It is the middle of May and I am thinking about long ago when I was in grade school and we made May Baskets out of colored construction paper and thick white paste. I can still smell that paste and feel the thickness of it as I tried to smooth out the big lumps. I would squish it between my fingers, anything to flatten it! Sometimes we wove baskets and sometimes we made cone shapes from the paper. We also made paper flowers that went into the baskets. Handles were stapled in place and we took them home to give our mother or perhaps to hang on the door of a neighbor, and then we would ring the doorbell and run. We thought we were being very clever and that our neighbor would surely be as excited as we were to receive such a treasure. Do children still make May Baskets? I don't know, but every May I think of baskets and get the urge to make them!
Today I make my baskets from fabric scraps! Most of my sewing has taken a back seat to other things going on in our home right now, but here is a basket quilt I made a few years ago that I thought I could share. You can find the pattern on my website. Maybe you will feel the urge to make some baskets. Most basket patterns are designed to set on point. This one however, is not. It was fun to design and make. I would love to start making baskets right now!
Remember these stamp baskets from many years ago? Wow, 13 cents for a first class postage stamp! That was a few years ago! I have always loved these little baskets. I wish the scanned photo came out better. But just look at how darling the baskets are in those old fabrics! Love it! On another note, if you haven't been to Brenda's blog in a while, you must check out the wonderful pincushion round robin she is involved in. She is at Pumpkin Patch Primitives Quilt Shoppe. Scroll down to see her posts about this, and then check out the links. Really cute stuff going on! And Brenda has the cutest stuff at her shop as well! She will link you to it.
Wishing you baskets of scraps and bushels of fun!
13 comments:
That is a nice alternate block. And the baskets are too, too cute.
I sure do remember May Day Baskets! Thanks for bringing back some memories :) And for sharing your basket quilt!
I don't remember May baskets. It does sound lovely. I like your idea of making baskets out of fabric :0) Your basket quilt is wonderful! I can't believe the postage stamp - that is so cool. What a great stamp!
Baskets of scraps... check out my post from yesterday... must be contagious!
Yes, I remember making May Baskets, can easily remember the smell (and the taste!) of that paste too. Our teacher would scoop us a glob from the bog jar with a wooden ruler onto a scrap of arithmetic paper on our desks. Do you remember arithmetic paper? Love this pattern, my friend, you're so clever!
I have that basket stamp (sheet) framed in my sewing room.
... that is supposed to read BIG jar, not bog jar... !
Oh my, the memories you have sent rushing into me. ALL GOOD! :)
Yes, I remember the smell and the taste also! Now you bring up a point and validate, for me, one reason I love quilting so. It makes me feel all of those childlike, adventurous, happy, "the sky is the limit", "I've got the world by the tail" kind of feelings. :)
The older I get, I do not feel it, except for the physical part.
We use to make those and also used the little plastic bastics that you would then get strawberries in w/ pipe cleaner handles.
Oh goodnes, I have to stop now... Thank you for the many happy memories.... XO
Oh, BEAUTIFUL QUILT~! :)
Beautiful quilt!
Hi, Marcie, that is a really nice basket pattern. I don't remember making May baskets (might have) and I certainly never went the May Pole route; I have been surprised to see May Pole celebrations on some of the east coast blogs, just like they did in Little Women. That's pretty cool to have such a historic tradition still going.
I love the basket quilt!! It is perfect for May.
Marcie, loved that glue!!! I remember crushing the lumps with my fingers and other kids eating it. The teacher would use a tongue depressor to put a little at each desk from her large jar. We made baskets and celebrated May with the pole and crape paper streamers. Congrats! on the magazine, I just got a copy, lol I was looking for the wrong mag. I really want to make the Inca Gold pattern in Gettysburg (civil war) fabrics, guess I better get to WYSNS for a pattern. Miss ya, been busy at work, hurricane season ugh!!!! and Long Arm classes :) Connie
Your basket quilt is another winner! I love your choice of scrappy fabrics.
Every May Day my sisters and I would make may baskets out of construction paper (a cone shape with a handle) and then fill them with flowers from our spirea hedge. THe fun part was to then hang them on the neighbors' doors, ring the doorbell, then run like mad so they wouldn't know who had given the flowers!
Hi Marcie!
I am a quilter from The Netherlands. Love to sit down in between housework & quilting with a large cafe latte for some r&r and inspiration while reading your blog! It always makes me feel cheerful! Would like to participate in the drawing of Jo Morton's book, which I don't have yet (do have other books by her, love her quilts too).
Keep on quiltin'!
Phyllis White
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