Ocean Series

I wanted to make a basket for someone who lives close to the ocean.  I searched for some fabric that reminded me of waves and found this blue green fabric with silver highlights.  It reminded me of the color within a wave, with the sunlight glinting off the water.

  

I looked for, and found, a bright white with some movement to represent the foamy crest of the waves.  

  

I finished the basket with a starfish charm.  I liked it so much I decided to make another basket with an ocean theme.

  

The first basket represented a cresting wave.  The next basket will represent the colors of the ocean from very deep and up to the surface.  Many people have been to the beach and noticed the differing colors from where the water is shallow and out where it is deeper.

I grew up in Southern California and spent my childhood at the beach, even living on my sailboat for a time in my wild and crazy youth.  I lived for several years in the Pacific, including Hawaii and Tonga.  I have snorkeled, gone scuba diving, boogie boarded and sailed in many parts of the world.  I love the ocean.  I wanted to make a basket that explored some of these feeling and colors.

  

The right side of this fabric has gold curlicues and isn't right.  But the inside is a mix of dark blues and is perfect for the bottom of the basket.

The rest of the basket is an ever changing mix of batiks in shades of blues and greens, with designs to represent the seaweed and other plants growing in the oceans.

  

The top of the basket has the light blue green fabric with the white from the first basket.  I completed the basket with a mix of small, polished, blue stones for coral and a seahorse and clam shell peeking out of my miniature reef.

  

Do you think this is a good representation of the ocean?  I am really liking this exploration and am already planning another basket.

Decisions

I took a few days off from making baskets.  I have bags and bins of fabric.  But I was getting no inspiration.  So I went to Jo Ann's fabric.  I know.  I KNOW!  I have no business going there.  But I did.  I went to my supplier.

I was walking past the batik section.  I really like working with batiks.  Nothing caught my eye.  Later I went past the same shelf, but going in a different direction.  It is strange how looking at something from a different perspective changes your perception.  I pulled out one I liked.  Then I found another that went with the first. INSPIRATION!

  

I pulled another three bolts of fabric and eagerly waited my turn at the cutting table.  Then drove home and started cutting.

  

This one is from the two batiks.  I thought the teals went well with this silver arrow and turquoise bead decoration.

  

Next I am going to work with this midnight blue universe fabric with pops of yellow stars.  Even  before I start o. a basket, I start thinking about what embellishment I might want to use.  I like these silver charms.  But the beads of different colored stones is also a possibility.

  

The large gold heart locket works nicely with the yellow stars.  I guess I will have to wait and see what I feel like when I finish the basket. That is part of the fun, trying to make all the elements work together.