I loved May Day when I was a kid. My mother would help us decorate pretty little baskets with pleated crepe paper around little white nutcups or baskets made from construction paper. Then we would fill them with candy and deliver them to friends, knock on the door and run. I always hoped to be caught by one certain little boy and dreamed of his kiss but alas, he never came to the door. His mother answered instead!!
I was planning to share a tutorial on May Baskets as I taught a class on May baskets many times in Community Ed and at the library. I have been too busy to do it and so I guess it will have to wait til next year.
Instead, I am going to offer up a little giveaway for this Quilted Baskets book by Eleanor Burns.
My friend, Pandora, made the quilt that you see on the cover of the book. I loved her quilt so I got the book, too and put it in my stack of project books. During this past year, I've realized that I will simply never get to all of the projects, patterns, books, etc. that I have. Plus, I really like drawing up a design and making do with whatever I have on hand. So, I thought, why not sort through some of my books and patterns and use them in giveaways? And that's just what I'm doing.
All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and tell me if you remember making May Baskets. It's been a while since I hosted a giveaway and my husband hasn't been able to be my random number man for some time. He will be happy to know he can draw a lucky winner on Friday night at 8:00 p.m. CST. Also, on Friday, I will be posting the changes I'll be making for my Seasons of the Heart BOM. E-mails will go out to those on the current list. This change will make it easy for anyone to get past blocks.
As soon as you read this you may leave a comment. Just make sure your comment links back to your blog or that you leave your e-mail address in your comment. You don't have to have a blog to participate in this giveaway.
I look forward to reading all your comments!!
Sandi
We have a winner!! It's Ida and I have sent her an e-mail with the good news. As always, I had my husband draw a second and third name in case I don't hear from the first name drawn.
54 comments:
Please count me in, Sandi. Nope, never made May baskets. I think I do remember seeing, years ago, an Eleanor Burns episode or two where she makes baskets from this book.
Hi,
I have never made a Basket quilt but would love to. I don't know what May Baskets are but I'd like to learn about it so I'll be reading more to find out. Thanks for the chance to win,
Lotta in Sweden
lotta.nils@gmail.com
What a beautiful story you have just shared with us. Ta
I have never made May Baskets but have read about it even in Thomas Hardy's books.
Please count me in for this lovely quilt...
Hi we never made May baskets here in South Africa, would like to know whats in the baskets. I would like to win a pattern to make a basket quilt, its very beautiful.
henneke@telkomsa.net
Good Morning, I see I will be comment No. 5 and so far none of us had the pleasure of making May Baskets. I grew up in Canada and here "May Day" is not celebrated.
Too bad, from your description it sound so lovely. Thank you for putting my name in your draw, I'd love to read Eleanor's book.
laura84watt@gmail.com
I made May Baskets!! We would take a piece of construction paper and fold it by meeting opposite corners. Staple a handle on it made from more constructions paper and fill it with flowers. We made them in school and then would run home to hang them on the front screen door, ring the bell and hide around the corner. MOM was always so pleased....
Maybe me and my babysitting kids need to make these this week...Thanks for reminding me..
We made the paper baskets in school but I think we made them as Mother's Day gifts....don't recall the May Day fun of filling them and ringing a doorbell to deliver them. Sounds like a lot of fun, though. This is a very nice book to put in your giveaway!
We always made May baskets. I made them for work one year. Made them from blue jean pockets and artificial flowers filled the pockets. I have been thinking of making one for our neighbor and adding a gas card to thank them for mowing last year. My husband was sick and could not mow then. So I though a May basket would be a nice way the show our appreciation
Sandy
grandmatomato@yahoo.com
I love Eleanor Burns. Please include me in your giveaway.
My mother helped me make a few May baskets for neighbors and family when I was very young. Then we moved to a rural area and didn't make them any more. She told me that they made them when she was a child to take to neighbors. Their mother taught them to make some for shut-ins in their little town no matter where they lived.
