Basket Quilt and Mini-Dwellings WIP

I'm still waiting for the quilting thread! SIGH! 

The 'problem order' made it through US Customs and has made it to France! Scheduled to arrive next week. 

Meanwhile; progress on the Basket quilt

The 4 scrappy 16-patches corner blocks are done

The small 4-patches - measure 2.5" square - for the second border is done; 72 out of 72!

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Mini-Dwellings is UFO #25 on my UFO/WIP list

The small house block has been sitting on my sewing table for weeks. The idea is to make a small wall hanging, but I wanted to add that little extra to make it more interesting. I wanted to add some embroidery, but haven't found the 'right' design.

This block is leftover from 'Dwellings' I finished last year. 

During the weekend, I flipped through several issues of Australian 'Creating Country Threads Stitchery' magazines to see if I could find something I like. 

I did! 

I chose three stitchery patterns, and this is a combination of the three. 

I don't have a lightbox, I had to tape the pattern and fabric to the window to get the design transferred. The shades on the fabric make it look dirty.

I dived into my DMC floss to see if I have the recommended colors. 

I have 9 colors out of 5. That meant going to the neighbor town for shopping! 

I got what I needed, and it was a nice long walk. 

These are the colors + black. 

I may swap the purple with another color, I shall see when I'm there...

 

Basket Quilt UFO - WIP

It took me some days deciding on how to do the basket blocks, since I was not that eager to do the original block design. Then I saw Melva's beautiful Basket block and knew right away my blocks need a 'flower pot'! 

I think the left one looks much better and I decided on that design. 

I also get to use up my basket weave fabrics that have been sitting on the shelf for some years! What I don't use for the blocks, will be used for a pieced backing. I made 5 of the design to the right, those blocks will be used for the backing too.

The pattern calls for 16 Basket blocks and I'm happy to say they are all done! 

I went through ALL my stash looking for suitable background fabric for the blocks. The one I intended is not enough! Of course! It's a beautiful Crab Apple Hill Studio called 'Tea Rose'. IMO; it would have been perfect. I need about 2 yards, I have only 1 yard. I have a few in neutrals cream, but I didn't like any of them, they look a bit dull. So, I went hunting online and did order one with tiny flowers in muted colors that should fit. 

I love making this quilt (so far! lol), but there's something with the block I don't like, but I can't pinpoint or explain exactly what it is. Hm.... they look like the Gremlins?! LOL

What do you think? 

Next step is to make 72 4-patch units for the second border, using 1.5" squares! That means I need 288 1.5" squares! Good thing I have quite some cut already, for this ongoing project I haven't worked on for a very long time. I forgot to add this one when I did my UFO/WIP list for this year.

I haven't done anything red this week. 

I have A Quilting Life's BOM for March to do. It includes red. It should be done by next week. 

Update on the delayed quilting thread order: The company has re-shipped my order, hopefully with the right custom papers this time. 

...and I'm still waiting for other quilting thread too. SIGH! I have 5-6 quilts thread basted and ready to be quilted. Oh well, I have more than enough other WIPs to work on, while waiting... 

Linking up with Angela and the RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2026)

 

True Blue - A Flimsy, Pieced Backing

'True Blue' is a flimsy! 

I started working on this quilt in January this year, when the selected RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) color was blue. I was not supposed to start anything new, but... 

1) I couldn't resist making a blue and white quilt

2) it's a relatively small quilt with only 20 big blocks

There are 3 different blocks, easy to make, before the corner units.

Bad me seldom read carefully through any pattern. I didn't realize it calls for 160 triangles! First I read it was 80, but that is sets of 2 triangles! 

OK! No problem! I had lots of 1.5" fabric strips. In addition to the already cut strips, I needed to cut more blue as well as white strips. A bit tedious to sew all those small strips together, but I finally got there! 

It gets a pieced backing. I hope to get a better photo of the backing after it is quilted. I need batting for this one, so it'll have to wait. 

I've been working on this one and the Basket quilt while waiting for ordered quilting thread. I have to rant: I ordered thread from an online shop in the US on February 14 to be shipped UPS Expedited. The company is not able to get the right custom papers to UPS! I had a look at the tracking again last night, and again (2nd time!) the package is returned to sender due to missing commercial invoice! I paid US$ 50 for expedited shipping, and after one month they have not managed to provide the right custom papers!  I just can't believe it?!?!!! It is so unprofessional! Usually expedited shipping takes about 2 weeks from the US. Due to the delay, I requested a shipping refund and got it. What happens next, I don't know. I suggested they use another courier, so let's wait and see what happens.