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.