Wonderful Wednesday - Sue-prise! Quilted Basket

Welcome to another edition of Wonderful Wednesday!!  On a FRIDAY?!?!  The middle of the week escaped me.

I've been working on a project for a couple of months.  You've seen parts of it, but didn't know what I was making.  Here's the story...

Begun as a mere suggestion way back in October.  (OK, so maybe more of a demand!)  When I tried to buy my good friend Sue a really cute project bag from SAFF, since she wasn't able to attend this last time, she declined.

The conversation went something like this, after texting bag pic...

S: Did you (buy the bag?)
J: Not yet, waiting to see if you wanted it or not.
S: Cool. Then, thanks for thinking of me, but I'll pass.
J: No problem! I'll think of something else.
S: I would be thrilled with a "Joyful" original fabric basket... just saying.
J: Fabric Basket or Quilted Yarn Bowl?
S: Fabric basket. I can keep my growing (embroidery) floss collection in it!
J: OK. I can do that! What colors do you want?
S: Scrappy rainbow?
J: Scrappy Rainbow? You KNOW that I love me some scrappy rainbow!!!
S: As do I!! That's why I was a little surprised you asked, lol!!!

OK.  SEW... Maybe she didn't demand.  She strongly suggested that I should make her a basket.  :P

It took a while to figure out exactly how I wanted to proceed.  One evening, when I should have been cleaning my studio, I took a tour through my scrap baskets:

I picked out the brightest of the bright in a rainbow of colors and started stitching.  I took the sewn strips with me to my (Twice) Monthly Evening Quilt Bee:

Another evening of sewing at home and I had a variety of rows... RAINBOW rows:

Ultimately, I ended up with a piece that resembled a small, super scrappy wall hanging, which would be layered with batting... 

... And quilted:

A fabric remnant received some Decor Bond for the lining, ready for basket assembly at a Post-Christmas Sew Day with Needleb:

Here is the completed basket:

Just after the New Year, I packaged it up and shipped it off.  It reached its destination:
 

The response...

Knittingsuek was SEW excited that she actually gave my Quilted Basket "THE position of honor" - her words, not mine - on the top tier of her brand new IKEA 3-Tier Rolling Cart:

This is the texted conversation that we had upon its arrival...

J: What's that hideous thing on top of your cart?!?!
S: I love it!!!
J I had hoped you would. Did you find anything unusual about it yet?
S: Um... can I have a hint?
Never mind... just found it!!! Very cool!
J: What did you find?
S: You are the BEST... (I found) Sue

Here is the quilting detail that I added to personalize the basket:

Don't you just LOVE it when you get a gift JUST RIGHT?!?!  :o))

Linking up with Cynthia for Oh Scrap!

And, to address that first comment listed below...

THIS is what Sue made for me:

It's just darling and provides a cheerful welcome:

Thank you, Sue!!  I posted your gift elsewhere and neglected to give it its own post here.  I was bogged down in End-of-the-year posts and Beginning-of-the-year posts.  As a result, Mail Call Monday just slipped my mind.  Please know that I truly LOVE it!

Until next time...

Quilt for those you love!!!