Good Fortune! Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2018 Clue 6

Bonnie was good to us today.  She took pity on those of us with family around interfering with our sewing time!  Not the case for me, but I did have to take my car in and have a seat belt repaired.

BUT . . . ta da!!  I'm finished!  AND I'm all caught up.  I did some marathon sessions Wednesday and Thursday and was able to finish all of the pieces.  I don't think I've ever gone in to New Year's with all the pieces ready to put together.  Hmmm, maybe I should start quilting last year's mystery.  It's all pinned and ready to go under the machine.  (It has been for several months!  It just keeps getting pushed back in favor of a more pressing deadline.)

Check out what others have done for clue 6:  https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-6.html

Here is clue 6.  String piecing.  

My neutral is brown.  I can hardly wait to see it all together.

Here are all of my pieces:

The fabric in the lower right is what I used to pull colors.
It usually does not appear in the front of the quilt,
but I'll use a piece of it on the back.

Thanks for checking in.

Happy 2019!!

Good Fortune! Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2018 Clue 5 FINISHED

I'm thrilled!!  I originally posted that I had started Clue 5 and hoped to be back on track by New Year's Eve.  I FINISHED CLUE 5!!

Late Christmas night I decided if I had the pieces cut, I could get up this morning and just start sewing them together.  It worked.  In fact, I even have a few extra pieces.

If you're new to Bonnie Hunter's yearly mystery, check it out here:
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/p/good-fortune-mystery.html

You can see posts of where people are in the process here:
https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-5.html

Here are my pieces.  This is the only clue I have actually completed this year.  Now to work on the others.

I was worried about having to make mirror image units,
but it turned out to be quite easily done.
My orange is more gold, my neutral is brown, and violet instead of blue.

My Christmas was a fun time with family.  Season's Greetings.

Thanks for checking in.

Good Fortune! Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2018 Clue 5

I wanted to make a few of this week's clue.  Today's baking took longer than expected.  It's really the cleaning up that takes so much time!!  But I'm ready for the family event Christmas Eve.

Not much, but I tried!  My neutral is brown.

My goal is to be caught up by New Year's Eve.  I'm going to be the little engine that could!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!
Thanks for checking in.

Ornaments 2018 FINISHED!!

It's only December 21 and my ornaments are finished and wrapped!!  I think this is a record for the earliest completion date.

Five have already been mailed.

 Next on the agenda:

A couple of years ago I started a new tradition in that I make something for the women in the family.  The first year its was a sachet bag, one year a fabric tote bag (no paper bags at stores!).  This year I decided to make pot holders.

While in Houston I purchased a Purely Gates Embroidery Design pack:  Quilting Designs 1.  I've been wanting to try some in-the-hoop quilt designs - something that looks like a normal quilt stencil.  I decided to stitich out the designs then finish them as pot holders. 

The center set does not show well.
I'm using one layer of Warm & Natural and
one layer of Insul Bright.

After the pot holders - it's Bonnie Hunter Good Fortune! time.  I need to clean up the studio from all the sewing, but that can wait!!  Sewing is more fun!

I need a quilt for a fund raiser for my neice to be held January 15.  Helping One Woman, Visalia, CA.  I can't attend, but I can help with a quilt donation for the auction part of the evening.  Most of the information is via Facebook (which I'm not part of).

Thanks for checking in.

Good Fortune! Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2018 Clue 4

I've been busy with my Christmas sewing, but wanted to make at least one set of pieces for this week's clue.  Here are my "gold" strings.

Want to know more and see what everyone else has done??  Check out Bonnie's post here:
https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.html 

Yes, these are the only string pieces I made this week.
I'll get back on schedule next week.

Thanks for checking in.

Good Fortune! Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2018 Clue 3

Here's my progress on Clue 3 from Bonnie Hunter's 2018 Mystery, Good Fortune. I'm trying to keep up, but I'm also making 30 Christmas Ornaments for my family.

I have one side complete on all of the Chevron pieces.  The other side is all marked and ready to sew down.  My bonus half-squares are not consistent.  This is the first time I have used the "bonus triangle" process.  It works, I just need more practice.  I may have to make a few extras.

Check out Bonnie's site for directions:
 https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-3.html

My neutral is brown.

