Charm Basket Quilt -- A VERY Slow Process for Slow Sunday Stitching

 Yes, this week I started a NEW project.  I needed something that would keep me busy during my lunch and planning periods at school (and hopefully high school study halls as well.)

The quilt pattern is called Charm Basket by Laundry Basket Quilts.  It is an Edyta Sitar design.  I just LOVE her designs.

I have not stitched the outside of the basket handle down yet.  But it is ready to go in my sew-to-go box.  

For over 15 years I have been a spoiled Accuquilt girl.  I love to select patterns and blocks that utilize my extensive Accuquilt collection.  This quilt is taking me a little out of my comfort zone in the fact that things will be cut with a rotary cutter.  Dog ears will need trimmed.  I will need to draw lines with my Pilot FriXion Gel Pens for the basket handle and diagonally across the unusual sized pieces.  It should be a time consuming project.  Due to the charm-sized fabrics needed, I should also be able to take my cutting and marking chores with me to class.  I'll be able to use my small cutting mat and rulers.

I love how cute this repurposed plastic box that someone gave me free at a garage sale holds all my stuff!  It slips easily into my teacher bag nice and flat with my quilt magazines.

If you are wondering why the duct tape is on my Fiskars spring-loaded scissors, it's because over time the material the handles of these scissors get gummy and sticky.  A little duck tape on the handles and the life of the scissors is extended.  It seems they stay sharp longer than the handles last.  A pen cap fits perfectly over the scissors so that it doesn't poke through anything while riding in my teacher bag.  Aren't thrifty quilters great problem solvers?

You can also see my favorite type of pins on the basket handle.  Magic Pins are a favorite notion of mine because I can iron over the silicon grip.  I also like the way the grip is shaped vs. a small bead.  It's easier for me to pick up.  I'll also be using up these mini spools of thread from a sewing kit someone threw away.  The little spools fit perfectly into the flat box.

Each basket can be made from a 5" charm square.  I am going to try to utilize pieces from my multi-colored fabric bin.  I sort my fabric scraps by color and store them in large totes.  I never seem to know what to do with these fabrics (besides use them in scrappy Bonnie Hunter quilts).  I pulled a tote bag of multi-colored fabrics from this project.  After I use the piece that I need for a basket, the remainder of that fabric piece will be cut into strips (with my Accuquilt dies of course) so that I can start making another BitCoin quilt.  I can't wait to see how all the fun fabrics land in that quilt!

I'm linking up at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching here.