Two of these blocks are done now, the third is half done and the fourth shouldn’t take long at all as all the curved piecing is done – now it’s just a matter of joining it into rows.
Wednesday night saw me sorting out the sewing corner and getting projects organized, which was when these basket blocks came back to the front of the line. The setting for the blocks is really quite unique and one I’m looking forward to playing with.
What follows is a slight rant — feel free to skip to the kitty pictures! In Toronto, we now have to either bring our own reusable bags when shopping — and that’s absolutely all shopping in every store — or pay a nickel for each plastic bag. Bringing my own washable, reusable bags is no problem at all. I found some great washable ones that fold up very small and are perfect to tuck into a purse or pocket. What I’m finding irritating are the cashiers at the grocery store where we shop most often. If someone pays the nickel to buy a plastic bag, they bag the groceries. If someone brings their own bag, the cashiers do nothing. I’ve watched this happen over and over. It doesn’t matter if I hand over the reusable bag before they start scanning the items or not — they just shove the items over the scanner and stand there waiting to be paid while I’m trying to bag the groceries as fast as I can. It is not a grocery store that has the set-up for customers to bag their own and that was never done before this new charge for the plastic bags came into effect, but that doesn’t seem to matter. I’ve learned now not to pay until I’ve got the groceries packed as they start scanning the next customer’s items the minute they get the money and give back change. Doesn’t matter if I’ve finished bagging our items or not — they just shove the next customer’s items on top. At this point, I think we should be given a discount for bringing our own bags! A lot of the stores are donating the money people pay for the plastic bags to charity, but not this grocery store.
Smudge half awake:
And Lester in his favourite spot:
Quilt Obsession 
First…Hey Lester and Smudge! Glad she posted ya…for a moment I thought you guys were out!I've lived in Europe and have to tell you became very accustomd to the idea that we bag, box or basket our own. Now that I'm back here in the states it irritates me to be in a grocery store when the bagger puts maybe two to three items in each plastic bag. What a waste of bags! My son is Mr. Environmental…even sports a recycling tattoo. Don't even get this family started on recyling in America! It sucks in comparison to other countries!!
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I'm glad you stood your ground and don't bag your own. I've had a checker at Walmart "tell" me to hold my bags for him to fill. I of course refused so he started to put stuff in plastic. I hollered for the floor manager and thus had my groceries put nicely into my bags. Sheesh, I work in a grocery store and always praise people for bringing their own bags. This country needs to get over the plastic thing.Crispy
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I get $.05 when I use a reuseable bag! (Not that I have remembered often enough to even earn a dollar…)I am getting better with remembering when we go to the warehouse store – they never did have bags.As always, the boys are cute. (& I loved seeing part of a human on your blog yesterday!)
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That basket is a great block. I don't think I've ever seen that one. is that from a particular book?are you making a whole quilt out of it or just a small one? I like it can you tell? almost 20 questions here! so many great things on your blog.
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I wouldn't think you should have to bag your own. But, personally, I like to because those baggers seem to like to put cans of beans on top a loaf of bread.
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Hmmm, we aren't at that point yet, but I know reusable bags are being encouraged. I just haven't gotten around to figuring out the patterns yet.I'm hoping the store I go to will behave, but I'm ready to ask for the store manager if they don't.
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Lovely lacy basket!I always forget to take bags in with me but I do reuse lots of the plastic bags I get and return the rest to the recycling bins. I think the clerks are just so used to a routine that they don't know what to do with a different kind of bag.
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I saw this basket block in an old magazine I was perusing at one of my house sitting jobs a while back. It wasn't Australian Patchwork & Quilting though. I'd already been playing around with DP patterns set on point so these blocks gave me some more ideas. I'll be posting about my DP basket ideas in the coming weeks.~Erin
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City of Seattle is also charging like that. I live south of Seattle so no charge. My local grocery store actually gives me BACK a nickel for every reusable bag I bring and use!
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The block is beaufitul….sorry about your grocery stores manners, they just might start losing customers.
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The block is awesome, Cathi. Is it another Inklingo creation? I'm fascinated by the concept.In our little town of 1200 people, our one grocery store does the same. If you bring your own bags, you are expected to pack them. So I just stand there…and stand there…and don't pay til they're packed.In the Farm Boys chain in Ottawa, they refund you 4 cents a bag if you use the large cloth-type ones…and they do the packing!Do you notice how cumbersome it is for the cashiers to pack the bags? The current system that they use isn't designed to accommodate the 'green' bags. Their problem…not ours!
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The basket block looks wonderful.We already have to pay for plastic bags for decades! There’s no shop in Holland that refunds a cent for a reusable bag I bring and use.
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Cathi,What a cute block!I can empathize with your rant as it is getting to be that way too at our local healthfood store.
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I always bring my own bags now. I think the clerks don't know what to do with reusable bags yet. The stores need to redesign their "bag holding" equipment or retrain their employees. I would email the store's manager and let them know, especially as reusable bags become the norm.
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I so hear what you are saying about the grocery stores. What about the check yourself out counters. Have you seen them. You scan all your groceries, bag them and then pay the machine. Just for fun, when I am in a store that has these machines, I go over to a cashier and ask her if I get a discount on my groceries for doing everything myself. LOL. How stupid is that!Just love your basket. I must try making one.
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Very clever, putting that basket block with your rant. We tend to have re-usable bags here, that the stores sell, & they are made to fit the plastic packing station. Those kitties looks SO royal.. they know they are special!1
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