Thursday, February 18, 2010

Oh these beautiful baskets!!!

It's still raining. I don't think it's going to stop any time soon. We are on flood alert.
Being that this is our very first tropical wet season, we are relying on those who almost every year survive months of constant rainfall each summer to share their survival tips.
1. Fill the car with fuel.
2. Stock the freezer and the pantry.
3. Have plenty of flashlight batteries on hand, and some candles would be good too.
4. Buy some big things of water.
5. Wash every day and if you don't have a dryer (we don't) find somewhere out of the rain to hang it. (it's hanging all through the house)
6. Find inside hobbies to keep you occupied. (Now, I'm fine with that, hidden here in my sewing room, but Mr Elefantz is NOT bringing that motorbike rebuild inside!)
....there are probably plenty more tips to be had but this will do me for now. I spent the morning buying out Woolworths supermarket and I think we could safely invite a travelling circus for dinner and still have leftovers for a month.

So, back to my sewing.
You saw me make THIS yesterday. Well, before I went to bed I made another...
...and I got so hooked on how quick and easy they were (and how much fun it was to think up ways to decorate them!) that I made a third!
 So now I have three gorgeous fat quarter baskets on my cutting table!
They are so pretty that I have plans for more throughout the house (any ideas what I could store in them apart from fabric?) but this afternoon I am going to make one as a housewarming gift for a married couple who have just moved here and teach with my husband. Filled with yummy goodies it will be perfect!

For those who asked for the link to the basket tutorial - go to yesterday's blog post (the one below this) and click where I have said 'this tutorial'.
~~~~~

Some of you have asked about my 17yo son. I don't mention him often on my blog because he doesn't like me to. Slicer (not his real name but the psuedonym he likes to use) is a computer genius and if you're in Australia and you buy APC magazine you would have seen his photo and a full page about his computer build in the February issue. 
He even won Master Builder of the month!
Slicer finished homeschooling last year and works part-time at an IT shop fixing computers. The rest of his week is spent studying for his IT course - his dream is to be self-employed, building custom-made computers to suit the individual and business needs of customers. He's very good at what he does and he's also a lovely young man that we're incredibly proud of. :-)
~~~~~
Now I need to go make a HUGE lasagne - rainy weather and work days mean my son will be very hungry tonight. 

Hugs
Jenny
xxx

30 comments:

Nima said...

OMG...what a gorgeous basket...i love it...i have to make something similar

allsewnup said...

Those baskets are marvelous. I do believe I'll sew one up for mittens, hats and scarves. Sure will beat the cardboard box they're in now!
Try to stay dry!

Carolyn

Monica said...

I love the baskets. I think the green one is my favorite. The large flower in the center is fantastic...so so so very talented!

Lauren Colless said...

I must admit, although I loved yesterday's box, the three together are just spectacular... I wasn't going to make one, but now I think I need a set too :D
BTW: By next wet season you'll be thinking 'no sweat' :) I grew up in the tropics, but hubby is a migrant from NSW and the first wet season is the worst... after that you'll barely bat an eyelid. xx

Dolores said...

Oh how wonderful for Slicer. I'm so glad that he has found something he loves to do and is so good at. I can remember being his age and not having a clue as to what on earth I wanted to do in life. Well done.

Jenny, those baskets are go pretty i have to make at least one. If they only take a half hour to make then I should produce at least one for my little one before she leaves for England again.

Debbie said...

Jenny, Thanks for telling us about "Slicer". You are lucky to have such talented children, and they are lucky to a wonderful mum like you.
Your baskets are lovely, they could have so many uses around the house. Toilet roll holders, makeup holders, sock and undie holders.I'd better start making a few. What stabiliser did you use on the inside?

SandyN said...

Very cute!!! I would feel it with chocolates....

Sandy N

What Comes Next? said...

You must be so proud of Slicer! Two great kids - good on ya!
Love those bakets even more today!

Annie Bee said...

Those baskets are just gorgeous. Great to hear about your DS. Everyone needs a computer guru at home....LOL.

Janice said...

Your basket collection is gorgeous. What a lovely way to present a gift. And now Slicer is in print, well done. We just need Mark to be published to round things off.

Deb said...

Jenny, those bags are great. I can imagine them in the bathroom and bedroom also. So handy and look beautiful with it.
What wonderful reading all about Slicer. A very intelligent young man who is going to go places is very obvious.
hugs Deb

Simo said...

