Allietare!! Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2015 CLUE 5

This morning Bonnie released clue 5 in our mystery.  All we had to do this week was combine pieces completed in previous weeks.  Although we had to make over 100 total, it went very fast.  And yes!  I'm managed to keep up this year.

You can follow the progress of others at this link:
Monday link-up:  http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2015/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-5.html

(Not sure what's happening here.  When I test the link it doesn't seem to work.  It's been OK in the past??)

These are the blocks for this week.  I used green in place of Bonnie's gray.

The other color are basically the same as hers.

For the first time in the three years I've done the mystery, I put the pieces

on the design wall.  I just wanted to see how my fabrics were working together.

This is only my third Bonnie Hunter mystery and I'm thinking I like using

scrap fabrics rather than a controlled palette.

Thanks for checking in.

Last minute sewing: gifts

A few days ago the daily blog for The Quilt Show had a link to a tutorial for fabric sachets.

http://crafts.tutsplus.com/tutorials/make-gorgeous-lavendar-and-rose-sachets-for-mothers-day--craft-8265

I decided to make a few because they looked so cute.  I ordered the filling from Amazon but it won't arrive until tomorrow.  Following a suggestion of the author I went ahead and made the coverings.  Now they're ready to fill when UPS makes the delivery!

Of course, I didn't read the directions carefully.  Instead of 5 fabrics cut into 12 total strips, I put together 12 fabrics using 1 strip from each.  They were already cut when I caught my mistake, so, "Oh Well".  After making a few following directions, I went off on my own and just started putting strips together.  Then I started using all my scraps and, following crazy quilt techniques, just kept sewing fabric pieces together.  From my twelve 1.5 inch strips I ended up with 15 sachet covers!  At the end I was really desperate, sewing in tiny pieces, because I decided if I had 15 I could give one to every female present Christmas Eve.  Now I  hope I have enough filling for all 15.  I have no idea of the volume from one pound of lavender and rose.

All ready to fill and stitch closed.
Notice there are only 14.  After this photo I realized I needed one more.

This is all that is left of twelve 1/2 inch strips!

This is the last one.  Look at all the tiny pieces. 4.5 x 5 inches.

Thanks for checking in.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Ornaments

Each year I make Christmas ornaments for my family.  It started over 30 years ago when my siblings started having the next generation.  Now there's another generation in progress.  The difficult part is selecting the design.  This year I wanted to do machine embroidery to use the 10-needle machine I just purchased.  I'm thrilled that I had them all done Saturday afternoon.  This may be a record year in terms of the earliest completion date.

Little Snowmen all ready to be wrapped.

Each child's name is on the back along with the year.
One year I couldn't figure out how to get names on
the ornaments.  The children told me that was
important to them.  

Thanks for checking in.

Allietare!! Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2015 Clue 4

Last Friday we got clue four for Bonnie Hunter's 2015 Mystery.  I've been able to keep up so far.  yea!

http://bit.ly/1S4mQSA

Here are all my sets ready to sew.  Each set had to have 4 matching reds,
4 random neutrals, and 16 matching blacks.

Here are my 30 sets.  I have no idea how they will be put together.

Thanks for checking in.

Allietare!! Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2015 CLUE 3

Here's my progress on clue three for the Bonnie Hunter Mystery.  I actuallly had them sewn Friday night at a group sew, but just now got them out to press.  We're getting lots of pieces.  I have no idea what the result will be, but many participants are already posting possibilities.  The mysteries are a lot of fun.  It's amazing to work with a group of quilters from around the world.  If you haven't done one before I encourage you to start this year or at least make plans for next year's.

Check out progress of other participants.

description: http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2015/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-3.html

120 four patch units.  There are extra cut pieces as well.
I was worried that one of my gold's was a differnt color than the
others, but it seems to blend in OK.

Thanks for checking in.

Fourteen on Point

Recently I was able to field test a pattern by Hunter's Design Studio.  I was a little slow in getting it together, but here's the completed top.  

