Wednesday Sewing - Thread Sketched Basket

Here's my latest creation from the pile of ice dyed fabric I made!  These are so versatile, I may have to make a few more.

Materials:
*fat quarter of fabric - cut into one 19 by 13 inch piece and two circles from pattern (found here)
*fusible felt - one 18 by 6 inch piece and one circle cut from pattern
*assorted colors of sewing thread

1.  Fuse felt rectangle to the 19 by 13 inch piece, leaving 1/2 inch on each side and the bottom.

2.  Press side edges of 19 by 13 piece in.

3.  Fold top of fabric down and press.  Baste side edges together.  Fuse felt circle to one of the fabric circles.  Put the other fabric circle on top and baste edges together.

4.  I printed off some flower petals for inspiration and worked out my thread sketching designs on the circle.  See this past post for a similar technique of thread sketching.

5.  For the body of the basket, I started with the fuchsia thread, ...

6. ... added in the purple thread, ...

7.  ... added in the gray thread, ...

8. ... the green leaves, ...

9. ... and a bit of silver for sparkle.

10.  After the thread sketching is finished, remove the basting stitches from both pieces.  Pin the ends of the basket together so that they are just touching.

11.  Hand sew the two edges together.  Turn inside out and repeat with the inside edges.

12.  Pin the bottom to the basket - have the wrong side facing up and pull back the seam allowance on the wrong side so that it does not get sewn yet.

13.  Sew in a half inch seam.

14.  Trim seam to about 1/4 inch.  Fold the loose seam allowance under 1/4 inch and pin over the machine sewn seam.  Hand sew in place.

Turn right side out and you have your basket!

Happy Creating!  Deborah