Sono a dir poco meravigliose!

Cattinka said...

Your baskets look so pretty, I want to make some too. I think I would use them to store towels in in the bathroom, or socks in my bedroom, or wool for my knitting projects, or.... there are really lots of ways to use them, and yours look so pretty!
KATRIN W.

loulee said...

Your baskets are beautiful.
Keep dry! I hate washing around the house, can you string a line in a garage?

Anonymous said...

Love all three!

Michelle @ In Sew Motion said...

Oh those are adorable!

Shakerwood said...

Beautiful baskets! I was going to suggest hand towels in the bathroom but someone said that already. How about one in the laundry area for "lost" socks?

I have a gamer in the house, also. He is going to the local community college for computer programming. Isn't it nice to have a computer geek around?!

manda said...

hmmm, we have had flooding here already, in low lying areas. Did you see the traffic line up near Bowen? Aw man! So glad we aren't travelling!
You could make a peg basket. You could store tea/coffee in them (if like me you keep it in a box in the cupboard). Hair accessories for Blossom. DMC thread. Buttons. Scraps of fabric you can't bare to throw away. pens/pencils. Stickers/cards/envelopes. underwear (in the draw, to seperate the different kinds!) you could make the lining with plastic, or why not the whole bag, and store compost scraps, apples, tomatoes (anything that you would need to wash the basket afterwards) in them. Perhaps a plastic one for Slicers extra computer bits and pieces. And one for Mr. Elefantz nuts and bolts and screws? Paint brushes/paints. Maybe even put a potplant into a plastic one to hide the plain pot and saucer? scraps of paper so you have something to write on quickly for a note. CDs for the PC. Plastic one for dog biscuits ect. Under the sink to store dishwashing liquid and other household cleaning stuff. Toilet rolls. Makeup. Photos. Pile of books. sunglasses and keys and wallets at the front door. I got more if you want em!

manda said...

there I go again with the long comments! But you did ask...

Maggey and Jim said...

Oh, I knew you would take advantage of that basket, so many uses..I love them all the the flower just adds the right touch..Hope the rains stop soon and you can get out?? I know we love to cuddle with the cloths.. Hah!
I love lasagne,, yummmm

Hugs
Maggey

Maggey and Jim said...

Jenny, in the tutorial she made her lining smaller..did you? Yours looked shaped a little different? Or is that the camera angle?
Maggey

Fee said...

Woo hoo - go Slicer! Wish you lived a bit closer to me - I'd definitely use you as my IT guy!

I love those baskets Jen. They would be great for keeping socks tidy and neat, or craft supplies (sellotape, scissors etc), or dolly clothes ... I might even have to have a go at making a few myself!

Hope you survive the rains okay, and that it doesn't flood too badly!

Thinking of you often...

Love,
Fee x

Allie said...

Wow Jenny, I'm praying you don't get flooded! Those are good tips.

Girl your baskets are AWESOME. I love how you decorated them! I might have to make some and put up a shelf!

GO Slicer! What a fine young man you've raised, my dear. Congrats to you both! That young man will go far!

Anonymous said...

The basket would be ideal for storing magazines/books by the recliner. I just might have to make one for that purpose.

Other ideas for use:
by the computer for CDs, one by the bed for Bible and glasses, one in the restroom for toilet paper or other accessories, one in the vehicle with a liner inside to collect unwanted items for disposal, hmmm they are just so cute you want to use them everywhere.

Melinda

Amanda said...

What pretty baskets. I'd love to make some for my sewing room, but I'm so tight for space that have to have boxes with lids that will stack on top of each other. But I'm going to think very hard about where else I could have some. I think I could do with one next to my chair in the lounge, where I sit and sew, to store my needles, scissors, thread etc. It sounds as if you're going to need to develop webbed feet to get around for the next little while.

Anonymous said...

Love these little baskets and all your beautiful projects on your blog. Such lovely eye candy....
I can't get the tutorial link to work though. Fee

Vanina said...

Hello!
I love those baskets! Beautiful!
May the storm pass you by!
A big kiss!

Jeni said...

what beautiful and wonderful idea for your fat quarters...and you must be very proud of your son

Crafts a la Mode said...

Oh, I just love these. Love, love, love. Best wishes during the rainy season....

Linda

Lexilooo said...

those are really adorable! I need to learn to make them too!