Oval quilted container

This is my first bigger quilting project: an open container to chuck all those pesky clothes hangers into that you do need but don’t know what to do with when not used. It annoyed me no end to have them about the place: they always get tangled up and make the place look untidy.

So something big enough to keep them in, and best of all: keep them out of sight!, that would be a very nice item to have. In contrast to an old travel bag that I used for the same purpose on occasion, a purpose built container could even look pretty!

So I got stuck in on the project, making it up as I went along! Best way, really. (And lots of fun!)

I found a block pattern that is also known as ‘Broken Branch’ but I don’t like that name at all. I’m sure I found a variation of this named something like ‘Tree of Life’ but I just can’t find the web site for reference. Typical.
I made four largish panels using these blocks and sewed two of them together for the front and back respectively. I really liked using plain fabrics to bring out the beautiful colour combination in the one patterned fabric I used. I wanted to use more than one pattern but couldn’t find one in my stash that wouldn’t have distracted from this one.

Two panels each side with two of the main blocks.

Here are some detail views:

I made chevron pieces for the narrower sides, and then couldn’t help myself: I had to make a border to attach to the bottom all round, and also another one for the inside. The inside border was inspired by borders called ‘Seminole’ on the Quilter Community website - http://thequiltercommunity.com/
 

  

It wasn’t until it was time to sew it all together that it finally dawned on me that I made this container much bigger than planned. There isn’t just space for two stacks of clothes hangers side by side, but for a whole baby elephant! That was not quite what I had in mind (don’t things usually come out a lot smaller than expected?) but I like it a lot. I have space to store other things too! Woo-hoo.

Here it is in all its glory, with ends folded inwards: