Baskets baskets baskets

We made twenty-odd fabric baskets this weekend.  And now we are making twenty-odd scarves... because we have plans.  But.  I am amazingly proud of all of these baskets.  We took pictures galore... I am only posting the nicest of them all...  It went very swiftly with two of us working on them.

So far we've been asked by 5 people if we are making them to sell.  Initially the answer was, "Well, no, not really...."  But from here on out, the answer is "Why, yes... yes we are.  Interested?" 

Sitting here drinking cherry-pomegranate juice with a little lemon juice mixed in to cut the sweet of the cherry.  It's really quite tasty, and a very pretty color. 

I accidentally tripped the breaker on the den tonight... apparently two space heaters (one is for the plants on the back porch, the other for inside) is too much.  So.... tripped breaker and my roommate saying "Oh, THAT'S not good."  I came close to panic, since the last house I was in the breakers fried themselves and took out the electricity to half the house.  But, all was well, just unplugged the inside space heater and re-set the breaker.  No harm done.  *whew*  And ultimately, when in the den, I can dress warmer.  The plants can't.  So they get the space heater.  I can still have the one in  my bedroom.  (Roomie likes cold.  I don't.  My knee doesn't.  My lungs don't.  She sleeps with her windows open when it's 20 degrees outside.  I have a space heater.  It works).

Project update

Finished not two, but three projects last night (at least the test versions of each).  One was a success, but I don't like the way the pattern makes up, so I did not bother taking pictures.  (Additionally, it was all black felt and would not photograph very well). 

Of the two that were photographable (more or less), here's the first - a larger version of the fabric basket I made before.  This one is about 12" long and 4" wide and I forget how deep... maybe 5"-6".  Doesn't sound that big, but it holds a lot.  Like the small one, it is completely reversible.  I made this one with simple cottons that had been hanging around my roommate's mother's house for years, so I have no idea of their provenence.  Two pictures this time, one empty, to show the lining, and one full, to show how much stuff it holds.  (All of the stuff came out of the pantry - two or three boxes of rice, honey, there's a 12 oz. mug tucked in there, a box of pomegranate bars, a bag of rice, Vidalia onion dressing/marinade, and something else that I don't remember.  Not half bad for a little basket).  The weight was substantial, but not enough to do any damage, so I am confident about this basket.  I like it, like the pattern, and like the speed with which it makes up. 

Now if I could only measure right the first time.... Measure twice cut once didn't work - the finished basket was SUPPOSED to be 15" long... I mismeasured the shell fabrics and had to cut the lining down.  By the way, on the empty picture, there is nothing in it, not even cardboard.  It stands up on its own, even though it's just two layers of thin cotton. 

The other project of the evening that turned out well was this: a folk-style bonnet.  I am not sure that 'bonnet' is the right term for it, but it came out well anyway.  It's a little too big for my head, so I will make a slightly smaller version tonight - 90% of the original (or maybe 95%, we'll see which works best).  The original found online used two layers of felt.  This one is one layer of felt and one of fleece.  The next one will be two layers of fleece and an outer layer of felt (because I don't have that much felt in different colors).  I want to try a little reverse applique on the next one.  The forward shot is a little tough to see, so we took a side shot as well.  If the next one turns out well, we'll just take a picture of it on my head instead of the mannequin head.

The bonnet is designed to sit on the upper back of the head; it doesn't cover the entire head.  The next one will not be all black, I promise, so it should photograph much better.

They are forecasting a chance of snow tonight and tomorrow... we'll see what happens.