Tryouts on the design wall, a winner, and many thanks!

This looks terrible when I look closely--threads hanging,
the inner plaid border strips are so crooked--I promise
it will look better when I sew it all together. 

The red border won hands down on the "two cents" poll for my little baskets. I auditioned it and found when it was all the way around the quilt it seemed to smother the baskets. I thought it had looked good, too, when it was just down the one side. I tried other options and the suggestion that came from my daughter's comment to use three borders ended up looking best to me. Thanks, Aimee, and thanks for everyone's input. I really feel like the brainstorming via blog is helpful to get a different perspective on something when you are stuck.
I tried colored cornerstones on those bare corners in the above photo, but didn't like that look for this quilt. I think when the center is all sewn together the quilt will end up small enough that these pieces will fit. I don't have enough of any of the other tan/gold fabrics, so I will "make do."

I did have enough HSTs left from this little quilt to make a very small piece. I adapted the idea from the Baby Basket quilt Kathie linked us to recently. I had to "make do" even more on this one--the basket is not the one in the pattern (though it is the same size), and I had to do the borders a little differently, but I wouldn't have thought of this without that pattern. Thanks, Kathie!

Another little basket quilt got a border tryout on the design wall. Of my four Temecula Blessings Baskets mini quilts, this is the only one that is all assembled--except for the borders, which are just stuck to the wall. I decided I needed a border on it that would link the center basket, since it was brighter than everything else (and more wonky, too, if you want to get technical. I lost so many points on these baskets, as others have done before me, I should name this one "Pointless"). The light border is the same fabric as the center basket, but it appears darker to me in the border strips. I think I am going to use it, unless someone has a better idea.

Finally, I did get the plaid set of the latest "Barrister's Blocks" made. I'll have to do some catching up on my Christmas set. Thanks to Randy for all the work she puts in to this!

I think I am liking the blue/green one best of this group. I just got that teal colored shirt last week. Speaking of which, have you seen Bonnie's video of taking a shirt apart. I thought I knew how to do that but I admit, she has some slick tricks to make it go even faster. It was kind of fun to watch. Thanks, Bonnie!

The winner of the pattern giveaway is Mavis, a very creative quilter. She has been contacted by email. Thanks to all who participated. We'll have to do it again sometime. 

I finally got my herbal soap made this week, so maybe I will be throwing some of it in with my next giveaway. I will have been blogging for one year come the middle of May, so there should be some kind of hoopla involved (definition of hoopla; unnecessary fuss. That sums it up.)!

Okay, enough already! Until next time,
Janet O.