Stocked Market II

I am selling some baskets at the Stocked Market.  This is a fund raiser for the Junior League of Roanoke Valley held at the Berglund Center.

In a previous post I showed some of the Christmas themed baskets I made from clothesline and fabric strips. 

Here are a few of the other baskets I have been making.

 

After I make the baskets, I try to find an embellishment that coordinates with the fabric.

 

 

 

I'm trying different shapes and ways of finishing the baskets.  Then I added a stripe!

 

 

I got tired of the fancy and made a simple.

 

I have a lot of ideas and a lot of fabric, but only two weeks until the sale to make them.  If I sell any baskets, I will make up a bunch over the winter and then try again at a different craft fair.  If I don't sell any, I will be set for all birthday and other gifting opportunities for quite some time!

Stocked Market

I have a friend that sells hair clips made on piano wire.  They are beautiful and make many different hairstyles with ease.  She is coming for a visit soon to sell them at the annual Stocked Market at the Berglund Center, put on by the Junior League.

I have been sending her pictures of the baskets I make from clothesline and fabric strips and she has been telling me I should sell some at a craft fair. I was intrigued by this idea.  Plus, it gives me the excuse to keep making them as I experiment with color and shape.  I gave her one of my early baskets when she demanded hinted that she would like one.  Her hair clips don't take up a lot of space in the booth she has rented at the Stocked Market and she arranged for me to sell a few baskets from her booth.

Since then I have been making baskets like a crazy woman.  Well, she said in a humble voice, an exceptionally talented and organized woman with a touch of OCD.

Here are a few that I made with Christmas fabric.

 

You can really change the appearance by changing the thread color.

 

I bought a lot of little findings and things and have enjoyed combining them with the baskets.  I will bring scissors to remove them if potential purchasers don't like my choices!

 

It is a bit harder to make handles so I will have to charge more for them.  That is my big problem.  How much to charge.  I have seen little plain baskets for around $25.  And huge purses for hundreds of dollars.

 

There is about $5. worth of supplies, if I purchase fabric for a specific basket.  It is a little less if I use fabric left over from another project.

 

So I have to figure how much my time is worth.  And how much people are willing to pay for a basket.  Even one that is one of a kind and handmade by an ARTIST!

 

Can I charge more if I call myself an ARTISTE?

Black and White

My most recent basket is playing with black and white.  I like them together and they can complement any decor.

 

I bought some pretty black and white fabric and cut it into strips. 

 

You never know how the fabric will work up when cut, so I was pleased that it looked nice when wound around the clothesline.

 

Sometimes I leave the rim unfinished, but this time I wrapped it with the same fabric.  This involves a lot of hand stitching and is not my favorite thing, but I wanted this basket to have a finished look.

 


In keeping with that desire, I added a few embellishments.  Black and white, of course!

Tossing III

In keeping with my flower girl theme, I made another basket.  This one is for a friend who has chosen white and navy as her wedding colors.

 

I started with a white basket made from a white background with wee little flowers.  You can't see them unless you look closely.

 

This navy background with white stars looks great with the white basket.

 

I zigzagged three rows of clothesline together and covered it with the navy fabric.

 

I chose to use white thread to attach the fabric to the handle and like that effect.

 

All it needs now is a little girl!  Oh.  And some flowers!

Tossing II

I am in the groove for flower girl baskets.  Or petal tossing baskets!  My new favorite term. 

This time I chose to experiment with a flared rim.  I did a basket with a slight flare recently.  This time I wanted a definite rim to the basket.

 

Because of the rim, I placed the handle inside the basket.

 

This gold and ecru basket can now be decorated with any colors that a bride wants to have.  Or just let the flowers be the decoration!

Another basket

I made another basket.  This one has a lot of purple with blue and green swirls. 

 

I made a slightly flared edge around the top.  I found a silver colored doohickey that I sewed on with invisible/polyester thread.

 

I like it and another one done. 

 

Every time I think I have made enough, I go to a fabric store and find some fabulous fabric.  OCD.

Basket!

I found a fabric at Jo Ann's that I thought would be great for a basket.  I found a pretty faux turquoise embellishment that matched the fabric.  Some glue and thread and I was in business.

 

This time I made an oval base.  I placed tape to mark where to start and stop the bending to make the sides of the basket.

 

Mmm.  Maybe a little taller.

 

I made handles on this basket.

 

I sewed the embellishment with invisible thread this time.

 

I like this one.  Maybe a Christmas gift.
 

Latest Basket

This is my latest basket. 

 

I'm loving this new project. 

 

I'm already planning my next one.  Are you getting bored?  I'm not.  Maybe I'll make a bunch and sell at the Farmer's Market.

 

And maybe everyone I know will get one for Christmas.

A Tisket

I have made several baskets out of scraps from quilts I have made. 

 

I decided to see how a basket from a single type of fabric would turn out.

 

I cut the strips about 1/2 inch.  I followed the instructions from the previous baskets for zig zagging the wrapped clothesline.

 

This time I sewed the top of the basket with a doubled length of fabric from the outside.  That worked better, even though it was harder to see that the fabric was in the right place. 

 

Then I tucked it into a folded edge and hand stitched it on the inside.
 
 

I wrapped a length of clothesline with some more of the fabric, and used a zig zag stitch down the center.  

 

I hand stitched it in place and added a few beads and other embellishments.

 

I like how it turned out and plan on making some more.  Don't know what I will do with them all, but I'm enjoying the process.

Small Embellished Basket

   

I still had strips left over, so I made one more small basket.

 

Just so you know, these projects are not without some sacrifice on my part.  You get a lot of glue and fibers stuck on you and I was forced to stop and wash my hands many times.

 

I decided to do a smaller basket with some embellishments. 

 

I cut a length of fabric that would fit around the top without wrapping it around the project. 

 

I wanted a solid strip on the top.

 

I pinned and hand stitched it.

 

I like this one, too.