49 x 63 inches

http://huntersdesignstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/HDS.035-FourteenOnPoint-Cover-300dpi.jpg

The pattern uses 14 fat quarters and is constructed in sections.  It's an easy way to make a quilt that looks difficult.  I have a few extra fabrics in my version.  I was using fabrics from my stash and a few pieces were not fat quarters.  It still worked very well.

I have to think about what quilting design to use.

Thanks for checking in.

Allietare! Bonnie Hunter 2015 Mystery CLUE 2

Week two and I'm still on track!  I finished sewing my pieces and cut the black and green as well.

The address below will take you to Bonnie page that shows progress made on clue two.  It's fun to see people participate from around the world.

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2015/12/allietare-mystery-monday-link-up-part-2.html

I'm doing my quilt in Christmas themed fabrics.  Red, Green, Gold, Black.
Most do not have Christmas designs.  All you have to do is put
red and green together and you get Christmas.  My constant gray is
a green fabric with white swirls.

Thanks for checking in.

Allietare! Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2015

Bonnie Hunter has started her latest mystery quilt.  The first clue was released Friday morning. I just finished pressing my 320 half-square triangle units.  Only 294 are required but I plan to make the finished quilt a little larger so I'm making extra units as we go.

The address below will take you to Bonnie page that shows progress made on clue one.  It's fun to see people participate from around the world.
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2015/11/mystery-monday-link-up-allietare-part-1.html

Last year my friend used Halloween fabrics and made a quilt to use during October.  I decided then that this year I was going to make my mystery quilt one that could be used during December.  Of course this year Bonnie decided to make the quilt a little smaller so I will need to extend the size on my own.  I'm always a little out of step!

I've started listening to audio books while in the studio and I find this keeps me working.  I try and select books that don't require a lot of focus, although sometimes I do have to go back and pick up what I missed.

I'm using a green fabric in place of Bonnie's gray.

These are the fabrics I'm using.  I ended up adding a few more "neutrals"
and do have more reds available.

Thanks for checking in.

Guild Panel Challenge

As a challenge for one of my guilds participants had to make something with a panel.  It didn't have to be a quilt, but of course, that's what I made.  It was fun and I like my finished product, but there's a story.

I purchased the panel along with fabric to use as a border, then I lost it.  After an extensive and exhasuting search, I purchased the fabric again.  However, I had to purchase two panels in order to get the full design with some sort of border.  (Question:  Why do fabric companies print panels and not leave enough blank space between designs so you can cut them out and have a seam allowance????)  Then I didn't even use the original, purchased border fabric.  More for the stash!

I planned to bedazzle the heck out of it but I'm having second thoughts.  

One:  People who have seen the quilt like it.  If I add crystals it loses its appeal as a usable quilt.  Crystals scratch.  Who wants to take a nap under a scratchy quilt?

Two:  I pulled out my supply of crystals to make color decisions and decide how many I would need.  I estimate it would take about $500 in crystals to give the effect I want.  Maybe I don't want to do that!

Best news:  The quilt is not due until Wednesday and I have it done today - Saturday.  OK, friends, don't fall off your chair!  I still need to add a sleave and label (and clip some threads) but I could submit it in its present condition.  It's drying on the wall right now.

50 x 54.5 inches
The panel is inside the red border.  The red border is different widths,
sides vs top/bottom, in order to make the 1/2 square triangles fit.

Trapunto behind the black and white feathers.  Hobbs Wool Batt.
Most quilting is "in the ditch" using Invisifil thread.  I'm starting
to use that rather than monofiliment.

Now it's Bonnie Hunter Allietare! Mystery time.  We got the first clue yesterday so I need to get cutting and sewing.

Thanks for checking in.

Bountiful Central Coast

I finished a quilt - two days before the deadline!!  That's almost a record for me.

