December Quilt Update

I have moved the previous posts to the end of the entry.  I hope that you make it that far.

Goals:  The mystery quilt is going and I am trying to get Christmas finished.  Please let me stay focused.

Wanderlust (W) sandwiched, quilted, labeled, and bound - sandwiched only 
Mark, sandwich, quilt, label, and bind Sew Squared (SS) quilt  - yes
Grand Illusion (GI) Mystery Quilt worked on - clues 1-5 complete
Making Waves pieced, sandwiched, quilted, labeled, and bound - yes
Finish sewing mats - no
A couple of hats - yes
Messenger bag for Bekah - yes

Prepare for classes:

Mystery Quilt (GP) - Batiks (Take advantage of the sale - purchase some neutrals) - All Colors - ONE accent color (purple) - yes

Weed Whacker (WW) - 2" strips 9.5" long in browns and teals, 3 1/2" neutral squares  -- additional 2" strips for border yes - not border

Bow-Dacious (BD) - poorly prepared but grabbed some 1 1/2" strips, 2" neutral squares, and 1 1/2" squares

Scrap Crystals (SC) - 2" strips red/black/white, 1 1/2" strips red/black -- red/black sashings, outer border black, binding red - yes cut all squares and some triangles (lots more to cut still)

1st - Again -- somehow I lost this entire post and had to start from scratch.  This may not be such a fun post to read as my memory doesn't hold things well from a month ago.  Dang -- Here goes anyway.  The house is empty today so guess what that means?  I get to work on GI clue 1 and I am thrilled.  I have a bit of fun decorating the office while I chain stitch my HST's.  How fun is this?  To see more of my fun decorations and read about this clue click here.  My units are finished and I even make the Monday link-up.  Woohoo.  Now back to Christmas gifts.

2014 Finished Non-Quilty Craft Items

February:

Ashton Baby Girl - afghan in pink and white.  Several new stitches for me.

Bonnie Hunter Weed Whacker Class - Fabric Fanatics

It is New Years Eve and I am in heaven.  After a trip to Denton this morning to drop off my granddaughter with Jen for a few days, I am about to immerse myself in lots of tiny pieces of fabric.  I have four days of classes with Bonnie Hunter and today is day one.  Woohoo.  I feel as though I have been waiting forever for this week to get here.  This has become an annual event for me and I am now on year three of spending New Years in this fashion.  I do hope that it lasts for at least a few more too.

Today's class is Weed Whacker and I arrive about 45 minutes before class begins.  As I walk in the door, Bonnie recognizes me and welcomes me with a big old bear hug and points me to the "fun" table to sit at.  Obviously, I obey and settle in.  Allison is just across the aisle from me and Irene and Melissa are at my table -- it is great.  All alumni from last year.  I feel honored just to be included with them and am so amazed by their talent.  I hope to draw knowledge from all while here.

While I am setting up, Allison comes and steals my camera to take a picture of me at my machine for the blog.  Isn't she just oh so sweet.  Oh --- while I was driving here from Denton this morning, I kept licking my lips and was so bummed that I had forgotten chapstick.  As I settled into my area, what do you suppose my wonderful friend brings me?  I didn't even let her know I needed it yet.  She told me a funny story about how it had fallen from a closet as she was packing and she thought "I'll take this to Deb."  Allison is one inspired lady and I am so glad to have her in my life.

2014 Finished Quilts

This year Mister and I have decided that we want to make a quilt for each of the grandchildren for their birthday in addition to sewing some for fun for ourselves.  Here is a brief glimpse into what we accomplished.  If you want further information on any of these, just check the monthly quilt update posts for the month listed and you will see the details.  (Then somewhere along the way I went totally nuts and determined to make one for each child/spouse AND for each of our mothers for Christmas - insane!)

January:

Raef's 9th birthday (1/17) - Scrappy Mountain Majesties by Bonnie Hunter set in burst pattern with browns and greens.  Pieced border. Camo back. First time ever machine quilting.

Grand Illusion Clue #5 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

Ugh.  This is the second time I am writing this post.  My wonderful witty remarks were vanquished with the mere click of a button.  Somehow I managed to create two entries and deleted the completed one instead of the empty post.  Double Ugh.  I will try to somehow recreate.

