Part three of Bonnie Hunter’s annual mystery quilt came out on Friday. It’s not too late to join. The instructions can be found HERE.
It’s more 4-patches this time with the dark and light purple, or in my case dark and light green. I’ve only got these three patches made — and only so I’d have something to post this morning.
I’m linking up with both the Mystery Link Up and Design Wall Monday.
Part two of Bonnie Hunter’s annual mystery quilt came out on Friday. It’s not too late to join. The instructions can be found HERE.
This clue has us making triangle in a square blocks. My plan was to use the Quilt in a Day rulers as I’ve had more luck with that method than the Tri-Recs, but I found the correct size strips in my bins, so I cut the first few with the Tri-Recs. Since they came out so much better than they have in the past, I’ve decided to stick with the Tri-Recs. I’m still cutting fabric, but that’s OK. Slow and steady will eventually get the quilt complete.
I’m linking up to both the Mystery Link Up and Design Wall Monday.
Bonnie Hunter is hosting her annual mystery quilt. This year it is En Provence in purple, lavender, green, yellow, magenta and of course neutrals. Information about the mystery quilt can be found HERE.
Since I haven’t spent much time quilting this year, I’m hoping the mystery will get me going again. But as with most mystery quilts I do, I’m pulling from my stash. Although I love the mystery colors, I didn’t find enough for the quilt in my stash. Shopping is not an option, so I thought I would have to sit this one out (and I still need to finish Aletaire). While I was contemplating alternative color schemes, someone on Facebook said they were going to use Christmas colors.
Yes, I can do this. Dark/kelly green for Purple, light green for lavender, red instead of green, lean my yellows toward dark/gold. Neutrals should stay the same. But what to use for magenta? Taking a que from the Nutcracker fabric my sister gave me for Christmas last year, I chose Royal Blue. It’s the only thing not from my stash — I used a gift certificate I was given in late January, and bought extra for binding and pillowcases – $0.89 with shipping.
This weekend I started by cutting strips, then squares. I know, Bonnie said sew strips together then cut, but I need some leader/enders to finish up Alietare. Two 4-patches are made. I have a way to go to get all my 4-patches done. Let’s hope they aren’t need for Clue 2 on Friday.
Head over to the Mystery Link Up to see how others are doing on their quilt — and remember it’s not to late to join.
I’ve also linked to Judy’s Design Wall Monday. I’m guessing there will be lots of 4-patches.
I really should have re-hung the quilt and waited for better light, but I’ve got a mini Ohio Stars quilt to make this weekend.
Just borders on 3 sides and this top will be complete. Since I haven’t counted this fabric in my Stash Report yet, it will help offset the fabric I bought last weekend, which hasn’t been reported either. One more evening, then it will be off to tiny Ohio Stars.
This past weekend I attended the 10th Anniversary Kaye-Woods-Quilting-Friends (Yahoo! Group) retreat at Camp Beth Eden in Conway, Missouri. This was my 7th year. I had a great time, but I’m exhausted! One of the activities which you can participate in is a mystery quilt.
A mystery quilt is where you are told how much fabric you need, then are given the cutting and sewing instructions, but not told how what you are making. Hopefully the instructions are written clear enough that there are no frustrations and in the end you have a finished quilt top which looks like the original when it is revealed.
I wrote this years mystery quilt. My friend Mary over at Quiltn’ Gramdma’s Blog tested the pattern for me. After the pattern was tweaked, Terri who wasn’t able to make it to the retreat offered to post the patterns to the list for anyone who wanted to participate, but couldn’t make the trip either. She also tested the pattern for me. This is her quilt.
This year we had six ladies complete their quilt tops.
More about the retreat and the shopping I did later. I’ve got to straighten up my sewing room so I can unpack.
I just found out that Dorothy Young is doing a Christmas Mystery called Raising Cane. I’ve made several of her mystery quilts – Spring Breeze, Diamond Links and The Chain Event and have loved all of the quilts/tops. (Only have Spring Breeze Quilted). I’m in the middle of Carolina Christmas and I know everyone thinks I’m crazy with the list of quilting stuff I’d like to get done by the end of the month.
I must be crazy is the only explanation I have for why I’m even considering starting a new quilt before the end of the month.
Ok — I peeked at Clue # 3 even though I haven’t finished sewing Clue # 2. Boy am I glad I did.
Since I’m using “clear” pinks and blues, I opted for a bright white on white for the background. Thinking I needed 2 yards, I pulled everything from my boxes and just barely had enough. I thought I was going to have to cut into my snowflakes and snowmen that I’m saving for my redwork snowmen quilt. One or two strips each would still leave me enough, so I was OK with that.
However, it turns out we need more than 2 yards of background fabric, so I have to make a decision.
1 – use the creamy off white moving forward
2 – back track and remake some of Part 1 and Part 2 using the new creamy off white so there will be some bright white on white to use in the rest of the parts
3 – get over it and go buy some more bright white on white to finish the quilt (I still don’t have enough using all of the snowflake and snowmen fabrics)
4 – toss in the towel and use what I’ve made for something else.
I’m stubborn so #4 isn’t an option. In fact last night and DH and were discussing my options, that was nixed right away. #3 really isn’t an option since I want this to be from my stash and I don’t want to buy any more fabric this year. So that leaves #1 and #2.
Until I see the quilt put together I won’t know which way I want to go. In the end who knows what I’ll end up doing. But I have learned something. I need to focus on gathering some ‘shirting’ type fabrics — light backgrounds with bits and pieces of color.
Can’t wait to see Bonnie’s finished quilt.
Part 1 of Carolina Christmas was finished this evening. As I’ve checked out the pictures of what others are doing, I’m drawn to those that have scrappy backgrounds with tiny prints. This year my goal was to gather black prints – tone on tone, or prints on black backgrounds since I virtually wiped out my blacks when I made Orange Crush. I think next year, I’ll be looking for tiny prints on light colored backgrounds. Either that or start haunting the thrift stores for shirts. I simply need to remind myself that even if I have to pay “full price”, it’s still cheaper than a FQ at the LQS.
Now off to work on Part 2.
I have continued to play in my pink and blue fabrics. Although I agree that the multiple greens added depth to the stack of fabric, I went back and re-read Bonnie’s description of her fabric choices.
a lighter yellow green all the way through to dark pine green
reds all the way from orange red to burgundy
ONE gold print to tie the scrappiness together
So, I’m going to pretend my blues are green, my pinks are red (a little easier) and my single green is gold. Won’t that be fun to read ‘green’ and have to remember to pick up the blue fabric. Clearly after I print out the pattern I’ll be taking a pen to it so I don’t get confused. My background will be one of about 6 or 7 different white on whites, all in about the same shade of white. I briefly flirted with a a single background, but the only 2 yard piece I have is beige and I decided I didn’t like it with the ‘clear’ pinks and blues.
Let’s eat turkey, then bring on the first clue. My fabrics are pressed, I know where my ruler is and I’m off to clear the cutting board so I’ll be ready Friday. – right after I drop my car off to get inspected.
