Bali baskets.....

My very good friend, Sherri, from Alaska, sent me some beautiful handmade baskets from Bali.

The different villages in Bali are known for different handiwork.

Some are known for jewelry making, some for wood carving, and some for basket making.

 

 

They start with bamboo...

 

 

They pull the bamboo strip through a bottle cap that has holes made in it with a certain size nail.

This is "quality control" so that the strips are all the same size. 

 

 

They start weaving.

 

 

Sherri is getting instructions from her friend, the basket maker.

Sherri loved every single minute of the process.

 

A very technical process!

 

 

Smoking them creates the lovely color, which comes after the basket is made, in the huge ovens.

 

 

When I opened my package I could smell the smokiness of the baskets - mmmmm!

Such a beautiful craft.  

 

I keep my thimble collection in the smallest basket.

 

 

These are little gift cards my friend, Kathy, from Kathy's Cottage made for me.

I keep them in my hexagon shaped basket.

 

 

 I have a couple of my very small pin cushions and a tape measure in the largest basket. 

(My friends, Sally & Vicky, from England gave me the floral pin cushion & matching tape measure - so cute!)

 

 

So beautiful - thank you, my dear friend.  I love them.

Treasures......

 

 

Cathy's samplers...

My friend, Cathy, from Maryland, makes the most beautiful applique sampler quilts using wool and cottons.

Here are a couple of them she recently sent for me to quilt:

 

First up - a beautiful "Flags of the American Revolution" quilt.....this one speaks to my military heart.

 

 

Cathy's initials...

 

 

Her piece work is just as beautiful as her hand work...

 

 

 Love this dove carrying a ribbon...

 

 

 These words make me want to put my hand on my heart...

 

 

 The eagle was the center of the quilt...

 

 

I quilted each block individually...

 

 

Next - her "Garden" quilt:

 

 

 So many beautiful pieces of wool applique...

 

 

 I love this little basket...

 

 

A little cottage home...

 

 

 The trees are adorable and I love the little doxies....she has two of them!

 

 

The details in her quilts are mind boggling!

I can't imagine the time it must take to complete one of these treasures. 

 

 

 I quilted each section differently and had fun with the borders.

 

 

She not only makes beautiful quilts, she also makes super cute pin cushions!

Cathy knows I love pin cushions - I have a small collection of them.

She stitched my nickname on this one....I love it!

 

 

This is a sweet sunflower pin cushion made with wool....

 

 

And of course, a 30's hexagon one with an embroidered flower center.

 

 

Thank you, Cathy, I LOVE my pin cushions!

 

 

 

And I love quilting on your beautiful quilts! 

It's always such a treat.....