Frolic - Clue 9 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

Well, it's here!!!  Clue 9 and the reveal are posted.  So, so much still to go and it will definitely take a second reading to get it all straight in my mind.  I definitely won't be making much headway on this clue today, but . . . . there is still half of a month left.  Well, almost.  I have 10 days before I travel.  Today, however, I CAN cut.

It is Friday, January 17th and I feel a bit overwhelmed with this one.  I feel like it is similar to the eating an elephant thing --- one bite at a time.  For today, neutrals and some little blue squares need to be cut.  I CAN do that.

Of course, the requisite trial block gets laid out immediately after all the parts are cut.  Oooooh, I am going to like this so much.  That's as far as I can go today and since I KNOW this will take awhile, I'll date the entries and put all the progress in one last post.  Grab a cuppa -- this one may take awhile as it's pretty involved.

1/19 - Two days later and I put my block together.  From the looks of this one, I will need to take it back apart and work on those points.  Perhaps these blocks I can be done as a leader/ender thing?

21st - Another couple of days and another block comes together as a leader/ender.  This may work out but I promise not to post a daily block for y'all.  That would totally stink.

I decide to work on the units en masse for a bit and chain away.  Maybe this is the way?  I'm still trying to figure out how to eat this elephant.

22nd - Using the parts as leader/enders today, I have enough put together for four blocks.  One method after another until I find the right combination.

23rd - Daily progress is good right?  More bits a pieces coming together.

2/8/20 -- Okay, it's been a bit of a break for me.  That thought of finishing in January went right out the window.  I am now at retreat and pretty determined to make some progress on this.  Today's goal is to complete the blocks.  Sew girl, sew.

Even with a walk and taking time to bake bread for the gang, I have all my blocks made.  These are just so pretty.  Now, onto the setting triangles.

But first, I have some time left tonight and easy is better when it gets late.  Sashings!!!  It is at this point that I discover that for some reason known only to the recesses of my mind, I made twice as many end units as I needed.

As a result, I'm going to have to figure out how to use a bazillion raspberry/neutral twosies.  That means more brain work and I'm kinda done tonight.  I'll leave that for another problem solving day.

2/12 - I didn't take any additional parts with me to retreat, so that ended the advancement while at Brazos.  Today, I'm back home and working on the half blocks as leader/ender.  One for today and I'll hold to that block promise above.

2/21 - Somehow 9 days flew by and I didn't make much progress on these.  Today is the day for half/corner blocks.  Lots and lots of webbing and attempts to stay organized take place while I work, work, work at these.

They are coming together ------ Half blocks get finished and

I move onto the corner blocks.

Woot-woot ---

THIS is a bit disturbing to me though.  I totally understand that it had to be done this way to keep things mysterious, but, dang, that's a lot of pieces I need to figure out what to do with (in addition to my twosie screw-up) as I really don't like waste.  I need to assemble the pieces for the border and then I'll be ready to set the top.  It's for another day though.

2/24 - Only a 3 day break this time and I'm webbing the borders.  Yes, this is my preferred method for borders.  For me, it works like magic. Once the strips are complete, a bit of time is taken to make the border cornerstones and stitch the inner border together.  I think I'm ready now.  Layout is next.

3/14 - Almost three weeks have passed.  Ten of them have been at retreat, but I'm just now getting to this.  With a large floor available, my layout takes place and the rows are gathered and pinned, ready to stitch.  I go home from here tomorrow, so no sewing here, but I'm ready.  That should count, right?

3/30 - Two more weeks behind me.  The world kind of feel apart and we are now locked in our houses voluntarily.  COVID is running amok and the whole thing has taken it's toll on the mind the last few weeks.  I am finally finding some ambition again.  I am going to set this.  I am going to set this.  I am going to set this.  It's a little bit like the Little Engine That Could.  One corner is looking great AND I finished up the border pieces, right down to the stay-stitching.    It does feel good to be productive again.  At least a little productive.

3/31 -- I am set up and cruising.  The living room has been taken over by tables to work with this top and I am now relegated to trying to make it all fit in a small corner off the kitchen.  It is what it is in a small, rather congested home.  Even with the best intentions, phone calls to family and friends take priority these days and I make it to the half way point by lunch.

