Tuesday, February 12, 2013

How to Fill an Empty Basket!

 Basket Inspiration!

I started the Sweet Pea Sampler in Early July.  One of the first dimensional finishes,
on the Sampler piece, was my woven Basket in the lower right-hand corner.  It remained empty, 'cause I just could not decide what I wanted to put in it.  As I was working on the rest of the piece, I would look at the empty basket and think:

"Hum, what kind of basket are you?"



"Are you a Stitching Basket?"

This is the basket on my Classic Stitching Santa.   When I painted the
Sweet Pea Sampler, I modeled the basket after the one above, thinking
it would be another stitching basket.
But, as I worked, it was telling me it did not want to be a stitching Basket!

"Are you a Fruit Basket?"

Like Rebekah is carrying to the first Thanksgiving.
It could be filled with stumpwork appliqued and beaded fruit?
or

"Are you a Vegetable Basket?"

Like the Wampanoag Indian Squaw is carrying to 
the First Thanksgiving.  It could be filled with stumpwork, appliqued 
and beaded Vegetables?
or

"Are you a Springtime Flower Basket?

It could be filled with realistic Silk Ribbon-work Flowers,
like the Seasonal Basket above?

The problem was that the Basket was answering,
"NO"
to every thought, or idea or suggestion that I had!
 The rest of the Sampler was nearly completed, and still 
it was a 
VERY EMPTY BASKET!
YIKES!
Market was coming in less than a month and the crunch was
on to finish and frame this piece!
"What should a stitching gal do?"

Then
on January 9th, 2013
Carolyn Hedge Baird posted this picture on Facebook:
It was stitched by Dr. Margot, one of her students.
I just about fell over! 
GORGEOUS!  
LOOK at that Bike Basket Brimming with Flowers!
Finally, 
my Basket just screamed at me,
"This is it!  This is what I want to be!"
THANK YOU
to Carolyn Hedge Baird and Dr. Margot! 

I now had my inspiration...and couldn't wait to get started
filling my basket!  But it was a Saturday night and I didn't have
alot of the right beads...well I'll scrounge in my stash, dig
through the girl's craft beads, pilfer my jewelry beads,
and see what I can do...
here was what I did that night:
 It was skimpy, and it wasn't the right combination of beads...
but it was Exactly What The Basket Wanted!
Hooray!  The next day I sourced out glass floral beads,
e-mailed with Carolyn Hedge Baird just to be sure,
she said:
"Yes, pile on the beads is what I would call it!  Pile them on in an 
artistic manner!  Looked at your picture and the basket is beautiful, 
just needs more flowers so just add a bunch more and maybe 
some loops of green silk ribbon 4mm hither and thither." 

I was sooo excited to get Carolyn's advise!
That Sunday Night, I ordered beads.  When they arrived on Tuesday,
 I had already torn out the first set of beads and had an empty basket
waiting to fill!
Hooray!  It is done!
My Gorgeous Beaded Glass Flower Basket!
I could now finish and frame my Sweet Pea Sampler!
Thanks for viewing!
and Happy Stitching, everyone!

Kelly



9 comments:

  1. I now know what I have been saving all those beads for! It is gorgeous, Kelly! Just the right touch! Now to just get brave and stitch the Christmas basket, the Summer Basket and then move onto the Sweet Pea Sampler. All are residing in my stash and need to be worked. Thanks for such wonderful designs and the helpful blog posts!

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  2. It is fabulous! The baskets are all great but I love the beaded flowers!

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  3. Fantastic idea! I love a basket brimming with flowers, whether real or beaded!

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  4. A great 3D basket to go along with your stumpwork

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  5. Thanks for viewing! A great 3D basket that inspire me a lot..

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  6. Wow, I'm completely in love with your embroidery!

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  7. I am loving Handsome Tom Turkey. I am stitching on the wheat stalks and the directions refer me to a March 2013 blog post?

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  8. I miss you posting on your blog. Can you please post something soon?

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