What Did The Fox Say?

I say, I say, I say. When is an 1hr basket not an 1hr basket?
Every flipping time you make one!

The #mqisummerswap for this year was to be the 1hr basket, designed by Kelbysews. The 1hr basket, is as the name indicates, a quick and easy make. Most of us I think found it took more than 1 hr, it was referred to at times as the many hours basket and the not 1 hr basket. My first basket took me a couple of days, but having mastered the make, a plain basket could certainly be made in 1 hr or so.

 I had pretended not to notice the mqi (modern quilters Ireland) swap was underway. Between the Euros, a wedding, a wedding quilt and so on and so on the last thing I needed was to sign up for a swap. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, I am as susceptible to flattery as the next person and Aideenol contacted me to ask would I not take part! And so I did.

In fact I made two.

My swappee, Dawneika (what a lovely name) had posted her mosaic. She featured a basket with a fox face and mentioned she loved Heather Ross fabric. Now, I had some HR fabric and I like foxes so that was us sorted. My first practice fox was in a small green floral, similar to my orange HR fabric.
It was ok but slightly squinty. If I squeezed my eyes, they looked straight enough.

So, I moved on to the orange HR fabric. A bit like in Little Red Riding Hood Mr Fox's eyes were a little big. A bit less what big eyes you have grandma and more of  a ghost fox. Whooooooo!

Next up, make a plan. I drew out a rough plan of a fox face and started again, again with the orange HR fabric. This was do or die. Having sketched out a rough fox the sewing started again. And strangely, this time it was more successful. In case you are wondering, the fox on the right is the one I used.

Next up to make the basket. Having learned from the prototype I decided to use the green fox first to make the basket. The basket itself is easy enough and fun to make. Instead of buying the iron on stuff for making bags I used a fleece blanket from IKEA. By the time it is quilted it does ok, and I do love a gratuitous visit to IKEA.

 

 

 

 Having mastered this, I made a second basket with Mr Orange Fox and I was reasonably pleased with the end result. If I was being hyper critical I would reposition the fox. I wanted him to be off centre, but he looks just a bit to the left (or maybe the right) rather than off centre.

After completion, in an email conversation with Ruth, my great mqi mentor, I remembered I actually have a pattern for Elizabeth Hartman's fox block!

So, Mr Fox has wung (winged) his way to California along with another fat quarter of the orange Heather Ross fabric and two toning turquoise blue zips and some matching embroidery thread. I didn't photograph these. Contrary to what my daughter thinks, I am not attached to my phone.

So - What Did The Fox Say?

If you don't know, check out this youtube link to a Norwegian band called Ylvis. The video is brilliant. You will be bopping all over the kitchen before you know it. Let me know if you did. By some weird licensing thing if you can't work the link, just google "what did the fox say".

This morning I was delighted to get my basket!

My basket was made by the lovely Louise Mullan. Louise and I were in the mqi bee last year, so it was a bonus that I "know" Louise.

I love my grey basket with the flying geese and my matching pincushion and the extra fabrics. Thank you Louise.

 

And thank you Aideenol and Cindy for organising.

Helen x