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.