At our area Shop Hop early this month, I saw a flower basket quilt where the basket was made by offsetting rows on rickrack. It was really pretty, and I would like to try one like that.
I think that giving some of your books as prizes if a great way of recycling. My email is GBrewer@kc.rr.com.
Ooooh, pick me!!! That looks like a wonderful book and the quilt on the cover looks exquisite! We lived on a farm when I was a child, and I don't remember ever delivering a May basket to a door, but I do remember making at least one in school. Lovely give-away, Sandi!
We never made May baskets. Actually, I only heard about them a couple years ago. I guess no one in our area of Connecticut heard of it either.
I still make May baskets for my family. I posted a photo of last years on my blog.
It's hard to imagine that it is May already, isn't it?
As children in the midwest we would make the May baskets and take them to a friend's door, ring the doorbell and RUN! If they caught you they could kiss you. Too funny.
Count me in your drawing. I do remember making May baskets and doing the same thing you did - such fun. I am afraid this is a tradition that has fallen by the wayside - good memories though.
I have never made May baskets but would love to know how. I would love to be in your give away. I love Eleanor Burns! The only quilt class that I have took was using a book by her. Thanks for the give away!
Good memories always come along with quilting stories, agree?
So- I like reading yours as always:)
As far as your question, this busy bee at work also never made May baskets, but at least she is having a desire to make it in one May of her life:)
And, she can be hopefully counted in dearest Sandi's lovely giveaway:)
A Spring wish that your having a sunkissed, greenfilled, lovefull days~
Sandi, what a nice story, I never did or heard of May Baskets but you have given me an idea. We have a couple of eldery people on our street that don't get out much, I think Katie would enjoy making the baskets and putting some goodies in.The only May 1sr tradition I remember is dancing around the May pole. Guess I am dating myself LOL
Alas I am too young I suppose for the making of May Day Baskets. We never really celebrated it. But I'd love to know more about that tradition. I'm sad that you're not going to do the tutorial on the baskets, but that quilt pattern book is super cute.
Hi Sandi. Never made May Baskets but we did have May Day at my school growing up. We all had dances each class did and we had a may pole that was weaved with crepe paper as the 6th grade girls danced around it. I have pictures of May day when I was a kid. Somewhere. I used to look forward to it every year.
I have never made a May basket....Canadian eh?
No, I don't think I remember making May baskets. Thanks for the chance.
What a nice thing to do for May Day. We used to make May Baskets in Girl Scouts then go to the neighborhood Senior center and leave them there for them to find. I've never heard the part about leaving them on the doorstep and ringing the bell, that's cute.
Don't forget to Call on the leprechaums for prosperity and good luck. Leave a few tumbled stones for them in thanks for their assistance on April 30th.
Huggs,
Cleary
We never did May baskets either...but it would have been something to lift our spirits for sure. We don't get green grass till Mid May, our winters are so long and spring slow in coming. A May Basket would be a glimmer of hope for what is to come this month....Enter me.
Today I posted a still life image of some tulips in a glass basket which I did. Does that count as a "May basket?" Come by and "smell the flowers" at http://photographyhints.blogspot.com
I've never made May baskets,or any other baskets.:(
I'd love to win!!
some people refer to it as May Day but no one decorates or celebrates etc........I have never made any baskets..........
As soon as I started reading I was taken all the way back to grade school and making those little baskets too. Thanks for bringing me that memory, haven't thought about those little baskets in years but it is a sweet memory.
Who knows, maybe those little basket subconsciously affected my love of basket quilts
Sue Cahill (sbonetsue at yahoo dot com)
I have made May baskets as a girl, but never delivered them to anyone but mom or grandma. Nothing like a little construction paper basket filled with dandelions. LOL Mom always said she loved them. Please enter me in your give away. Thanks
Winona
I do remember May baskets, from grade school. But I have never tackled a basket quilt. I am game to try. Count me in for your giveaway. Still working on my blog, come and visit.
Thanks for your nice comment.
