On Ringo Lake - Clue 9 - The Big REVEAL - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

1/13  It's out, It's out!  AND it's beautiful.  OMG.  I am in love.  I knew I was happy with the way the colors were going, but the sashings are amazing and the little tips on the setting triangles just make my heart sing.

With that said, it's complicated.  Seriously.  I am so glad that Bonnie is holding off on the final link-up until February 1st as I just know this will take me all of that (and then perhaps some more too).

Out to the studio I go ----- sew, sew, sew.

It doesn't take very long and I soon have a lovely heap of coral and white.  Simply gorgeous.

Into the house to press like a crazy woman.  Wow, that's a lot of sashings.  Goodness.

My tray certainly doesn't have very much on it now.  Of course there is a stack of blocks around here somewhere.  I even grabbed the ornament for a quick picture as it went into storage.

1/18  Yes, it's been 5 days since I worked on this.  What can I say?  Life.  Oh, and a long list of things to try and accomplish this month.  It's a triangle cutting kind of day.  With a few squares thrown in for good measure..

1/22  Another four days have flown by.  Wow.  This month is screaming by.  Now you can see why I was thrilled with a February deadline.  Today, I am working on a block for my friendship beach quilt and these seem like the perfect leader/enders.

And just like that --- they are finished.

Oooh, more on the tray.  Also --- this really pushed what was left of my aquas to the max.  I think a few are too light, but it is what it is.  (Sorry for the blurry picture.)

1/23  I'm on track today and that means another step on these setting triangles will happen.

That means I have to cut.  Am I the only one who is scared to death right now?  I have no more aquas.  Mistakes would be terrible.

Oooooh, a few little aqua/white nibbles.  I found a little plastic bag and scooped these up to add to the ornament next year.

Again, I am still working on that beach block so these are doing the leader/ender dance.  In a blink of an eye, it's time to press.

I think they look just so wonderful.  Somehow I missed the step to do the corner triangles and a few quick cuts gives me a few more seams to sew.  Add in the blocks and all my parts are ready to play.  I hope.

1/24  Before I can lay this out to set it, I need to finish anything else that requires the floor space.  No, I do not have a huge design wall.  I have a small living room design floor.  Things just have to take turns.  When pulling fabrics for this, I yanked anything with the colors in them.  As I worked, I eliminated many due to large patterns that I just didn't know would play nice together.  Now they are all coming out to play to put the back together.  One lady online told me that my blocks had a southwestern feel to them.  Well, this panel will certainly fit then, right?  The back is done and waiting . . . .

While in the studio, I came across these teal strips that I believe were for a quilt several years ago and then misplaced.  Well, they fit now and I'm super thankful as I just don't have a lot of aqua or coral anymore.  Yay.  Okay, I just want a peek at how this will look.  Once corner, no sashings.  Yep, I'm gonna adore this one for sure.

1/29  That lovely little corner has been sitting on the floor for five days.  I leave for retreat on the 1st and really need to lay out some other items before that.  Well, dang --- I guess I'd better start setting this.  Perhaps I can get half today and half tomorrow??  It takes about an hour and I have the corner finished.  Wow.  I am trying this by just laying out each row as it comes and it's so easy to get confused.

About this point, I give up and layout the rest of the first half.  Wow -- the rows go so much quicker now.  Who woulda thunk?  Hahahaha.

As soon as I have half finished, The second half gets laid out as well.  Tomorrow is another day.

1/30  I start out the day working on the second half.  I REALLY want this finished today as I need the floor for other things and I am out of days to get ready for retreat.  Zoom, zoom, zoom.  Somehow I get the bright idea to start with the long rows first instead of the corner.  My mind feels that it will seem like it is going quicker as I go.  What do you think?

At about this point (right), I've decided that it does indeed work mentally, however hauling the long rows around the entire time is not pleasant either.  Oh the decisions in life.  I now have both halves.

Do you look at this next seam as "Cool, I have one long seam left" or as "Ugh, I have one long seam left?"  I'm leaning towards the second right now.  No sense putting it off.

And Voila!  I have a top.

In my earlier fantasy, I believed I could even have this quilted by the end of the month, but no.  It goes on the frame and there it shall sit until I return from retreat on the 11th.  THEN, I can play and enjoy finishing her.

1/31  Well, it's the last day of the month.  I finish up the label and binding so that all I have to do is quilt, add the binding, and stitch it down.  Those who know me, know that last part is my favorite.  I'll update this post when I have the finished product.  Check back now and then to see how it goes.

Thank you for stopping by and if you got here via Bonnie's linkup, give a click RIGHT HERE for your quick jet back.  Take care ya'll.

UPDATE!!!!  2/21

I have a finished product.  Here's the story:

I finally have a couple of free hours and it's not absolutely freezing outside so the studio won't be too bad.  Off I run and 4 1/2 hours and 10 bobbins later, it is coming off the frame.  Woot woot.  Oh I do so love this quilt.

 Everything about it just makes my heart happy.  The colors, the pure genius of the design, the quilting (which actually turned out well) and just the general wonder of having it almost finished.  Life is indeed good today.  (keep going)

From one machine to the next.  Binding is going on and I then settle into a comfy seat and spend the entire evening with my sweetheart, me just stitching away.

It's simply lovely and I can't decide which picture I like best.  I will take one outside as soon as I get a chance -- read that to say as soon as the rain stops.  Until then, this is what I got.  Enjoy.