Hi everyone,
I hope you are keeping safe and well and keeping the creativity flowing!
Yesterday I hosted my first socially distanced afternoon tea party in my garden, to celebrate my cousin's birthday!
I'm happy to report that the sun shone all afternoon and a wonderful time was had by all! It was so lovely socialising again and catching up with sewing friends face to face!
My 'make' for the birthday girl was this denim planter, a multi-functional basket for her sewing or living room.
Working with denim is always 'play time' for me and I thought I would make a larger version of the selvedge basket I designed and taught at our quilting retreat last year.
First I sewed the denim strips onto heavy sew-in vilene using the 'quilt as you go' method of piecing. I quickly realised this wasn't going to be sturdy enough to allow the basket to retain its shape.
So I quilted the panel onto flex foam using orange Aurifil 12wt wool thread. Much better! And just look at that gorgeous texture!
The lining was inserted before adding the binding and pinching in the sides to give the boxy shape to the basket.
I definitely needed my heavy jeans needle for that part!!
And last but not least, some leather handles secured with bronze rivets, to bring a little rustic colour and texture to the basket.
At this juncture I didn't know what I was going to put in the basket, or how to 'prop' it for photographing. I grabbed a couple of my artificial plants and set them in and immediately fell in love with the contrasting greenery and inventive use of the basket!
And so my denim planter was born! I loved making it and will definitely be making one for my own home!
Another lovely way to use up denim scraps!
Happy sewing!
