Rhododendron Trail - Clue 7 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

7th - Part 7 is out and we are going back to playing in the neutrals.  This quilt is going to be so light and airy which makes me excited.  with another block being put together, I cannot express how much happiness has been created in me.  Woohoo.  Bring it on.  I have some other projects needing cutting today, so it's a busy day at the table, but all is ready to go.

Rhododendron Trail - Clue 6 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

OH Em Geeee ---- I can't believe it but Clue 6 is here and Bonnie is letting us make blocks ahead of time.  I cannot tell you how happy this makes me.  So many of you have heard me comment on how overwhelmed I sometimes feel on reveal day.  THIS will help with that so very much.  Yay, yay, yay!!!

Now, if only I had my act together enough to start today.  However, I do get to think about it.

1/2 -  And away we go.  I have been on a hunt for so  many different yellows.  I've pulled from squares, strips, fat quarters, and yardage, but have achieved the desired number of prints.  What do you think?

Rhododendron Trail - Clue 5 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

 It's week 5 and I am ready!  Well, at least I'm caught up and ready to stay that way.  There are no promises here, but ---- I can see my way out of the fog.

Cutting is first up and fortunately, all we have is some pink triangles today.  That's not bad at all and it doesn't take too long with the help of my Easy Angle Ruler.  Zip, Boom, Bang.  Done and matched up with the sets they will be sewn to.  Clue 1 and 3 are back to play.  That is as far as I get today, but it's progress and I'm happy with that.

Rhododendron Trail - Clue 4 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

 Week 4 - Oh my.  At what point do I get to be caught up.  This week releases to find me cutting parts 2, 3, and 4 all at once.  What a crazy time.  I am,  once again, however, so very glad to have the scrap users system in place.  I am able to pull quite a few strips to give some variety and speed up the cutting a wee bit.  When there is this many pieces to cut --- any shortcut helps.

Rhododendron Trail - Clue 3 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Trail

 Clue 3?  What in the world is up with me?  It's the 10th of December and I haven't really even worked this mystery at all.  Wow.  Talk about life taking a detour now and then.  At any rate,  I am truly practicing the "little engine that could" mantra. " I think I can, I think I can . . . " Or is it Dory?  "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming . . "  Whichever is the winner, I'm on that track.

12/16 - Yes, it's almost a week after release, but I'm making progress.  Today is cutting day.  For EVERYTHING on my list.  It seems crazy and perhaps it is, but that's the way I roll right now.  (The reason for the pic is that I'm cutting clues 2 and 3 at the same time - need pink for 2)

Rhododendron Trail - Clue 2 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

 Week 2 has arrived and Flying Geese are on the docket.  I do love making these units and remember when they were such a challenge.  Oh what a difference a specialty ruler can make.  However, I'm still behind on my life and won't get to cut on release day.  I'll get there and perhaps at some point will even be caught up.  

12/16 - It's happening.  I am cutting for this clue.  I've decided to get all the cutting done that I need for the rest of the month in order to enjoy the holidays without a mess everywhere.  Hey, it's a lofty goal, but a girl has to try now and then.  Fabrics are on the table and ready to be cut into small pieces that then need to be sewn back together.  Kinda crazy, right?

Rhododendron Trail - Clue 1 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

It's here!!  It's here!!   Black Friday as arrived and the first clue is release.  I am finally feeling better, BUT --- due to losing so many days sick, I am crazy behind on an upcoming party and company arriving the first along with everything those entail.  

11/29 - yep it takes three days but I can finally look at this a bit.  I REALLY need to work on cleaning up the dining room to decorate so take a few minutes to cut so that one visit with the vacuum is all that is required.  I am so thankful for strip bins because they give more variety as I go and I'm able to use quite a few in this step.  Out comes the Easy Angle Ruler and with in one hour ---- I'm cut and ready to sew.

Rhododendron Trail - Introduction Post - Mystery Quilt - Bonnie Hunter

 Woohoo!  It's that time of year again and I'm super excited.  I was pretty close in my guess on this year's colors but the burgundy instead of purple threw me a bit.  However, onward we go and I'm always game for a new adventure.  I'm in Montana as the colors and yardage release so will have to be patient for pulling fabrics, but it will happen.  Right now -- family time.

If yo wish to follow along with this adventure, here is the Bonnie LINK to the mystery.  Please join in with us for the fun.  I'll post my own progress with each clue to share as well.

