Wednesday, June 16, 2010

A La Mode . . . . . .


Did you know "A La Mode" means, "in the current fashion or style"? I thought it meant "three scoops of ice cream on my pie, please". I guess putting ice cream on pie is fashionable.
Pie is my favorite food, pizza pie, chicken pot pie, coconut cream pie, cherry pie, apple pie....I've yet to meet a pie I didn't like! More on this topic later.....

So here's the latest picture of my laundry basket project..... I'm using an assortment of Fig Tree fabrics and Joanna's pattern Laundry Baskets.

I've got the sashing around all the blocks.

I went with two colors on the cornerstones, because, well, I didn't want them scrappy and one color seemed too vanilla, two seemed to be juuuuuuuuust right.

I like how the sashing gives this top the feeling that it's all about the baskets and not about the setting triangles. Adding the sashing wasn't a decision I agonized over, like I tend to do on most of my decisions, I think because my last project, Madeline's Good Fortune, also used corner setting triangles, and I didn't go with sashing on it.
I think I was just ready for a change.

So I put this top on my bed, and it's a perfect fit, those baskets just go to the edge of the mattress. Now, just to add some borders to hang down the sides and I'm done....sounds easy, but you know me. I'm mainly working with Fig Tree fat quarters on this one, I have some yardage, but nothing bigger than a 1/2 yard, so the outer border needs to be scrappy....but what goes with sundaes, ice cream sundaes.....

Pie, of course!



This is American Pie by Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Company . Currently, on Carrie's blog, she's standing right in front of this pattern!!

You can buy this pattern, on its own.

But it's also included in this book, so why buy one pattern when for a few dollars more, you can have 14 of her marvelous patterns!!

The blocks in Carrie's pattern finish at 4 inches. I'm wanting a 12 inch border, so I'm making my blocks to finish at 3 inches, giving me four rows of lattice blocks instead of 3.




So this is how it's looking right now.

I think it works on several levels. What appealed to me about this pattern was the lattice look, which is really what I was looking for, to go with the flower baskets. But since we've decided my baskets have more of an ice cream sundae feel to them, and Carrie thought this design looked like the lattice top of a pie, I thought it was the perfect marriage.

See that 3 inch space of carpet peeking through the two designs.....that space is reserved for a border of some sort, that I'm sure will come to me sometime, but is necessary for the outer blocks to completely surround the inner blocks, it's a math thing.....

The pattern in the book makes a 72 X 80 quilt from 360 lattice squares, I need over 500 to surround my sundaes. It will be like making another quilt....so there goes my goal of having this project AND State Fair done by the end of June.


I'm usually pretty committed to my deadlines, and even get grumpy when I start getting close to my deadline and am not done. Which is pretty silly, since I'm the one making the deadline! But for some reason, I'm just loving this fabric, loving the lattice blocks and am happy about the prospect of working on this border for as long as it may take, very unThelma like....maybe I'm growing (oh, I am growing, this quilt continues to make me hungry!) or maybe it's just because it's summer, and I'm in the mood to relax.

So I've decided A La Mode is the perfect name for this quilt, because it is so fashionable, and because pie and ice cream make the perfect summer treat.

25 comments:

  1. Holy cow girlie you need to start writing pattern because you are a GENIUS!! That is too gorgeous.

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  2. This is a brilliant idea for borders. I never would have thought of it in a million years. American Pie is one of the quilts I have been wanting to make-I have that book. Now I'm trying to think of what quilt I'm going to use that as a border. I need creative people like you to steer me in the right direction.

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  3. I love how you are putting the two pattens together. I love everything about this quilt, it is going to be so gorgeous!

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  4. This is going to be another fantastic quilt. I'm just amazed at how you combine different. I go along with Cara - you should start writing patterns!

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  5. Perfect! What a great idea Thelma! I love the basket blocks~ sigh another pattern I need to buy and now a book I need too! LOL ;-) Happy stitchin'!!

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  6. Oh wow Thelma. I just bought Carrie's book a couple of weeks ago. It was one that had been on my wish list. I like the name :-)

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  7. Thelma,
    I love the quilt and your ideas! When will you write your own book? You really should!!!
    Donna

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  8. I just love how you think! And to follow the trail of your ideas was great fun!

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  9. Love, love, love your projects! I am so jealous... I have been wanting to do the basket pattern. It was fun to see your fabrics for that one! I'm going to keep an eye on you for your little tricks with patterns and borders!

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  10. Love this...what a perfect idea for borders!

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  11. Wow. Wow. Wow. I love it! I was not a fan of you putting sashing in. I was wrong. The sashing makes it stunning, and you are right-- it keeps the focus on the baskets, not the setting triangles.

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  12. Your choices for this quilt are fantastic! The sashing really does what you intended and I love the 2 color cornerstones. The lattice - perfect! This is a win all around.

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  13. I love your quilt! The border idea is fabulous!

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  14. you are so ambitious and productive I don't know how you do it. the quilts are beautiful as always

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  15. Oh Thelma! This quilt is spectacular!!! I can't wait to see it finished!

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  16. You are so awesome, I love seeing what you come up with, this is excellent! I like the American Pie block, and it's perfect for a border :D I made that American Pie quilt, and it is one of my favorites by far. http://quiltorstitch.blogspot.com/2009/05/american-pie-all-done.html

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  17. What a fantastic idea for the borders! I can't wait to see the top all put together. I wish I could think of cool stuff like that o:) !

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  18. I love the way you are putting together this quilt. You have definitely made it your own. Love it!

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  19. I can't help but smile when I look at this quilt! I thought it was great to begin with, but the vanilla sashing and colorful corners brightened it up so perfectly! The trellis border is fabulous and makes the whole quilt remind me of a garden club ice cream social on a summer afternoon. This is one of a kind, for sure!

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  20. You are so darn clever about combining designs and changing things up! Your idea to make a trellis border was brilliant. You should enter this one in a quilt show Thelma! And you seem to be having a ball making it too.

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  21. Your basket quilt couldn't be prettier! I love watching it evolve!

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  22. My jaw literally fell open when I saw your beautiful border idea! Can't WAIT to see the finish!

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  23. HI Thelma,

    I just found your blog through Green Fairy Quilts. I love the lattice look of the border. Can't wait to see it.

    Hugs!

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  24. The quilt looks wonderful. I love the lattice border you are adding.

    I have Googled for the Laundry Baskets quilt pattern and come up with ZERO. I keep getting Laundry Basket Quilts, not related to Fig Tree at all.

    Where did you get yours? Maybe it is a club only pattern?

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  25. This is going to be SO beautiful - did you finish it? I'd love to see the finished quilt top.

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