Adventures, Explorations and Nursery Baskets

The moon is the first milestone on the road to the stars - Arthur C Clarke

With my Grandson, Oliver, due next week, I need to get some project finishes under my belt ready to take out with me when I go to Seville to meet him.

Oliver's space theme nursery was originally inspired by these fab Rocket Age fabrics by October Afternoon for Riley Blake (Rocket Main Blue/Rocket Captain Blue/Rocket Stars Orange) and Ana asked for storage baskets to finish off the room and after seeing Flicky's Knitter's Dream Basket she specifically requested a larger version of Noodlehead's divided basket pattern for nappies.

I've increased the measurements to 14" (L) x 8" (D) x 9" (H) and moved the central divider offsetting it to allow more room for larger size nappies.  I've divided the front pocket into 5 sections too.

Next, I've made 3 stacking baskets.

Want to make your own?  

• You need a square base with rounded corners whatever size you wish.
• Cut a rectangle of fabric for the basket side that's the same width as the four sides of the base added together plus an extra 1/2" for seams (you can just use a circle base if you prefer and then measure your side to equal the circumference of the circle plus an extra 1/2" for seams). The height of the basket is up to you - just add 3/4" for seams to your height measurement.   
• Add a layer of Pellon 809 Decor Bond or 808 Craft Fuse interface to the basket side and base.
• Sew the basket side and base together using a 1/4" seam - start sewing with the first 1/4" of the basket side not attached (this is your excess that will become your basket side seam) and when you get to the end the final 1/4" should also be excess and unattached.
• Now sew the two excess open sides of the basket together again using a 1/4" seam.  
• Create the same for the lining (you can use Decor Bond again on the base to make it firmer but you don't need it again on the side). 
• Press the top edge of the outside and lining down by 1/2" to the wrong side of the fabric.  
• Put the lining inside of the outside with the wrong sides together.  
• Line up the top edges (adjust turnings if necessary so the heights are the same) and topstitch at 1/8" then repeat at 3/8".

You can turn the top edge of the containers down to whatever height you like.  You can see here where I've previously had the top turned down to - that happens when you use Decor Bond though you can iron it out again to some extent though probably not fully.

I've added tabs to the top of one of the containers before topstitching.

Having 3 fabrics I've alternated each for the outside, inside and base

and, of course, I've added my labels.

And how do those baskets look in use?

There're 54 x 16-28 lb nappies in that basket, perfect!

And the final line-up?

Folded

Stacked

Empty

 Full Of Goodies

I can't wait to hand deliver these and making them reminded me that two years ago I shared my eldest son Jack's graduation quilt with you - I mentioned then that he'd always been my little adventurer and explorer, I wonder if he'll pass those aspirations on to his own son Oliver?  

So back to that Arthur C Clarke quote at the top of the post and I hope my Grandson finds the moon when he travels his own road to the stars.


Click the images below to read more about other Divided Baskets I've made.

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The Rockin' Robot Laminate Backed Picnic Playmat

   

Not long now until my grandson, Oliver, will be with us and son, Jack and Ana have been busy planning and equipping their nursery.  A few weeks ago they sent me this pic of Jack, and my daughter, Flicky, painting the room

and when they sent this finished paintwork pic they said they were going with a space theme.

In my stash was this panel - same colours and a space theme - all robots, space ships and rockets - Blue Sky Studio "Rockets and Robots" for Benartex. 

Sending back this pic we started discussing what I could make it into - a wall hanging, play mat, picnic blanket - the final consensus a waterproof playmat/picnic blanket - softening the wooden bedroom floor and perfect for outdoor picnics.

The panel wasn't wide enough on its own so I added red rocket fabric borders, also from my stash - Out of this World by jill mcdonald for P&B Textiles.

Once the top was complete I attached fusible batting and free motion quilted it without a backing using Aurifil 40/2 #2770 - Very Light Delft.

The background and borders are stippled while I've framed and outlined each image - you can see the fmq easily here on the batting side.

Once complete I spray basted the batting with Odif 505 temporary fabric adhesive spray and attached a red and white polka dot laminate backing (Riley Blake Designs Pattern C350-80 Dots by The RBD Designers) then bound the playmat with Kona Solid - Jade Green.  Finished playmat size 39" x 48".

Time for the photo shoot.

Oh and here's a couple of robot friends that I couldn't resist buying for Oliver too.

I did the photoshoot before carrying out the part of the process I was dreading - washing the playmat.  I had no idea what would happen given it's a quilted top and non-quilted laminate backing.

I'm delighted to report the playmat washed perfectly.  Obviously the backing is now only attached to the playmat by the bound edges and no longer firmly attached to the complete top as the temporary spray glue has washed away but that doesn't affect the finished playmat at all. In fact it was better the back was no longer attached as the top crinkled and shrank in the wash - the way quilts do - and the back remained the same size and flat.

I hung the playmat over the shower rail until it was half dry and then I ironed the quilted top (not the laminate side!) twice with a nice warm iron (taking care not to stay too long on one place - didn't want to melt through the back).  The quilted top went back to size and completely flat again.

Such a relief - no point in a baby play mat that can't be machine washed!!!

And here's a pic of the washed playmat - can't make it bigger because it's a phone pic and too blurry, it's the pic I sent to Jack and Ana the moment I knew all had gone well, but trust me it's perfect!

I simply can't wait to see Oliver playing on it :D