I know you may find this hard to believe, but I have not thought about the mystery at all since last Friday.  I have been so busy working on gifts and spending time with my sweetie that it just didn't cross my mind.  I did wake this morning around 6:00 and realize that the clue was likely up.  Did I want to get up?  Nope.  Back to sleep for awhile.  At 7:30 I climb out of bed and go to check on the clue.  Twenty-nine four patches!  Yes.  I could not be happier.  I grab some leftover squares and strips and start cutting.  In no time -- seriously, by 8:00 I am starting to sew.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to All!

I hope that we are all able to take some of the wonder of this season into each of our lives and keep it throughout the new year.  Enjoy and love each other.

Grand Illusion Clue #4 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

It's 3:30 in the morning, not a soul in sight . . . I am about to break into song here.  Oh where, oh where can my little clue be, oh where oh where can it be?  I am sick.  Truly.  Who does this?  Now the big question arises:  Do I stay up and keep peeking or do I be an intelligent human and go back to bed for some much needed sleep?  Well, duh --- obviously I'll just work on the blog and kill some time.

3: 56 --  nope - back to the post I am working on.
4:07 -- yep!  Posted 3 minutes ago.  What is it?  More broken dishes.  Well alrighty then.  Let's get breaking.  I guess it will be another cutting day.  Not quite as many though and half of the HST's are already made.  Now . . . back to bed.

Okay - it's 7:30 and time to get to work.  I quickly get the house in order, get my poor old body dressed, make some cocoa and settle in to work.  I am on my own today so I think it will keep me focused.  Can I knock this clue out today.  I'm gonna give it a valiant effort.

Fortunately -- I have yellow and black strips left from previous clues so it takes me all of about 15 minutes to get the squares cut.  Yes!  Now for the triangles.  Out comes the trusty Easy Angle ruler and I kid you not -- within an hour, I have all my pieces ready to go.  Awesome.  I only had to cut the aqua strips -- all the neutrals were standing by to be used.

Grand Illusion Clue #3 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

Do you realize how exciting it can be when you go to bed at night on Thursday and you know that tomorrow is Friday?  I know, I know -- it happens approximately 52 times each year.  What makes this so special you ask --- well Clue 3 of course.  I sleep like a baby these days and my absolute best sleep is between 4 and 7 in the morning.  HOWEVER, not when I know there is a clue waiting for me.  I wake around 4 and know that it is probably up but force myself back to sleep.  That lasts until 5:30 and then my brain apparently can't stand the suspense any longer and wakes me back up again.  All right, all right.  Let's go see what Miss Bonnie has in store for us today.  Oh yes!  2/4 8 patches.  Love them.  Since I'm up, I might as well get ready for the sit and sew.  I put everything away last week and now need to set it all up again.  Today:  the den as we have a bit more room in there and the tree is taking up space in the living room.  Here we go.  I am making homemade chicken noodle soup for lunch when Candy arrives.

Grand Illusion Clue #2 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

It's Friday and do you know what that means?  Clue 2, Clue 2.  It is 3:30 in the morning and I am awake.  Do you think it is there?  I'd better go look and see.  Nope.  Maybe I'll hang out for awhile.  4:00 - nope.  Should I give up.  I'll give it one more half hour.  4:30 -- YES!  The new clue!  Woohoo.  After reading it twice as requested, I realize that I just did these same blocks a few weeks ago.  AND -- there were a bazillion of them in Lazy Sunday.  I have got this.  Back to bed.

I get up a few hours later and start cutting neutrals right away.  Thanks to Bonnie's Scrap User's System --- I have stacks of strips already cut and only have to add a few more to get the variety I need.  I think there are over 80 different neutral fabrics on this step.  I am choosing option 3 on method for this clue.  It gives me the bonus triangles and I like that.

Now to go and check the FB page to see exactly what time I have people arriving for the Mystery Sit and Sew.  OMG -- I have one in half an hour and I am not even set up yet.  Get a move on girl.  What on earth were you thinking?  Where do I start?  I thought I had everything under control and guess what?  I don't.

DFW Meetup - McKinney

Yesterday, I told Mister that I was going to McKinney in the morning and if he wanted to come along and hang out for awhile, he was more than welcome.  Then, our daughter called and let us know that our grandson was going to be playing soccer in Carrollton that afternoon.  We decided to make a day of it and after a stop at White Rock Coffee, we are on our way.

The reason for my trip to McKinney is that the "Quilt Ladies" (I call them that) are meeting up for brunch and an afternoon of quilt shop hopping.  How fun!  I LOVE McKinney and take advantage of every opportunity to go there.  Since Mister and I have arrived a bit early, a quick walk down one of the streets kills some time.  Isn't it cool when the old brick walls are allowed to show in stores and restaurants?  I really like it.

Apparently my eye is picking up things today that it usually misses.  Look at these lovely columns.

Grand Illusion Summary

I am gathering all of my Grand Illusion (Bonnie Hunter 2014 Mystery Quilt) posts and placing them here so that you can link up and find what you want easily.  They will each open in a new page, leaving you access to this post. (The date on this post will change as I work on it but will always include the most recent postings and you can easily find it by clicking on the tab at the top of the blog.)   Please become a follower and you will always know when the new post is up.  Welcome to you all and comments are ALWAYS appreciated.

Post 1:  Colors and Yardage - Let's Get Started
Post 2:  Clue #1 Aqua and Pink Broken Dishes
Post 3:  Clue #2 How About Some Double Diamonds?
Post 4:  Clue #3 Two by Four 8-Patches
Post 5:  Clue #4 - More Broken Dishes
Post 5:  Clue #5 - Four Patches
Post 6:  Clue #6 - Cornerstones and the Big Reveal

Grand Illusion Clue #1 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

The day has finally arrived!  My house is full of family for the holiday weekend and there is even a bed set up in the office so I creep quietly in and peek at my computer oh so early in the morning.  There it is!  The first clue.  Drumroll please . . . Broken Dishes!  I read it quick and then go back to bed to dream of getting started on it.  An hour or so later, I can't stand it anymore so I get up once again and sneak out to the studio (where there are also people sleeping) and quietly get my fabric and rulers.  Back to the office cutting table -- quietly.  I only get a few triangles cut before people wake up and the day starts.  Oh well.


My next opportunity to work on this clue makes it appearance on Sunday evening.  Yes!  A couple of hours later, I am cut and ready to sew first thing in the morning.  Let the fun begin!

Today (Monday) is devoted to Grand Illusion -- oh and washing bedding, towels, etc. from having company all weekend.  First up:  HST's buy the boatload.  Let's get going.

I settle in to watch White Christmas -- ah yes, that will help the mood as I zip these together especially since it is dang cold outside today.

Once I have my ginormous string finished, I figure I should do a little decorating.  After all, tis the season.  Yes, yes I am having a good time today.  Mister teases that I take over every flat spot in the house.  Since I am working in my little mini studio in the office today --- he may be right.  Hence the fabric stacked on the books.

November Quilt Update

I have moved the previous posts to the end of the entry.  I hope that you make it that far.

Goals:  I have retreat this month --- YAY! -----  AND Black Friday with the start of the mystery quilt -- WOOT!!  ---PLUS time with family for Thanksgiving so scheduling is interesting but we'll give it a shot.

Home
Roll Quilt - nope -- should take this off list until Jan
UFO - Ceramic Tea Set - nope -- dang, really need to get this one done or it is going to become a birthday gift instead
Sandwich, quilt, and bind My Favorite Things (MFT) quilt - yes
Wanderlust (W) Blocks (28 full plus half blocks) - yes
Mark, sandwich, quilt, and bind Sew Squared (SS) quilt  - no but Mister did get the templates done
Sandwich, quilt, bind, and make label for Scrappy Bargello (SB) quilt - yes
Sandwich, quilt, and bind Virginia Bound (VB) quilt - yes
Quilt, and bind Lazy Sunday (LS) quilt - yes
Mark, sandwich, quilt, and bind Peaceful Paisley (PP) quilt - yes
Bookmarks finished - on hold til Jan
Round Robin (RR) blocks (14) pattern and fabrics selected
Clue #1 Grand Illusion (GI) Mystery Quilt worked on - yes, all cut and ready to sew
Wedding Quilt (WQ) blocks prepared, sashings cut, backing/label made, borders cut, binding made - yes
Finish sewing mats - yes
Retreat

Finish any remaining Wanderlust (W) half blocks, do border blocks, and set yes
Set, sandwich, quilt and bind Wedding Quilt (WQ) yes
Make sewing mats - 4 finished, 2 close
Any bindings that need to be hand-stitched as well - worked on PP
Debone all remaining shirts in basket - yes - 12 completed

1st -  OMG It's November!  Hang on for one heck of a month.  I give myself a HUGE talking to this morning when I realize just how long my list is and how little time I have.  There is just no room for lazing around.  Get with it girl.  It's Saturday, which means I am devoted to my sweetie for today and tomorrow.  I won't change that as I have learned the hard way in life where my priorities need to be.  Mister and I go shopping for the materials to refinish my Featherweight table.  I appreciate so much that he is working on this for me.  He is also making me a Big Board!  I am one lucky girl.  Matt sent me a picture from Hyrum's birthday party of him with his quilt.  Makes my heart feel good.

Brazos House Retreat - Nov. 2014

After returning from retreat last May, it took me all of about one week to decide that I wanted to go back.  I called the center and found out that the soonest I could get in was the weekend before Thanksgiving. I jumped on it and started putting the word out.  I could not have been more pleased with the responses and the retreat was filled in no time.  A new group of friends to be made.  Yay!

Preparations started and excitement built.  Finally the day arrives and I am so ready.  In a heavily loaded car, I drop Mister off at work - leaving him to find his own way home by DART - yep loving wife - and zip down the new tollway right to the center.  It is just as I remember and the peaceful feeling of being in the country sets in right away.  Last trip, I forgot to take some pictures of the rooms and so that is my first task.  Before I even unload the car, I make a trip through the house, assigning rooms and snapping a few pre-mess shots.  Kay has set it up wonderfully as usual and I know we are going to have a blast.

Refinishing my Featherweight Table

So some of you may remember that back in January I was able to pick up a Featherweight table at a local auction.  Here she is in all her "Oh my goodness, someone painted me white." glory.  Ick.

Learning to Transfer Photos to Fabric

I have a project that I am working on and I got it into my head that I want to try photo transfer to fabric for it.  I have absolutely no idea what I am doing but watched a couple of you tube videos and am willing to give it a try.  A quick trip to the grocery store for a roll of freezer paper gets me started.  I have chosen a bleach white Kona cotton to use as the base for my photos and am ready to start.

Step one:  Cut a piece of freezer paper the same size as a sheet of printer paper.  I simply used a pencil and drew around an 8 1/2" x 11" letter I had gotten in the mail.  Repeat step with fabric.

Step two:  Iron the wrong side of fabric to the shiny side of freezer paper using a pretty hot iron.  Make dang sure that the edges have sealed.

Step 3:  Place the fabric/paper into the printer so that it will print on the fabric side.  You must have an ink jet printer for this to work and will most likely have to use the manual feed as the trays don't always like the feel of the freezer paper or fabric.  I thought that I knew my printer well, but the first attempt came out on the freezer paper.  Dang, try again.

My second attempt works beautifully and I can barely tell the difference between the two.  In the picture, the one on the left is the one on the paper and the one on the right is my fabric.  They both look vibrant and beautiful.  I could not be happier.

Enough for today as I don't want to push my luck, but tomorrow the real printing begins.  Feeling confident now.

A New Big Board

Oct. 29 -- I return home from Colorado and spot these items in the garage.  Mister has started to build me a Big Board.  Oh happy day.  He is also refinishing a Featherweight table and you can find out more about that here.

Nov. 1  After a shopping trip, Mister starts working on my Big Board.  While I was in Colorado he cut the top and added strips to the bottom all around the edges, plus sanded it all smooth.  He is now ready to add the little blocks that will keep it from sliding when it is placed on my ironing board.  Using the ironing board itself as a pattern, he marks where he wants to blocks to go.

October Quilt Update

Previous 2014 posts:  First of year quilt update  (There are individual class posts for 4 Bonnie Hunter classes as well if you click on Feeling Crafty label and go to older posts.)
                         End of January quilt update
                         February quilt update
                         March Quilt Update
                         April Quilt Update
                         May Quilt Update
                         June Quilt Update
                         July Quilt Update
                          August Quilt Update
                         September Quilt Update

Goals:  I may be in Telluride to see my daughter and son-in-law's new dental practice and home so once again I need to be careful here.  Finally got a screaming deal on some batting -- 45 yds for $150.00.  woot woot --- time to quilt.

Roll Quilt -
UFO - Ceramic Tea Set -
Sandwich, Quilt, and bind both Celtic Solstice (CS) quilts  - yes
Sandwich, quilt, and bind Old Kentucky Album (OKA) quilt - yes
Sandwich, quilt, and bind Jacob's Log Cabin (LC) quilt - yes
Mark Sew Squared (SS) and Peaceful Paisley (PP) quilts -
Sandwich, quilt, and bind Lazy Sunday (LS) quilt -
Remainder of spool doilies for retreat -
Work on bookmarks - yes
Crochet hats - yes
Round Robin (RR) row finished, attached, and in mail - yes
Set My Favorite Things (MFT) top - yes
Pull Fabrics for new mystery quilt - (Grand Illusion or GI) - yes

1st -  It's October!  Oh my goodness.  I literally blew off last month and really need to regroup if I am going to finish what I set out to do this year.  Today is my LAST lazy day and so I bask in it and finish book 7 of the Harry Potter series.  Whew -- that is behind me now.  Since it would be way too much to make an entire switch in one day and actually sew something, I opt to work on the Monthly Blog Update from September so that it can post.  Okay, I think I am ready now.  Let's see what one determined redhead can accomplish this month.  Do you feel the cheerleader in me?  Someone's gotta spur me on.

2nd - First thing this morning I make a "Get on Track" schedule for both quilting and the dang house,  I have absolute need for this as I feel so much better when I can see what needs to be done each day.  Here we go.  I am off to the studio and quilt 2 quadrants CS I before realizing that a couple of weeks away certainly makes a difference on the arms.  I am beat so head back into the house and cut strips for my RR blocks.  That's a good start for the month AND I was able to check off all that I planned for today.  Yes indeed, I am pretty hot stuff (cheerleading continuing).

Grand Illusion - Let the Party Begin - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

It's TIME.  Yay!  Bonnie surprised everyone today (10/10 - and what a cool anniversary gift for me) with an early release of the colors, yardage, and name of this years mystery quilt.  It is called Grand Illusion and is based on the Grand Hotel where she stayed during a visit to Mackinac Island, Michigan.  I LOVE the colors!  Should I say that again?  I LOVE THE COLORS!

I send Mister an email asking him to pick up paint cards on his way home from work and I head for the studio to pull colors based on what I see online.  It looks like I have a healthy start in my stash which makes me pretty excited.  It'll be nice not to have to spend much.  I know that I will have to pick up some yellow, but hopefully that is all.  As I'm sitting in the house, I remember the scrap bucket out back from the "treasure trove" that I was the recipient of earlier this year.  Well goodness me -- I'd better go see what is in there and if anything can add variety.  By the time I am finished, there are scrap piles everywhere but I am not sure just how many will actually work - we'll see after they are pressed.

Here is what I have:

I am being pretty picky and select a few of them before adding the rest to my fat quarter bins.  Here are my final selections with their cards and the blacks/neutrals.

A quick stop  on Saturday (10/18) to pick up yellow somehow nets me a few others as well.  I have no idea how that happens.  One minute there is just the yellow in my hand and the next . . . . well I just can't explain it.  I think I am ready.  How about you?

Celtic Solstice Summary

I am gathering all of my Celtic Solstice (Bonnie Hunter 2013 Mystery Quilt) posts and placing them here so that you can link up and find what you want easily.  They will each open in a new page, leaving you access to this post.

Clue One

Clue Two

Clue Three

Clue Four

Clue Five

Clue Six - The Big Reveal

Finished Tops - Yep 2

The Backs

Ta Da - The Finish

Celtic Solstice Duo --- Finished!

All quilting is a simple meander using "Annie," my beautiful mocha 301a and the only difference between the two is in the bindings -- one is a lighter blue, the other more the jewel tone.  Also, after taking the picture, I discover that my four patches are going different ways thus creating my green and orange lines being opposite.  Oh well, the best laid plans . . .