I entered a (sort of) challenge for our local quilt show.  Entries needed to interpret the theme for next year's show, "Bountiful Central Coast".  I had my idea months ago, but needed to figure out how to do it.  I started construction after PIQF, finished yesterday, and delivered today.

Notice the wagon with bolts of fabric.  I thought about making tiny
quilts, but someone else gave me the idea of fabric bolts.
We harvest the fabric to make our quilts.

It's hard to see, but the water fabric has an image
of Morro Rock in the design.  The fabric is available
only at The Cotton Ball, Morro Bay, CA.

I wanted to show a fog bank.  The best I came up with was to change
the quilting design.  The feathers along the water have gray thread accents.

Our show is June 25 & 26, 2016.  Plan to attend.  Great quilts and vendors.

Thanks for checking in.

Two guilds, two workshops

I had the opportunity to take two different workshops Friday and Sunday.

FRIDAY.  Jean Impry, Garden Party.

I created a bouquet by fussy cutting flowers and leaves from various fabrics.  We arranged our bouquet, stitched them down, then the fun started.  We were to quilt (with black thread) around the various blooms multiple times and add some detail.  All this is done before adding batting and backing!

Design in process.  No details yet.

I've added the details,  I have a few flowers yet to finish, but I ran out
of bobbin thread so it was time to go home!

Close up of flowers.  The 'wrinkles" are intentional.  In fact that was a hard
part for me.  I kept smoothing out the fabrics so they would lay flat.

SUNDAY.  Patricia Beaver, Crayola quilts.

I don't consider myself a painter, but I was able to use crayons to color in a design.  I looked at design ideas on line - googling free, public domain, coloring pages - had it enlarged at a local copy place and today we traced, inked, and colored!.

I omitted the pumpkin from the center.  I'll probably quilt it in.
This is approximately 36 inches in diameter.

Close up.  The colors are very subdued so it didn't photograph well.
I may use a heavy weight thread and quilt over the black swirls.
What I won't do is embroider them by hand!

I'm happy with the results from both classes.  But tomorrow I have to get back to my deadline quilt!

Thanks for checking in.

Martian invasion

At our local show I purchased an Amy Bradley Designs pattern, "Planetary Party".  I used some of her aliens to make a quilt for my nephews.  I originally wanted them to use her creatures as inspiration and draw their own, but they're still pretty young so that didn't work out how I imagined.  Instead I selected one of Amy's designs that looked similar to their drawings.  Meant to be a Halloween quilt, it really isn't, but I like it anyway!  AND . . . it's done and mailed!!!

The quilt is long and narrow.
It can hang on a door or be
used as a table runner.  It's
about 20 x 58 inches.

I hurried Monday afternoon to sew down the sleeve
and label so I could get the quilt in the mail.  I was so
proud they would get the quilt before Halloween.

Then while loading these photos I remembered . . . . . THE EYES.
I forgot to make eyes for the Martians!  I'll have to get the quilt back 
later and add them.

I couldn't decide how to make the eyes.  I didn't want to add
a button or something similar.  I'd like to make them some
type of thread embellishment.  I'll have to think on that some more.

I've had this background fabric in my stash for over 20 years.
It's one of the original fabrics by Mary Ellen Hopkins.  It was
perfect for this quilt.  ME always said "Use your fabrics because
when you die they'll use them for Halloween costumes."  I finally
used it for a Halloween quilt.  That's a much better use.

OK, now I need to start a quilt that is due November 9.   Of course it's last minute.  It's the only way I know to work!

Thanks for checking in.

BOM BJ's Quilt Basket

I've been working on a BOM from BJ's Quilt Basket in Bend, OR.  I've actually done fairly well keeping up.  If I lived near Bend the participants meet the first Saturday of each month for show and tell.  It's impossible for me to attend but the shop mails my instructions and fabric each month.  It's not a mystery.  I just liked the pattern and decided to participate.  So where am I? . . . . I finished the August blocks last week and received September blocks this month.  I already have September done!!  Yea for me!  

