Two Fruit Baskets

You know when you finish a quilt (or two, in this case) and you look back and wonder, "why did I do that?"  I am kind of doing that right now.  I am wondering why I made two of these instead of one large one.  I suppose there are a few reasons, but I can't change it now.



































It doesn't change how I feel about them. I am happy with how they turned out.  These were quilts I was collecting fabrics for during a stretch of several years.  I was motivated to start working through some of my projects when I was pregnant with #2. Unfortunately, my machine had different plans and continued to give me trouble.  Consequently, quilts that I started in 2011 are only now getting finished. My little girl really loves the colors, though. :)

I wanted to try baskets and came up with this pattern based on the many basket patterns out there. I wanted to maximize the amount of fruit/veggies that was showing in each block. When trying to decide what color to get the blocks on, my Mom pulled out this black and I just loved how it made the colors POP!

For the border, I used scraps to make the squares and used the last of the basket weave fabric to frame and bind it.  When it came to the quilting, once again I was practicing my template work, and I feel like I'm getting better and better. My machine, however, did not like working on the black fabric, so I ended up having to ditch the BSR and use the foot.  Made it a little more challenging, but of course by the time I was finished I had it figured out.  Good practice!

For the second one, I needed to change the border because I had different leftovers to work with.  So, I used strips instead of squares and I set it in black instead of the basket weave. I used the same template, but it was set on the block in a different position, and I simply did straight stitch instead of meander on the borders.

For the back of the second one, I had to piece together some of the leftover fabrics to get it to be big enough, and I actually really like how it turned out. Sometimes it feels like you have a whole other quilt when you have some fun with the back.

Maybe I should do what I had originally thought and try selling one on Etsy? We'll see.  For now, I am just going to enjoy the colors and think about the next project.

I am linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts. Here's hoping you have a nice weekend!

WIP Wednesday

I am having so much fun with the Dr. Seuss fabric; who knew!? A friend sent this little bundle to me and I couldn't wait to put it together.  I cut up the panel and bought black sashing to frame everything.  Other than that, I am winging it.

It's kind of fun; different from what I usually do.  There is the challenge of layout for each block, and of course trying to make sure I maximize all my fat quarters, because that's all I have.  Hopefully, I'll have enough to finish the quilt.  It would not be cool if I have to pick it all apart to get things to work.

I apologize for the poor quality on the photo, but this was at midnight last night. The end of an evening where I chose quilting over cleaning up after the kids. :P  I can clean the mess tomorrow, right?!?

I am linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday. Can't wait to see everyone's projects!

Monday Mealtime

My Favorite Whisks Ever!
I admit it! I am a kitchen gadget junky, or at least I was. I used to get every kitchen gadget that came out. I used them, I loved them, and then I realized which ones are REALLY useful for me. There are still a lot of gadgets that I like, but just don't use much. And then there are the tools that get used so often I am usually pulling them out of the clean dishwasher to put them back to work.

These are the four whisks that I use THAT much! As I was learning about cooking, I didn't understand such simple tools could be so handy.  As time has gone on, I have found that these whisks make things so much easier, and are a lot simpler to clean than a giant mixer. I wanted to give a quick explanation about how I use these different whisks.

This first one is put to use every time there's a sauce or a batter that needs mixing.  The flat design works great when you don't want a bunch of air mixed in, but you need something that will help break down any lumps that might have formed.  I use this with batter for my pancakes and waffles, as well as on chocolate sauces and bbq sauces I am heating/mixing. Amazing whisk!

This more traditional design is great for making large omelets and frittata's. Anything that you need to mix some air into without overdoing it like mixers sometimes can.  I wouldn't make an angel food cake with it, or homemade whipped cream, but anything that needs a little air, this is the perfect whisk.  I think I got it at Costco Business Store years ago.  The oversized handle really helps with control and spin. Perfect!

Okay, now this one I literally had to dry off after cleaning it so I could take pictures of it. Have you ever made a sauce with cornstarch that clumps together and you are trying desperately to break it up?  I remember using forks and spoons to push against the side of the pan before. After struggling for what felt like eternity I would give up and call my husband to finish the job. And then I found this little beauty! The spring action allows you to breakdown starches that are being used as a thickening agent. I love it best when I am making stews or meatball sauces.

Last but not least, this is the mini of the traditional model. It's great when you only want to mix one or two eggs together.  I also use it when I am making buttermilk for the pancakes.  It provides just enough air to help the buttermilk thicken. This is another one that was pulled out of the clean dishwasher to photograph; that's how much I use it.

A shout out to my MIL for the awesome antique mixing bowls; something else I use just about every day. Okay, there's my two cents on whisks.  I hope others find it helpful.  What's your favorite whisk?  Love to hear what others use. :)