The last stitch on the second quilt was taken this afternoon.  I am officially finished with the girls.  I still stare at them and think -- "I did that" -- in awe.  So amazing.  Thank you Bonnie Hunter for one very fun and truly educational mystery.  First stitch was taken December 2, 2013 and the final stitch today, October 17, 2014.

September Quilt Update

Previous 2014 posts:  First of year quilt update  (There are individual class posts for 4 Bonnie Hunter classes as well if you click on Feeling Crafty label and go to older posts.)
                         End of January quilt update
                         February quilt update
                         March Quilt Update
                         April Quilt Update
                         May Quilt Update
                         June Quilt Update
                         July Quilt Update
                          August Quilt Update

Goals:  I will be in Provo to meet my new granddaughter so I need to be careful here.  I am also still out of batting so unless a sale hits, I may need to do some revising here.

Roll Quilt -
UFO - Ceramic Tea Set -  nope
Quilt and bind Celtic Solstice (CS) quilts  -  nope
Sandwich and Quilt - Old Kentucky Album (OKA) quilt - no
Make blocks and set Jacob's Log Cabin (LC) quilt - yes
Set Sew Squared (SS) quilt, make back, make label - yes
Secret project for retreat (SP) finished - yes
Spool doilies for retreat - half finished

SPOILER ALERT:  IF YOU ARE GOING TO RETREAT WITH ME IN NOVEMBER - YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO READ THIS MONTH'S POST!!!!!!!

1st - I flew all day yesterday and today is a day of recuperation spent with my sweet granddaughter and my daughter.  Do I feel guilty?  Not a bit.  I am only now meeting Ophelia and she is almost 3 months old.  Where does the time go?  Yep, this is her on the quilt I made for her a few months ago.  <sign, heartthrob>

2nd - I took out Cass's sewing machine today and set it up to get some work done when she and baby are sleeping.  I have such a long list of things to do that I can't let all 8 days go by without making some progress.  I worked on the orphan patches for my retreat surprise by backing them with muslin and then matched them up with the precut fabric.  I am ready to sew.

3rd - I have made a complete mess of my daughter's living room.  I manage to work out half a dozen of my gifts and thing I have the system down now.  I am so liking these.

August Quilt Update

Previous 2014 posts:  First of year quilt update  (There are individual class posts for 4 Bonnie Hunter classes as well if you click on Feeling Crafty label and go to older posts.)
                         End of January quilt update
                         February quilt update
                         March Quilt Update
                         April Quilt Update
                         May Quilt Update
                         June Quilt Update
                         July Quilt Update

Goals:  I will have grandchildren again this month plus may be going to Provo to meet my new granddaughter so I need to be careful here.  I am also still out of batting so unless a sale hits, I may need to do some revising here.

Roll Quilt - No
UFO - Ceramic Tea Set - Repairs made is all
Alphabet Bears - Yes
Quilt and bind Nature Bound (Applique) Quilt (NB) - Yes
Quilt and bind Celtic Solstice (CS) quilts  - No - 1 Sandwiched
Set Pieceful Paisley (PP) Quilt, make back - Yes
Row Robin (RR) Blocks made and sewn into rows -- 2 quilts worth - one mailed - Yes
Cut and sew the setting for My Favorite Things (MFT) Quilt - cut, not sewn
Make Old Kentucky Album (OKA) quilt top, back, label - yes
Cut "secret" project for November retreat - yes
Cut Log Cabin (LC) blocks for Jacob quilt - strips cut -- wasn't planning on this as had a different quilt planned -- oh well

1st - Traveled to Denver and back today to pick up grands.  Did a little quilting on NB in the evening.  Pretty tired.  Too tired to even write in here.

2nd - During quiet time, I worked on my RR blocks while the kids watched a movie.  Loved the time together and yet still sewing.  After a full day with little ones, I am out in the studio quilting on NB for awhile.  This is quite the challenge for me as I have not quilted anything "stitch in the ditch" or with drawn patterns using my machine.  It is an entirely new experience.  And tough.  Free-motion is so much easier.

Don't look too close ---  I have never "shadow" quilted before.