I have to admit I'm still behind.  The February block was applique.  I wanted to wait until after my Philippa Naylor Empty Spools class thinking I would use techniques learned in her class.  I've gotten started, but I have quite a way to go.  There are four small applique blocks in the body of the quilt,  BUT the border has LOTS of applique.

"Timeless Tradition"
http://www.bjsquiltbasket.com/BOM.html

August blocks.
Each month we've made one 12-inch and two 6-inch blocks.

September blocks.
Since there are only 3 blocks each month, I'm concentrating on accurate piecing.

One of four applique blocks.  I can't decide whether to make the flowers
match in each block or do a variety.  The pattern calls for four different
flowers in four different colors.

I'm still working on the BOM from Fat Quarter Shop.  I'm keeping up with it as well.  I'll post an update when I finish the September sections.

Thanks for checking in.

Quick Curve Ruler

I purchased the Quick Curve Ruler a couple of years ago but had never unwrapped it and put it to use.  Mission accomplished!
I needed (wanted) a table runner for a birthday present so I decided the time was right.  I have a few questions about getting things to line up but for a first attempt it's not too bad.

16 x 44.5 inches

back side to show quilting

Thanks for checking in.

White whole cloth finished

Two weeks ago I met with friends for several days of sewing.  I had finished quilting my white whole cloth but needed to sew down the binding.  I then attached hot fix pearls.  I'm excited how it turned out!

Started September 2012, Cindy Needham Whole Cloth Design Workshop.
Finished July 2015.  Yea!!!!

I used this as a UFO Challenge for my guild.  Of course, even my application was a UFO.  I didn't ever get around to submitting a photo.

38 x 38 inches

Thanks for checking in.

Catching up on BOM

I spent yesterday and today catching up on a BOM program I started with BJ's Quilt Basket in Bend, OR.  I found the shop when I was investigating attending the Sisters Quilt show.  The trip ended up being postponed to another year, but I really liked one of their BOM's.  I'm doing Timeless Treasures, 90 x 90 inches.  It's a non-mystery BOM.  Obviously, I don't get to attend their monthly meetings to see what everyone else is doing, but it's still fun.  I have completed all of the pieced blocks so far, but postponed doing the applique until after I took the class with Philippa Naylor.  Now I'm ready!

Each month I make one 12 inch and two 6 inch blocks.

Thanks for checking in.

Independence Day sewing

Today I spent time at my machine catching up on BOM for one of my guilds.  This year the person in charge allowed us to select one block, then each month she gives us a color and we make our block in that color.  When I finally picked the block I wanted to use I cut out several anticipating colors that would probably be used during the year.  The following months I just cut "kits" rather than sewing only one block each month.  Today I sewed 6 blocks together.  (Actually 4 complete blocks and two half done blocks.)  It's supposed to be secret, but I don't know of any guild members who read my blog so I think I'm OK.  Here's what I have so far.

The upper left is very dark blue.  The brown was one of

the early blocks.  The square around the center does not

"pulse" like some of the others.  I don't know yet if I'll add

sashing strips or put it together like this.  We still have 5 months.

The green and gray are not finished.  I decided I didn't like the center square.

The block is called "Supernova".  17 1/2 inches.

Thanks for checking in.

Happy 4th of July!

The show is over!

Last weekend was our big Seven Sisters Quilt Show.  Once again it was a successful show for everyone involved.  I didn't win a formally judged award, but "Vintage Moments" won a sponsored award for traditional pieced, large quilt.  yea!!  Although I don't make quilts to get awards, it's always nice to have your work acknowledged and appreciated.

I need to spend some time getting the studio back in shape.  There are show papers and stuff everywhere!!  I've got to get it all boxed up and back in storage.  My next goal:  get caught up on BOMs.

I still laugh when I think about not wanting to take the class
to make this quilt.  It was a fun class and I've won two awards!

Thanks for checking in.