Please enter my name in the giveaway. May baskets??? I did one for the Garden Club on the Naval Academy in Annapolis. We were having a big flower show and they had put me in charge of displays. At the last minute I grabbed some flowers from the grocery store, crammed them into a basket and entered the thing. It got an honorable mention!! Imagine that.
whoops, forgot to add my email... it's wlbarton@verizon.net. Hope to hear from you
Your "Springs Tulips" wall hanging header is absolutely divine. I've never made May Baskets but it sounds like fun. Have a safe trip and enjoy your visit with your mom.
we didn't make baskets, but I remember my Grandma taking MayDay pies to neighbors. It was always fun to help carry those warm Rhubarb pies.
I remember making small may baskets when I was in elementary school. Some out of paper flowers but some were real too. I love the idea!
Please enter me! The quilt on the cover is fantastic.
we made May baskets in school. I then took them to friend's houses and their mothers hung them on their bedroom doors to be found on May 1st. I never got a May basket myself.
I am new to quilting I made some crazy quilts but want to try useing a pattern this time
Great giveaway - I don't even know about those May baskets but they sound fun!
What a wonderful giveaway, but I will refrain from entering. I also like to draw my own designs and make do or work with prim designs. I tried a more detailed block and made a mess of it;)
Debbie
No. Maybe it's an American thing?
I don't remember making May Baskets but I recall taking one of mama's large serving bowls and filling it with May flowers. I googled that and came up with nothing that looked like what we picked. But mama called them May flowers, they grew wild, were tiny and lavender and it took hundreds to fill her bowl. What fun we had.
I used to make May baskets when my kids were younger and we lived in North Carolina. I had a wonderful array of flowers and I would even leave some on neighbors doors.
My sister and I always made May Baskets, but we put "flowers" in them. Some of our flowers were yellow "dandelions"! Mr and Mrs Johnson lived across the street and had a big bush by their drive way. We would ring there bell and run and hide behind the bush, giggling the whole time. But, they never caught us!! Mrs Holmes lived next door. She always came over later in the afternoon with some candy for us. The candy looked like little snow covered mountains. Haven't seen any since...
I've never heard of May baskets before. They sound like fun though.
Thanks!
1bmore @ gmail . com
YES, I remember making and taking May baskets to friends and neighbors when a little girl some 50 + years ago. Hoping the fellow you favored would chase and catch you to get a kiss!
WOW how beautiful I have never made May basket. It sounds great.
I have never heard of May baskets - I just hope this does not disqualify me from being in the draw for the baskets book which seems quite interesting.
Happy May Day to you!
I would love to be put in the drawing for your giveaway. Oh yes, I did May baskets as a kid.
I grew up on a farm in central Illinois and it was a challenge to get them to the neighbor. My mother was a teacher and she made them with her class so we got to as well. Last year, I made them for my teacher buddies. I now live in Texas and they didn't know about May baskets. So, this northerner educated them!
I remember making the construction paper May Baskets in grade school and hanging them on neighbors door handles. Such a long time ago and such fun.
I remember May Day as you do also. Please count me in for that great pattern
Hi Sandi,
We do not have May baskets here in Australia - I am off now to find out more about them. A lovely give away.
I remember making May baskets with my great-grandmother and great-great-greadmother. (I was 5) Those two women loved flowers and baskets and had plenty of both around. Some of my fondest memories have to do with time spent with these two women sitting in their garden when I was very young.
Donna in Maryland
spiritkitten@yahoo.com
I never made May baskets but the book looks like fun, I've been wanting to make a basket quilt.
Dori
djs3n2@comcast.net
I have never made a basket quilt either but I really wanna stick my hand in some applique soon.
I used to make a May Day baskets when we were kids. So of my teachers in school would help make them, then we would surprise people around our neighborhood.
Thanks for the giveaway! You are always so fun to read!
I don't remember making May Day baskets but it was a while ago. I would like the book though. sharonaquilino(at)hotmail(dot)com
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