These two ornaments were sent off to Australia.  They might not
make it in time, but it's the earliest I'm ever gotten them mailed!

I've started the assembly line for the family ornaments. 
The hardest part is each is deciding on the design.

Thanks for checking in.

Good Fortune! Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2018 Clue 2

It's week 2 of Bonnie Hunter's Mystery 2018:  Good Fortune.

This week was half-square triangles.  Again, I don't have all my units completed but Bonnie encourages participants to make a few of each unit each week.  

Brown is my neutral (background)

Look here to see what everyone is doing AND get the clues so you can participate!  It's not too late.
https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-2.html

There are still two colors we have not used.  Mine are gold and green.  I can hardly wait to get units made using all the colors.  That way I'll have a better idea of how they all work together.

I'm also trying to get my Christmas sewing done in between clues . . .  and hang Christmas lights . . . and decorate a tree . . . . and get out my Christmas china.  Busy is good!!

Thanks for checking in.

Good Fortune! Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2018 Clue 1

We're off!!

Bonnie Hunter started her 2018 mystery this weekend.  Each Friday we get a clue with the top usually finishing New Year's Day.  She gives us her color choices, but we are encouraged to mix them up as well.  I found I have been successful when I use a fabric I like to pick colors.  I seldom use that fabric in construction, but use it in the backing.

Check it out here:  https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/11/mystery-monday-link-up-and-cyber-monday.html

My fabrics are below.  The paint chips are her choices.  Most of these came from my stash (yea!) but surprisingly I needed to pick up a few reds to fill in.  I was amazed at how low my red stash had gotten.  

I changed her blue to violet and my
background will be brown rather than lights.

The first photo actually shows the colors better than this one.

This week, we needed to make four patch units.  I spent most of the weekend quilting a quilt I need for next weekend, but I did manage to get some of the units completed Sunday.

Thanks for checking in.  Come back next week to see the second clue.

One Baby Quilt: check!

I just finished the second of two baby quilts for two great-nieces born this summer.  This one will be delivered tomorrow - Thanksgiving.  I might have to lay it out during lunch so it can finish drying!!

The pattern was Cosmo from Angles With Ease by Anka's Treasures.  Although it looks difficult, it is really easy to construct with her special ruler.

56 x 56 inches

I'm working on using rulers to quilt.  I'm just not ready
for it to be very visible.  Ruler work is in the gray border
and the gray diamond shaped pieces in the block.

This one is actually from a year ago. It was the Travel challenge for Material Girls.  I had forgotten the quilt and found it mixed in with some other "ready to quilt" quilts.  I finished it in September and gave it to a friend who loves old cars and license plates.  She wasn't expecting it and was thrilled.  It's all part of my "finish it and get it out of the house" mantra.  I'm  making  s..l..o..w progress.

I forgot to take a photo, so this is off a friend's blog. That's why its not very clear.
I traced the individual states using a map and tried to quilt the state borders.
It didn't turn out as I saw it in my head, but it is finished!

Thanks for checking in.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Houston!!

Three friends and I went to the International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX.  All the flight connections were prefect - no delays, no long lay-overs.  The show itself was wonderful as usual.  

Great vendors, unbelievable quilts!  Even though it's miles from home, I always expect to see someone I know.  There were four vendors who also vend at our Seven Sisters Quilt Show.  (Dragonfly Dyeworks, Second Chance Fabrics, Big-Mat Rotary Cutting Surface, and Summit Wood Products)  It was fun to see them "out of context".  They were surprised to see me as well.  I did almost get run over by Ricky Timms and Justin.  They were moving politely, but hurriedly, through the hall.  

As you can tell from the photos, I'm getting close ups for quilting design ideas.

This quilter was brave.  That's blue thread on the yellow and white background!

Great border idea.  and of course I like flowers.

In this quilt sometimes the piecing was actually accomplished by the quilting design.

I want to do this.  Piece a background and applique flowers on top.

It's red.  What else do I need to say?!

I gave up one day to take a tour that included the George Bush Presidential Library.  My only disappointment was that we were there for only a short time.  I visited the Reagan Library once and found it fascinating.  I figured this was my only chance to see the Bush Library in TX.  If you  live near one of the presidential libraries, I recommend you visit regardless of your political affiliation.  It's interesting to look back at historic events from a different view point.

