Three Left Turns

I am not sure whether to call this a 2013 quilt, or a 2014 quilt.  I pieced this over Christmas break but finished it today - it was not a planned project, but a friend is undergoing some medical stuff and I wanted to do a quilt for him.  I had seen this pattern online and wanted to try it for myself.  Only it featured the Moda hexagon precuts - which I didn't have.  And a lot of white - which I didn't think was the right choice for this particular project.

I wanted to use the grey for my background, and I wanted to cut my own hexagons.  Since I have the Hex-N-More ruler from Jaybird Quilts, I figured I could cut away at a bundle of batik and do my own thing.  Except I didn't figure on how hexagons are measured - I did 6.5" strips figuring I would get 6" hexagons, which is what I thought the Moda precuts were.  Except they are 6" through the middle, not height, so my hexagons ended up both taller and wider than the Moda ones.

No trouble - I adjusted my sashing accordingly (um - after I had already cut it too narrow and had to go back and recut), and dropped one hexagon out of each row - adding them in on my backing.  The finished dimensions are about the same - though I used less fabric in my side strips as a result.

I am happy with how it turned out - and would probably make it or something like it again.  Start to finish for the piecing including the cutting was less than a day.

The quilting I finished up on this today - just straight lines with some variegated Aurifil on the front, and a solid grey thread on the back.  Binding was the same fabric as the background, and as we were home with a "snow day" due to the Polar Vortex I was able to quilt AND bind this today (and snuggle under it in the process).

The recipient is a big baseball fan - so that dictated both the backing fabric and the name of the quilt.

Baskets and More Baskets

I have been playing with this basket pattern for over a year now - and still am loving it. I've given a lot as gifts, and just recently I made up about 60 for a craft show -they were very popular - not to mention fun and quick to make and great scrap busters.

I did have a special request though -for a similar basket but with the dimensions to hold paper napkins.

I am not going to rewrite the tutorial that Pink Penguin did such a great job on - I am just going to give you alternate dimensions.

Sides: 2 pieces at 13.5 x 3.5 (this fits a 6x6 napkin just right -the basket "flares out" a bit as it goes up unless you have a really stiff batting or put interfacing in it) (these can be solid fabric or pieced to these dimensions. I used novelty fabrics, so did not calculate out what it would be doing it "patchwork)

Bottom: 1 piece at 13.5 x 9

Lining: 1 piece at 13.5 x 15

Batting: 1 piece a bit larger than 13.5 x 15

I used the same handle length - but used grosgrain ribbon instead of making them out of fabric.

Enjoy.