Another coiled fabric basket is done and so, a few more leftovers are off the work table. Still working in a bit of chaos but the padfolios I'm completing have been contributing to that. Bit by bit, the things left out for months because I knew I'd be getting back to them are getting tended to.
This time I chose the basic round bowl pattern with sloping sides. I was hoping the dark purple strips would go a bit farther but they end on the first round that starts up the sides. I searched through my batiks for something that would compliment that sort of odd hand-dye and came up with a muted plum I've had forever. It's an odd color too and I've found it difficult to work into my designs. Thus, I don't feel too badly about stripping some of it for this. I was careful to cut as I went so there'd be no leftover strips to start me down the road to yet another purple basket.
And then when it was done, I felt iffy about that combination, especially with the slightly different purple in the center. I still had some of that fabric and perhaps should have done a row or two of it before ending. But the bowl was done and what to do about the oddness and off-balance I sensed? More handles? Couched decorative yarn along the rim? No, I decided to try the book's suggestion of adding a binding - with that same fabric as the bowl was started with.
This was easier than I thought it might be. It is added just like any binding - starting with a 2 inch strip folded the long way, raw edge lined up with the rim, stitched with 1/4" seam and turned to the inside. I balked once again at the suggestion that it must be hand-stitched into place - any hand-stitching on these strikes me as awkward and testing my patience. Couldn't see any reason why I couldn't machine stitch it down. Using a 2 x 2 zig zag stitch seemed logical, what with all the zig zag stitching to hold the rows together. It worked quite nicely.
I'm still iffy about the whole color scheme, but I guess this is part of what I hope to practice and improve upon as I make more of these (oh yes, there will be more) - good exercise that should carry over to my other work. This is about 2-1/4 inches high and 7 inch across at the top. I've been treating these with Scotchguard - something I have on hand and want to use up.
5 comments:
That is really beautiful, Sheila!
Another nice coiled basket! I agree with you on machine-stitching the binding. Most of my hand-stitching would fall out with minimal use. LOL! It's good to know your strengths!
I've been meditating on purple lately, myself. There is such variety among purples, plums, red-purples, magenta purples, blue purples ... They are not created equal, and just because they are purple doesn't mean they go together. I think I could use that for an excuse to build my stash of purples!
Could you dye these after construction to tie colours together? Just a thought and no idea how that would work.
As a lover of purples, I think it looks splendid!
Olga - another purple lover! (Thinking of your lovely purple clematis too!) Thank you.
Hilary - I admit I contemplated some way of altering the colors once it was done and I suppose you could dip it in dye, but with the cotton clothesline underneath - I think one would be asking for more trouble than it would be worth. Paint perhaps could work but again - I think it is just best to let it be and do better on the next one.
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