QAYG fabric basket tutorial

I do love to join in sewing with others and my Tuesday sewing friends and I like to do a joint project too....

On Michelle's blog she wrote about a Rainbow Scrap Challenge she is doing -  which is hosted by SoScrappy.  

Anyways, since we all have scraps and I don't like throwing ANY fabric out --- and us Tuesday girls needed a new machine sewing project (Dutch Treat is ongoing hand work) this seems a perfect opportunity to work on my scraps and get them in some sort of order....

This is how I keep them at the moment....

My plan is to make baskets for the different colour scraps - use some up and store the rest!  

There are several fabric basket patterns on the net but I wanted to do a Quilt As You Go  in one piece and couldn't find what I wanted so I adapted.  Now there may well be something similar around  and far better but I thought I would include how I did my  NO waste QAYG scrap fabric basket.

First I wanted to make a single piece of quilted fabric out of scraps (for this experimental basket I used batik scraps) and used THIS tutorial by Elizabeth Hartman at Oh Franson.  My finished size of the rectangle was 17" x 23" so I cut my backing a couple of inches longer and wider and the wadding the correct size.  Then quilted the patches over using Elizabeth's method.

When all the pieces were added I trimmed it all to 17 x 23"

... like this....

Fold the work in half lenthways and cut out corners 3 1/2" x 4" (the 3 1/2" being from the folded base up.  Cut carefully around the corner and keep these pieces aside.

And sew the sides together (right sides facing) (I used an overlocker for this)  

You end up with something that resembles a quilted pair of nickers without any elastic!!

Fold the corners lining up the half length fold line with the side seam and sew the boxing seam...

... and that gives you the basket shape....

Here are the pieces that were cut out the base 

Now fold them in half lengthways and sew the seam .. then turn through (this was the most difficult part as they are a bit bulky but just fiddle around ....

Find the side seams of your bag and pin these short lengths to make handles.  I put them about 1/2" on either side of the seam....  Baste them in place.

Make enough binding to comfortably fit around the bag... I did the length plus 4".  Sew it down on the inside of the basket...

Then turn over and sew the binding down..... (of course you can do this by hand)

As you can see this method shows the seams inside.....

.. but it's perfect for what I want ....

The basket has ended up sort of 7 - 8 " square (I say sort of because some sides are 7" and some are 8".  Not perfect but fine for me....

... Hmmmmmm - my overlockers sits in an old plastic cover - it could do with a QAYG cover sometime..... 

So I used up some scraps and I am also using up some of my lovely threads left over from quilt projects (not enough to use for a big project)

For the linings I am using left overs from backings (so officially scraps too!!!) .... sometimes I need to join them...

and I have a couple of linings (also made from scraps)  and the wadding scraps .... 

my first newly made UFO in the bag to make one colour per month...

SoScrappy gives more information about it HERE if you are interested...  basically she chooses a colour and you choose what you want to make with it..... 

Righto, Gotto Go.... this months colour is PURPLE and I need to go and sort out my scraps and see what I can find.

UFO finish .....

The best thing about going through my drawers I realise that there are sometimes projects that don't really need a huge amount of work.....

This QAYG whole quilt is one of them...... and now it's done and I love it....

The main photo is a good reflection of the colour - I used a mottled light blue for the top and a plain light blue for the back.

These close up pictures don't show the colour well and the trapunto sometimes looks like it is receding and not puffy..... but it still gives an idea of the work involved....

This was all quilted on a small domestic sewing machine - so I'd like to encourage anyone wanting to do some Free Motion Quilting.  Go for it and you don't need a big machine - just the hopping foot and some patience.  Smaller pieces are much easier when learning - make placemats, mug rugs, bags etc - or put together a quilt like this.

Righto, Gotto Go.... I want to go and stroke my quilt!!! 

Trapunto Whole cloth .....

I started this whole cloth done Quilt As You Go before 2013 - it was one of  my early learning to quilt projects and I sewed it all on my small basic Janome ..... not sure of the make but it cost under $300 which is indicative - not computerised and only a few stitches... but I could quilt with it....

The pattern is designed by Keryn Emmerson.  I very much enjoyed doing these and I know the designs will come in use for quilting other projects too....

It was a great way to practice free motion as there are a number of different designs but on small pieces.

Besides practicing quilting I was also interested in doing some simple trapunto ....

The reason this has been so long waiting to be finished is that I didn't do the sashing as per the pattern and was finding it difficult to join the quilt centre into the border frame (quilted in one large square frame)

These two pieces needed to be butted together and sewn over with my 1/2" binding sashing....

.... but with sorting out my projects I find I need this drawer!!!!

... so after a full day of fiddling the border is on.... it's a bit wavy so once it's all sewn I will give it a soak and lay it flat... that should help....

... as you can see I'm sewing the binding ....  it will be finished soon!!!

Righto, Gotto Go.....

Quilt As You Go.....

I have kept in touch with Joy over the years and at the moment she is doing a series on dealing with UFO's - most, if not all of us, have them.  Everything we work on is a UFO isn't it - or it would be something to go on OPAM.....

Personally I list mine at the beginning of each year.... I photograph them and post them on their own special page on my blog.  I do make an effort to work on them (in theory something all the time) and mark off when they are done.  

One of the things Joy mentioned is inheriting UFO's and this week I took out one I inherited some time ago.....

Some flannel squares from Kris at Tag Along Teddies

There was already some made with wadding inside so I went and dug out my odd bits of wadding to cut out more.  (I always keep those strips cut off along side quilts if they are a reasonable size)

and soon I had a nice pile of layered blocks ready for sewing....

Diagonal lines across each corner and by the end of the morning I have this nice pile of ready to put together blocks.... they are going into a drawer until further notice...

Sometimes I like to work on a UFO in steps... this is one of those times.  It did clear out a good number of those little bits of wadding I had hanging around...

On Friday night Kris gave me an OPAM prize - how fun is that.  One of her newer patterns with the Beetle Boogie which is so sweet and bright, some embroidery threads and a piece of fabric (which will go well with my Splendid Sampler blocks so it went straight into that drawer)

Thanks Kris, OPAM is such fun and prizes aren't expected but are such fun! 

I also splashed out on some background fabrics - I've been wanting to make quilts from Toni's gorgeous book HAPPY QUILTS and now I have the perfect reason.  Grandieboys needing quilts for their beds at Dads place.... I wanted a variety of blacks, whites and greys for the backgrounds....

Wild Things .....

... and SuperHeroes....

As you can see I have already started gathering up some fabrics from my stash/scraps for the applique...

These will be fun!!  It really is the most delightful childrens quilts book (and stuffies to match)

Righto, Gotta Go - there is a heap of tracing to do for these blocks.... I want to prepare them for a retreat next month.... hmmmmmm, maybe some late nights????