, but I wanted to use them as I suffer from quilter's disease (I cannot throw out perfectly useable, if ugly, fabric) and they won't really be seen as I'm anticpating that this basket will most likely fill as fast as I can empty it. 

I am very pleased with this. Love how it turned out. And love how useful it is.


How are your scrappy projects coming along? Are you making progress? Don't forget I'll be posting a linky on the last day of the month for you to show off your makes. I had a few questions about the degree of finished-ness required to link up. This is a very relaxed kind of scrap challenge.I just want people to have fun and use up their scraps in the process. So blocks, quilt tops etc are all fine to link up. It doesn't have to be totally 100% finished (although it probably works best if you are finished a "stage" rather than right in the middle of piecing something).


Can't wait to see what you've been making :-)

17 comments:

Cindy said...

How cool is that? Super make, Sarah. I'm imagining my sewing room filled with baskets like this, but with the scraps in coordinating color...a red basket, a blue basket, etc. And then I can pop my scraps in accordingly. A bit OTT? Maybe.

Anyway, pretty pretty as usual, Miss S. xx

Judith, Belfast said...

Brilliant use of your scraps! It will take a bit of time for your body to adjust to the new routine, but it will get easier! Take care, Jxo

Anorina @SameliasMum said...

LOL - I suffer from the same "can't throw out good, yet ugly fabric" disease. Love your fabric box!

Leanne Parsons said...

Beautiful! As I currently keep some of my scraps in a plastic grocery bag, this would be a big upgrade.

Hannlib said...

I sold all my scraps on IG on the Sunday night destash. Made a lovely little chunk of money and no longer have boxes brimming with guilt inducing scraps! Total winner.
Hope your return to work is going okay, I think your baby is about the same age as mine xx

Katy Cameron said...

Lol, smart thinking using your scraps to hold your scraps!

Fran said...

Love this! Great way to practise quilting on a smaller scale too... Tempted to buy the pattern!

Nicky said...

oooh got the pattern already and wouldn't it be great to have one in each colour for your scraps! Then I could sort some out - this idea has possibilities! Thanks Sarah!

Sonia said...

Such a great use of scraps and I think the organic quilting sets it off perfectly! Hope the back to work thing settles down soon x

knottygnome said...

i have used that basket pattern so many times. i think it was worth every penny. your basket is so beautiful and the matchstick quilting is awesome!

Mrs Flying Blind... said...

Brilliant. I have the pattern, and I have the scraps - need some more time!!!

Catherine said...

Brilliant idea! I have just blogged about what I made from my scraps following on from your original post

pandchintz said...

Love this!

Tomomi McElwee said...

Lovely baskets! My scraps are smaller than 2" so I want dream making them. More pouches for me.

RobinSue said...

The fabric basket is eye-catching. I agree that it's a great way to use fabrics that no longer see the top of the pile. I'm getting on this wagon immediately. Time to rid my space of shopping bags!

Amy's Crafty Shenanigans said...

I love what you made - yum!!

Farmer Lady said...

I love this idea for scraps!! I love scraps and bags :) best of both haha