Modern Christmas

Hey all,

It has been a couple of months since I have posted, but not a lot of quilting has been going on.  Last nine weeks I did way too much testing so school was my main focus.  I was desperately trying to get my Algebra II students to memorize the formulas that would make them be successful on the ACT.  Not sure it worked.   Some were extremely good but the average ones were a little lower than I would  have liked.

As you can deduce from the title I did make a decision on the alternate blocks from the Bonnie Hunter Allietare  Mystery quilt.   I am so happy with the result.  And to make things even better, I was asked to make a quilt for the local junior league and it is just right for that purpose.  Using the alternate blocks I set them on point with the setting directions from the mystery quilt and ended up with a quilt that is about 46 x 68. That makes a nice sized throw.  I put a hanging sleeve on the top as the junior league will need to display it.

Betty Lewis, of Louisville, MS did the quilting.  I had asked for a white thread, and the pattern she used on Judy Stokes last mystery quilt and she made the choice for an off white, which looks outstanding!!  So glad she did that.  This is one of the advantages of having your long armer getting to know what you like!

Here is a couple of close up of the quilting:

I have really gotten into binding things with striped fabric and on the bias.  I had this mostly left from another project and rummaged through my small pieces and added enough that it worked out perfectly to bind this project.  Y'all know I am the slowest hand stitcher on the planet, and when I bind something with a black binding I am even slower.  These old eyes aren't what they used to be.

Here is a picture of the back.

The back is more a traditional red tartan so that may fit more folks homes.

Next to work on the quilt for a sweet couple that is getting married.

I will try to do better on regular updates!

Sew on,

Terry

Decisions, Decisions

Hey all,

I seem to be having a much harder time making decision than I used to.  Used to be I would look at something  and then just decide...if I messed up, I would back track and figure out what to do.  Now I seem to second guess myself a lot more frequently.

Anyway, what brought that revelation on is the fact that I am finally working on my Bonnie Hunter mystery from LAST year, and I am not happy with how it is looking.  At the moment my plan is to continue putting the blocks together as they are.

The star blocks are all sewn together and the green blocks are on the flannel design boards.  I am just not loving it.  So as I was finishing the star blocks and laying out the remainder of the green blocks I had a thought, still no decision tho-  what if I made two quilts out of it?  Here is kind of what the blocks look like separate.  With and without sashing....

star blocks - no sashing

Star blocks and green sashing yellow corner stones.

Star blocks neutral sashing yellow corner stones.

Green blocks neutral sashing - yellow corner stones (more imagination required here.)

Green blocks no sashing.

So I should finish the green blocks some time this week.  Then I will have to make a decision.  I have one small strip of the green fabric left...so I don't know if I would have enough to make any additional blocks.  There are fewer of these than the star blocks so it would be a much smaller quilt.

Sew on...

Terry

Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt

Dear Readers,

I decided to pull the trigger and go forward with the mystery quilt, but I am way behind.  I have been working on cutting up the clues as Bonnie releases them, but I have not had a chance to sit down at the machine in days, other than to do some Christmas happys.

So here is a picture of what I have accomplished.  I am using the green as my grey in order to a have a Christmas quilt.

I have everything cut except for the random neutrals for the last clue, but I thought I would wait till I got the 4 patches made and use the leftovers for that.
If you want to join in the fun, here is a link to Bonnies main mystery page.  This will only be good while the mystery is going on.

Here is a link back to the clue four page link page.  If I understand correctly, this will work even after the mystery ends.

I may up date this post as I get my Christmas cooking done!

Update #1

Clue 1 & 2 done (mostly)!  Clue one still needs the paper removed and pressing. 

Update #2

Clue 3 done.  I will work on clue four tomorrow. All sewed out today. 

Update #3

I did not catch all the way up.  I got seven sets done!!  But the others are kitted up and in my suitcase. I am on my way to Denver to make memories with my girl. If I have time to sew I will otherwise I will work on it when I get home. I still haven't pulled the paper off of clue one. But thought that might be a good airport activity!  I am fitting it in inbetween my life!!

 

Merry Christmas all!!