The second half is underway and I make it all the way to the final seam before calling it a night and spending some time with my sweetie.  The rest can happen tomorrow.

4/1 - It's now April and even April Fool's Day.  The world is too sad for jokes, but I'm trying to keep my mind off of all that with sewing as much as I can.  The final seam is done and I have a center - one that needs trimming, but a center all the same.

It gets trimmed and borders go on.  Yay!!!  My flimsy is ready. 

Next up --- a backing.  I pull out all of my Texas wildflower fabrics, a row x row block, and several panels that will work and then set to creating.  I think this is just so fun and love when I get to the backing stage.  It's done!!!  I am getting closer to having a finish.  It's no longer January, or February, or even March.  Could April be the month?

4/2 - Label and binding for today.  I am ready.  Quilting is next.

4/5 - But first --- Remember those extra pieces?  They have been eating at me.  I simply cannot just walk away from them and after doing a little rearranging, I can make more blocks.  Laying out my quilt top, I figure out what might make a reasonable pillow sham center.  Do I have enough parts to make two of these?  I'm dang close.  A few parts and some four patches are all that I need.  Fortunately I am able to find more of the individual fabrics where I may be short just a triangle or two.  I'll work.

4/10 - In between other projects, I make a few more of the 4 patches with the leftover strips I pulled from the bin.

4/12 - Deja vu is taking place.  I'm back to building blocks.

4/16 - All the pieces are now cut and ready to assemble for the shams.  Progress in any form makes me smile right now.

Settling in, I go from lots of individual pieces to lots of little individual units.  When organizing to sew, I had to re-think everything again and that took up some of my time.  I had not quite figured it out the first go round, but NOW I have all the parts I need and am ready to assemble these.

4/22 - It's happening.  Blocks and half blocks are coming together and I'm laying out the shams.

It's a bit challenging and figuring out just where they will be cut takes some brain cells.  A few too many, I think.

Trimming and borders --- then all those little twosies come into play.  I only get this far on the first sham before I'm done for today, but at least I finally have a plan.

4/23 - Both shams are made.  That's good right?  The strange part is that I STILL have a ton of pieces left.  I've taken some apart as the cutting left me with some odd units, but still --- apparently I even made too many new four-patches.  ARGH.

4/28 - Guess what is loaded on the machine!!!! 

Cutting the backing for the shams is also taking place.  I have enough of this bluebonnet fabric for both of them.

4/29 - I am out in the studio and quilting by 8 a.m.  Even the word Frolic is making it's way into my project --- more than once.  I'm good with that and happy with the way it is turning out.  By 9:50, it's coming off the machine.  YES -- things went so good today.

The shams go on.

I honestly think it took me longer to load them than to quilt.  Each one contains the word "Frolic" smack dab in the top center block and my heart is happy.  I'm back in the house by 10:30.

Trimming is next and then binding goes on the quilt immediately.  I have already made it for the quilt, but am REALLY short on that same fabric for the shams.  After I attach it to the quilt, I have one strip leftover and trim it down to 2" and cut my remaining fabric into pieces the same length.  One string remains.  Putting the backs into place, let's see what happens.  When I finish with the sham bindings, I have less than 12" left.  THAT was cutting it close.  Some sofa time and a binge of West Wing nets me two finished shams. 

4/30 - It is the last day of the month.  I WANT this finish today desperately.  Not another month please.  I land on the sofa at 8:00 a.m. and start the binding, making phone calls to friends and family that make the time pass quick.  By late afternoon, I am ready for a picture.  Oh EM GEE.  This baby is in the TA-DONE column.  Mister helps with the pictures and then I cannot wait to see this all on the bed.

Oooooh, so pretty.  I love it and get my check mark on the goal sheet this month.  Thank you, Bonnie, for another wonderful mystery and fun time.  I'm gonna enjoy sleeping under this one.  Thus, the Frolic saga comes to an end.  Here's a view from my bedroom doorway to leave you with.