I love this quote.  It reminds me of one I had in my classroom.
"There are no mistakes, only opportunities to learn."

In addition to visiting two quilt shops, we saw Burton Farmers Gin, the oldest operating cotton gin in America.  They only start it up twice a year, but it still works!  We also made a stop at Blue Bell Ice Cream.  Who cared that it was mid morning.  It was great ice cream!!

I spent most of last week with guild meetings (3!) and getting ready for Soroptimist International of San Luis Obispo's BIG fund raiser - Bags to Benefit.  This was our second year and we made improvements over last year.  We still have some bugs to work out, but everyone had FUN and we raised money to "improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment".  

Thanks for checking in.  I'll get some updates on the quilts I've been working on.

Two Challenges under way

I am still quilting on a friend's Vintage Moments.  It's taking a lot longer than I anticipated, but I'm now on the last border!  The end is in sight.  I had to leave it for a few days as I have two challenges due the end of August.

One is done except for sewing down the binding, the other I started yesterday.

The challenge for one guild was to use a book from our guild library and either make a quilt from the book or use it as inspiration to make something.  I chose Nickel Quilts by Pat Speth.  I've heard a lot about her, but have never made a quilt using her techniques.  She has a great way to make 4-patch units using 5 inch squares.  I needed a quilt for a new niece, so of course I collected pink 5-inch squares.  (This makes this a two for one quilt!)  I can leave it as is - and 40 inches means I don't have to piece a back - or I'm thinking to add a white border. It's due in two weeks, but that's doable.

40 x 56 inches

Oops.  I should have rotated the shot, but you get the idea.

This next quilt is a playing card challenge for a different guild.  I'm not sure it's obvious, but I drew the Queen of Hearts.  The crown was created in digitizing software.  I've been watching a lot of webinars about drawing your own designs.  I scanned in a black line master that I traced, made it the background art work, and drew my embroidery lines (and curves) on top of that.  I learned a lot!
For the quilting design I used Cindy Needham's template set and rulers I've been collecting for quite some time.  Construction of this quilt was a real learning experience.  I have no idea what to do with it after the guild meeting!?  It's not really something to hang in my home.

25 x 25 inches
Excuse the binder clips.  I still need to stitch down the binding. 
This one is due the day after the pink one.  

Thanks for checking in.

Seven Sisters Quilt Show

The show has come and gone.  It was a lot of work, but we put on another successful show.  The quilts were amazing as usual.  Check us out at http://www.sevensistersquiltshow.org
If the winning quilts are posted yet, they will be soon.  Next year our teacher will be Bonnie Hunter!!


I entered three quilts and had two of them judged.  I had Granddad's Truck judged at Best of the Valley, read the comments, made some changes, and entered if for judging again.  Good results!

I didn't take a close up photo, but I added some threads,
ribbon, and beads to the grass under the truck.

This quilt was awarded the NACQJ Award of Merit
(National Association of Certified Quilt Judges)
"represents excellence in design and/or workmanship"
I was VERY excited!

"13 Days of Halloween".  It received the Judges Award.

This was a hit with viewers.  One person said "I never liked Halloween
quilts, but this one made me change my mind."  Nice words!

 I entered my red whole cloth.  Since I hadn't changed anything after Best of the Valley, I didn't enter it for judging.  I did get a lot of questions about it though.

Dupioni Silk.  Wool batt.

I took a two-day class with Susan Carlson immediately after the show.  The project hasn't left the container since I got home.  I slept a lot the next three days!

Next year our show is June 28 & 29, 2019.  I'm stepping up and will be one of the co-chairs.  We always rotate a new person in and an "old" person out.  It's a two year commitment, but I'm ready!

Thanks for checking in.

Catching up

I'm back to the blog.  I've been busy with quilting projects, but some could not be shared (gifts or challenge) and others weren't close enough to being done.

Here's my latest:

I did something I will never do again.  I entered a quilt in our Seven Sisters Quilt Show that was not complete.  I knew I could get it done and I wanted to (!), but what a mistake.  It's due this week and last night I finished the quilting, rinsed it, and put it on the wall to block.  I still need to attach the sleeve and do something about the eyes on all the creatures.

