We finally had a half-way decent and non-gusty day for some quilt photography!
You know how it goes - too much light and everything gets to looking washed out.
Not enough light and everything is grey and drab and dark.
The drop date is scheduled for THIS FRIDAY 5/14/2021
While May Day (May 1st) came and went nearly 2 weeks ago - I wanted to present Basket Toss as a nod to the tradition of May Baskets.
Did you do May Baskets as a child? Do you remember any May Day celebrations?
Often, folks would leave a paper basket or cone with spring flowers and sweets on each other's doorsteps, usually anonymously. This tradition was popular through the 19th and 20th centuries, especially with children or sweethearts. The custom was to knock on the door, yell “May basket!,” and then run.
Basket Toss over the porch roof!
I'm excited for Basket Toss to make its debut. And with all of the wind we've had here - it's a good indicator of what would have happened had someone put May baskets on my door - they'd have all blown away in a flurry of wind, much like the baskets in this quilt!
Yes, the quilt is Scrap User's System friendly. And yes, I used my Essential Triangle Tool to do all of the half-square triangles in each block.
I am even including step by step directions (And printed templates) for the gently scalloped border as well as in-depth instructions for the miles of bias binding to go around all of those fun scallops.
As I said - FRIDAY MORNING is the release date. Be watching for introductory sale pricing and a gift-away to go with it!
It's almost Rhodie time!
Come on, baby - BLOOM!
Our spring really has been delayed this year. Usually by Mother's Day the bush in the front yard at Quiltville Inn is in full out bright pink blossom mode.
I would say we are a couple of weeks behind schedule with everything due to how cold it has been.
If that means we get to enjoy spring just a bit longer before summer hits - I'm good with that.
Wildflowers at the edge of the ravine.
I count on spring from the first shoots of yellow daffodils, to the yellow mustard-like wild flowers that grow along side the road.
After the mustard starts to fade out, it's the purple beauties that start to spring up everywhere - That is until The Hubster takes the weed eater to them against my wishes and says firmly "But they are just a WEED!" to my cries of "Don't cut my purple ones!!"
There are still some volunteer dogwoods blooming too -
Close up of dogwood -
The texture of the stacked stones beyond - isn't that interesting?
This little ravine is what separates my property at the back of the QPO to the old woolen mill property on the other side of the little creak that runs through.
Since my yesterday was filled with much desk work and pattern writing - no machine sewing happened, but after all the laundry folding was complete, and the sound of weed eating stopped outside, it was time to head home where I did throw my feet up and get a bit closer on this:
On the 3rd side! Yay!
And so far no one in my lap to inhibit progress...
Until....
Well, shoot! LOL!
I guess that 4th side can wait for another evening - what's the hurry anyway?
Some machine time may happen today - but then again, it may not!
The Muddy Creek Misfits will be arriving by 4pm and I'm excited to have them coming!
Dear Weather Faeries- please send some warmth and sunshine and hold off on the abundance of wind - we need some porch rocking time, and maybe a hike or two, okay? Thankyouverymuch.
How about your own Wednesday ahead? Got plans for anything?
(So grateful I filled my car up on Tuesday afternoon with all that is going on with the gas industry right now?!)
Quiltville Quote of the Day -
Turn those doubts around!
Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!
25 comments:
I love wild flower (weeds) too!! Here is Texas I mow our acres and leave patches of bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, and other wild flowers all around. It may look funny but I love my wild flowers!! I also love Basket Toss and how you off-set the baskets around the center. Can't wait for the release! Thank you for all your quilty goodness!
I’m in North Carolina, and stuck at home with a quarter-full tank of gas. There were already long lines and sold-out stations on Tuesday morning, when I tried to get gas, so I just went back home.
My sister and I used to make paper May baskets, many years ago, and hang them on the neighbors’ front doors. Dot
Today is another GRAY day...... about those weeds.. what they are the seed producers for next year's flowers. And May baskets are STILL a big deal in my family... reference back to those "weeds".
May Day in Padstow, Cornwall has an 'Obby 'Oss, maypole, dancing all day around the town, bunting etc etc - amazing day. Check it out
Love the basket toss quilt with a scalloped border
Today they are finishing replacing the ductwork in the attic. We're supposed to get up to 95° again today. I'm willing to send you 20° if you can figure out how. I'm going to try working on My Favorite Color Is Moda some more. Hope you have a great week!
Good Morning, you brighten every day with the gorgeous colorful pictures. Thank You for reminding me of May Day. A local church in my hometown created the yummiest May baskets full of homemade candies. My grandfather would purchase 13 of these for all the grandchildren. We celebrated every year. Such "sweet" memories.
I am of the opinion that God did not create weeds. They are simply, mostly, just plants growing where WE do not want them to be growing.
When I was very young we lived in a small village with an English background. At school I remember having a May pole and dancing around it. The girls wore dresses made with crepe paper. (That was in Arkansas, USA around 1946.) Just barely remember it but you brought it to my mind. Thank you.
Oh my! That antique quilt with your quote of the day is precious! Love that. I'm not a fan of & seams...
I bet the bees and other pollinators love the wildflowers 😊
I too love the purple flowers, which are wild phlox. Here in Washington it has been deemed "No mow May" as pollinators are very busy. They need all the pollen they can collect and that includes those some people call weeds. Not just local bees collecting but migration is in full swing.
Love Basket Toss. I see it in my future. Will be a great place for my bags full of half square triangles trimmed from other projects. Enjoy your day.
That was my father-in-law's take on things. He and I disagreed entirely on what weeds were, and consequently, we usually let all the flowers grow until they died out!
I absolutely LOVE the name of the new group coming in!! Super fun. I vaguely remember those May baskets... I think I may have made one in elementary school. Looking forward to making some of those scrap baskets! Have a great evening!
Yes, I remember May Day baskets! I lived in a small community in rural Oregon. The church and the grade school got together to coordinate a May Day basket for all the little old lady (and little old man) houses in the area. Great memories!
I enjoy your photos every day. Especially excited for a full view and pattern for the strippy spiderweb you are binding!
When my daughter was younger, she use to put flowers on the neighbors porches for May Day.
May day was a big event at our house. We would use cottage cheese cartons as baskets and mommy would pick flowers from her garden. We wouldn't say anything. But we'd ring the bell and run!
I don’t believe in weeds, unless they’re invasive species, harmful to wildlife. I’ll agree with Cindy above, our pollinators need all the blossoms they can get early in the spring. Maybe God designed it that way,so they have nourishment as they migrate? Here, it seems the yellow wild flowers are the first to bloom, many different. And today, my wild cactus is blooming a beautiful crimson flower.
I have to say, I can't wait to meet the Muddy Creek Misfits! Want to hear the back story on that name! ;)
I remember May baskets. Cones made out of construction paper filled with dandelions and other wild flowers. We would hang them on the neighbors' front doors. We didn't ring the doorbells. Just left them there. Don't remember why....maybe because it was too early?
Beautiful wild flowers! My girls loved to make May Day baskets. It would be fun as an adult to start doing it!
What a nice tradition to leave flowers,
looks like a lovely dry stone wall behind the dogwood, we have loads in the north of England. Loving the new quilt.
I will be 75 a week from Sunday and remember the May Day celebrations at PS 177 in NYC. We wore special costumes to dance around the Maypole set up in the school yard. Those wildflowers are spectacular. Here in Maryland the garden has Lily of the Valley and irises right now. Looking forward to your basket quilt.
Absolutely!
I recently joined the Krazy Coupon Club Blogs , and I’m hoping to find some great deals on craft supplies for projects like this. Thanks for the inspiration.
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