When I was at our guild's quilt retreat this past weekend, one of the members there (Carol Ann) brought some fabric bowls that she had made, which I found fascinating. She's made some beautiful ones, absolutely stunning. She's a wonderful person, one of those kind of people you just want to be around for hours and hours because she just has an infectious personality that draws you to her. Anyway, after talking with her a while and learning how she makes these, I decided I'd try one myself.

So here's my first effort. I started it last night and finished it while ago. Probably took about 3-4 hours total, most of which is spent making the cord. You start with some 3/16" cotton clothesline cord and wrap it with 3/4" strips of fabric, gluing it along the way while you wrap the fabric in a spiraling down manner. When you get to the end of the fabric, you just glue the end down and then wrap on another piece and keep going. Then you start swirling the cord together in the center of the basket and zig-zag stitch it to hold it all together. I put a couple of handles on mine as well by bumping out the cord on either side.

It measures 13" across by 3" high. I figured I could use it to hold notions and stuff in the sewing room, but you could use them all over the house to hold stuff. What do you think? I was pleased for my first try.

And here's a pic of the fabric I used.

What a neat idea! Looks great!

Oh Isn't this fun? I did a purse and a bowl myself with the same method. The bowl I made was like yours, but I made a flat lid for it and put a artsy handle to open it with made out of wood and cording.

I love yours eddie. You did great work on it.

You did great Eddie!!

the bowlis really beautiful! I think another member posted a tute on this method on here somewhere. I wanted to ask who the manufacturer of your fabric is and where you got it! It is stunning and I just got a pattern for the Mini Bowtuck and am thinking oriental for it and I LOVE that fabric!

Thanks, everyone. :D

The fabric is made by Cranston Village and is from their V.I.P. line, but the selvage doesn't have the actual print name. I looked on their website ( www.cranstonvillage.com ) but didn't see the fabric on it in their VIP section. I bought it at Wal-Mart, though, so maybe you can find it there as well.

Eddie, your bowl is outstanding & colors are great for the upcoming Spring. Always loved flowers & roses are one of my favorites. I have used torn strips to crochet into rugs, but Honey Buns or fabric we cut ourselves could be used for rugs, also. I saw a tutorial on the Board also. It looks like a relaxing project, as you don't have to match up colors or patterns. Thanks for showing us your beautiful bowl. How is your collection of pin cushions going? They would look nice in this type bowl. TTUL.....

Hi, Sheila! I was thinking that exact same thing earlier this evening. :D My, how our great minds think alike, LOL! :D I think I'm going to use it for just that!

I would be happy if my 5th one looked like that, of course I would have to do my first one and get started to find out, I have looked for the cotton cloths line and haven't been able to find any yet.

Thumbs up! I love those bowls.

Cute, I found the clothesline cord at Wal-Mart in the automotive/hardware area (not in the laundry area). It was around the rope and chain and stuff like that.

Very cool! I've seen these done, but this is one of the nicest ones. Any tips for doing the sewing? I always thought it would be difficult to "tame" the cording!

The sewing was actually the easiest part. The cord is so flexible that it's really easy to sew on. And the feeddogs just pull the basket through while you're sewing that it's like all you're doing is just guiding it. I set the zig-zag about 1/4" wide so that it easily grabbed both rounds of cord. These are a lot of fun and very relaxing to do. I need a mindless fun project like this every now and then. :D

I will have to look next time I go, I will put it on my list, and if it is on my list I get to buy it,

I like the mindless part of it,

Just be sure to get the cotton kind (poly reinforced), not the nylon stuff.

Yeah, I can be quite mindless when I put my mind to it, LOL! :D

Cotton, gotcha,

I am good at mindless, now if you could come and do my hearts for me I would be most grateful. I will even bake you some chocolate chip cookies.

I saw that done at a quilt show I went to last year. I bought the supplies to do it, but I haven't got the nerve to try it yet. You have inspired me. I'm going to try it on my next day off.

very nice, I'll have to look for the tute unless you want to do one Eddie???? sure you do

Really cool Eddie! I'll have to try one of these after I get a little caught up with my "must..gotta do list"

Thanks Eddie! I think a trip to Walmart is in order today!

If you can't find it then I'd be glad to buy you some at our Wal-Mart and send it to you. I think it was like $4.44 per yard and actually is one of the better feeling quality fabrics they have.

That bowl is beautiful. Our guild members are making boutique items for our quilt show in April. I think that might be a good seller. What kind of glue did you use?
Lois

I just used regular Elmer's white glue. Just a very tiny bead down the clothesline, just enough to hold the fabric in place.

This is definately on my "to do" list. Thanks for sharing.
Lois

Very pretty bowls. That fabric is absolutely beautiful, I could not have used it for this. I would have had to use it as a large square in a pattern.

You are just excellent at anything and everything you do. I have been at this since you were a small boy and I could not do all that you have done. You are such a natural.

Good for you. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Your bowl is fantastic and I love the fabric. I think the fabric would make a great one block wonder, so I'm going to my WalMart to see if I can find some. If not, I may be PMing you Eddie to see if you'd be willing to pick some up for me too. :D

I always thought those bowls were hard to sew on, but it sounds like if you get the cotton clothes line that it's not so hard to sew on. Did you have to use a denim needle?

That is absolutely beautiful! It doesn't sound too difficult so I'm going to try one soon. Do you know how much fabric you used on this project? Your colors are perfect!

I love it, so when you say you wrapped the cording did you use 2" strips of fabric? And do you have to zig zag both sides? Can you give a little more detail, did you buy a pattern? Can you give us a pattern of how you did it if you made it up as you go?

eddie, your bowl is adorable! i quilt with a bunch of ladies and they were making these too. i have yet to make one. it is on my "list".

Eddie; Tute, tute tute! You know you want to! Please do a tute so we can get it right. :)

Wow Eddie, that is great!

No, I just used a regular needle (size 90 Sharp). It sewed through it very easily.

I used right at about 1 yard, which I cut on the bias. But not a 45 degree bias, more about a 60 degree bias because that was how far my ruler would stretch without having to reposition it. The reason for cutting on the bias is that it reduces fraying of the strips.

No, I used 3/4" strips of fabrics and overlapped them about an 1/8" as I was wrapping (think like the stripes on a candy cane). You just zig zag on the top side and it goes all the way through and does the bottom as well, so you just sew on one side. I didn't really have a pattern, just spiraled out from the center until I had the bottom as big as I wanted it, then you lift up the left side of the bottom as far as you can so that the cord starts going upwards to form the sides of the basket.

I'm going to start another one in the next day or so, so will take pics and do a tutorial on it.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Don't forget to leave the link to it on this thread!!

Nice work, Eddie! Would work really nice to hold all those remote controllers in the family room.....