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.