13 Days of Halloween.  63 x 64 inches.

The original pattern is for hand embroidery.  I scanned the images on my Destiny

(IQ Designer) and digitized them for machine embroidery.  I used a font in my

embroidery software for the words around the two borders rather than using fusible.

Cranberry Pie Designs.  I just saw another one:  Twas the Night Before Christmas. Very Cute!!

The original pattern did not show the sashings I used. 
The ones with the pattern were very plain.

Can you see all the "eyes" I quilted in the block.
I'm thinking of adding sparkle eyeballs for each one.

Following is a table runner I made for our guild challenge.

 The required fabric was the blue with circles. 
I got third place.  (Viewer's Choice)

I finished my top for Bonnie Hunter's 2017 Mystery, On Ringo Lake.  I ended up with extra blocks because I made the quilt square.  I used the extras to make the quilt below.  I originally called it "Ringo Lake Leftovers" but someone changed it to "All That Jazz".  It will be the donation quilt for our 2019 Seven Sisters Quilt Show.  Bonnie Hunter will be the guest artist the week before the show.  We use the quilt as a prize for people who fill out our info survey.  Not a bad prize for just telling us how you found out about the show and where you're from.  Mark your calendars:  June 29 & 30, 2019.  Bonnie will be teaching June 24 - 28, 2019.

All That Jazz.  42 x 42 inches.

A friend was moving out of state, so we decided to make her a quilt. 
We each made a block, Anna put it together, and I quilted it. 
Can you guess her favorite color combination?

It was difficult for me to quite each block differently.
Overall it turned out very good and Barbara was pleased!

Just little Easter goodies for the great nieces and nephews.
I put a surprise in each one.  I was able to hand them out
Easter Sunday at our family gathering.  Often I mail
the holiday projects, so I don't get the fun part of seeing
them 'open' the package.

This was a bed runner I made for my step-mom to give to her daughter for her 60th birthday.

I know the mom liked the end product, but the daughter just got the package this weekend, so I 

haven't heard from her.  Vivian and I matched the colors in her bedroom.  I had a hard time quilting this one because I really didn't know what to do.  It's so modern and not quite my style.  

Somehow quilting straight lines just didn't seem right.

I thought I had a better photo, but if so I couldn't find it on the computer.

Thanks for checking in.  It was a lot this time.

St Pat's Day Machine Embroidery

I wasn't going to send St. Patrick's Day cards to my nieces and nephews, but then I got an email from Bernina with a cute Shamrock machine embroidery design.  I couldn't resist.  I got them all done today.  They're ready to mail tomorrow so the children should receive them by Saturday.

The bad part is I realized I lost the mailing labels in my computer crash.  I have to locate all the addresses again!

The top is glitter form, fabric applique circle, and foam again on the back.
It's the first time I've used foam.  Very easy! Everything was done in the hoop.
I just had to trim around the outside edge.  

Thanks for checking in.

Busy December

I know it's February, but I did get a lot done in December!

This year's ornament.  I did a lot of it on my embroidery machine.
I used software and created the body and appliqued beard.
It took some time, but I enjoyed the challenge.

30 Santas!

 Right after Thanksgiving, I got involved making machine embroidery table runners.  I made five tops and had my three sisters select the one they wanted.  That way I knew which ones I needed to finish.  They all got their runner before Christmas!  Below are photos of all the tops.

Peppermint Candy.  Claudia's Creations.
This is the design that started the process.  I used my software for some groupings,
but realized it was just as easy to add them one at a time wherever I wanted.

Yard of Snowmen.  Bird Brain Designs.  Blue.

Yard of Snowmen.  Black and gold.  Very elegant.

Ginger Garland.  Turnberry Lane Patterns.
I changed the border so it came out even.

One sister wanted to hang hers and needed a smaller size.  The original pattern made the gingerbread men in pieces, then sew them together.  The second time I put the designs in software
and used the multi-hoop feature for placement.  It was an interesting process to figure out.

The amazing thing was that I had all of this done by December 22.  That's a record for me!!

Thanks for checking in.