Another Basket

Still following instructions from "It's A Wrap!" author Susan Breier, I tried my hand at making an oval basket. Somehow, it didn't come out quite as I envisioned. It's oval alright, but I guess I thought the sides would be more up and down, the opening not as large. I used a slightly thicker clothesline this time so that may account for it being slightly larger than the pattern measurements indicated. 

Besides those things, I learned how jarring  the start and end of a single round of contrast can be (see top photo) and that a common problem with the ovals is developing dips along the side. I used the worst side to end my basket (edge farthest from the camera), letting it fill the dip before tapering for an even edge. With further reading, I now know how to deal with those in the future. Frankly, I was led to believe the oval basket would be easier than the round to do, but it's only those first few rounds of the base that are easier, and really not that much. The basket does weird things once you start up the sides, that oval shape hard to keep against the sewing machine as it flips at the ends - part of what causes the dips, I gather. Well, I guess it's not a bad first try. Yet something about it bugged me - the balance of it just looked off.

I decided it needed handles, made in the same fabric as the dark center contrast. There are so many cute and interesting handle options shown in a special chapter in the book and they too were something I wanted to try so now's the time. Had I not cut all this fabric up into strips, I could have made a kind of handle that would cover those jagged joins of the orange contrast. But I needed to get this done, so settled on these that I could do with what I had on hand. I'd been using a Superior King Tut purple variegated thread on the basket so didn't think twice about continuing with it. I wish I'd switched to something that blended better with this one fabric. Other than that, I was super pleased and amazed at how these turned out. Can't believe they are actually identical!

Instructions say to glue, then stitch handles on, the stitching needing to be done by hand. I was having none of THAT this particular day. I used my standard go-to glue when I need permanent bonding - Beacon Fabri-Tac glue and crossed my fingers. Since the handles are decorative and I can't imagine they will actually see use to heft anything heavy, it should be ok.

And now the balance looks right to me.

And it has gone off to its recipient. Hope she likes it!