Margaret Rhodes, a founding member and director of Kingston Heirloom Quilters, designed a basket block for the Friendship Sampler, our first applique quilt. In 1988 that quilt was featured in Lady's Circle Patchwork Quilts and the pattern for the basket block was published. Thus putting it in the public domain. It was then decided that the Kingston Heirloom Quilters should create the definitive quilt based on Margaret's basket pattern in honour of our mentor.

This project began to take shape in September 1989. Each person who made a block had the option of creating her own arrangement to fill Margaret's Basket or repeating that of the original block. In order to establish some continuity, the coordinators picked out a selection of fabrics for participants to mix with prints of their own. This foresight paid off. As the blocks came in we saw the potential for this to be an outstanding quilt and knew that it merited an exceptional border.

Ideas for the border were many and varied until finally a small sketch of a triple bow, designed to reflect the shape of the handles was chosen. Careful thought was given to the rose accent colour that was introduced to compliment and enhance the work as a whole. We experimented with several sizes of leaves before choosing heart shaped ones that tremble off the vine. In order to incorporate some of the basket print into the border, we appliqued a row of prairie points around the perimeter. As a final embellishment, a narrow fold of the rose fabric was tucked into the double bias binding.

All members of the Kingston Heirloom Quilters worked on the assembly of this quilt and contributed to the 600 hours of quilting. It was completed in November 1993.

Margaret's Basket has been juried into several major quilt shows, including that of the American Quilter's Society in Paducah KY, and was subsequently featured in their book "Borders and Finishing Touches" published in 1988.

For more detailed pictures, please click on quilt.

Send questions and comments to: khq at quiltskingston.org
Last modified by dhh: August 14, 2006