11/5 It's taken a few days, but we are in a town with the required store to pick up my paint samples.  It makes me feel as though I'm part of the excitement.

Grassy Creek - Clue 7 (Part 2) - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt Reveal

 

I ended Part 1 of this with, "I'll see ya next month Grassy Creek."  That was in the middle of January.  I think I was a bit off in my analysis even if I give myself a mile and say that's when I would get back to it.  It takes me until March and retreat to make progress once again.  

3/21  Webbing away in my little corner of the world, I do manage to get the center completely put together.  Yay!!!  

3/24 Home again from retreat and wanting to make some more progress on this.  Laying it out on the floor --- I'm moving onto borders.

Grassy Creek - Clue 7 (Part 1) - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt Reveal

Oh happy day!!!!  It's the REVEAL and I LOVE it!!!  I have dedicated today to working on this mystery so let's see how far I can get.  Some quick cutting and I am able to lay out the little center star block.

Grassy Creek - Clue 6 - Bonnie Hunter- Mystery Quilt

 

Happy New Year!!!  It is year 7 for me to spend this day working on a Bonnie Hunter mystery.  In the calm quiet of the morning, while my sweetie is still sound asleep, I have fabric ready to go.  For this clue, I have to switch my gray as I just don't have enough of the first one left.  I know Bonnie is doing strings on this, but I opted out of really scrappy and am staying with the plan.  My neutrals are scrappy and I've retrieved all the strips that remain in the bin from previous weeks.  Will they be enough?

Grassy Creek - Clue 5 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

 Happy Day After Christmas!!  My wish is that all had wonderful day in whatever form that means.  For me and my sweetie --- it was quiet.  Very quiet!  However, today is a happy day as we receive another step in the Grassy Creek Mystery.  I am so ready to cut.  We have some chores today so my first bit of time only allows for the cutting, but it goes pretty quick and I'm thankful to be able to use of LOTS of the bits left from previous clues.

Grassy Creek - Clue 4 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

Week four has arrived and I am blessed to have a friend to sew with today.  We stayed up late last night talking so she is still snoozing, but I am raring to go.  Fresh gingerbread scones are in the oven, coffee is made and I'm ready to cut.  Neutrals and gray.  Easy peasy.  I get down to the last few sets before running out of neutral variety (which is stored in the guest room --- don't analyze me -- yes, I know I have a studio -- the neutrals are happier in the house --- they told me) and she wakes so I can complete my task.  These went reasonably quick and I'm ready to move on, but first I have one block left from yesterday's adventure.  Once it is finished (four hours later), I am ready to move on.  Whew.

Grassy Creek - Clue 3 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

 

Week 3 is here and I'm on top of it this go round.  I quickly set up the cutting area and locate the red (constant) and orange (constant) along with my neutrals (scrappy).  My Companion Angle ruler and I just slice, slice, slice.  I love this week's unit.  It's such a great start, but I have lots of irons in the fire today and move onto cutting a few other things.  Once those are tackled, I am ready to sew.

Grassy Creek - Clue 2 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

As you know from my previous post, I am working two clues at once.  The first is cut, the Chex Mix is still baking away and I'm onto cutting for the second part.  Gray has been put away and green (constant) along with neutrals (scrappy) have come to play.  I have grabbed any gold or neutral strips that will play nicely and my Companion Angle Ruler and I are ready to go.

Grassy Creek - Clue 1 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

It's taken me a couple of weeks, but I finally have the chance to focus on this mystery.  Starting it also earns me a BINGO mark and if you don't understand that, well ya just need to read my monthly updates.  Bring on Grassy Creek.  I am making Chex Mix this morning so living my life in 15 minute increments and that's perfect for cutting pieces.  With my gold (scrappy) and gray (constant) fabrics in tow, it;s time to slice.  Oh wait, do I have some gold strips out in the studio that will work for this.  Must check and, yes, I scored quite a few.

Grassy Creek - Introduction - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

Another fall is upon us and that means that Bonnie Hunter's Reader Appreciation Mystery is about to begin.  This year is it called Grassy Creek and here is the Introduction LINK so that you can read all about it and perhaps join in the fun.

The colors were released yesterday and since Mister needed some chain oil for his chainsaw, we made the annual trek for paint chips so that I could pick out fabrics.

Grassy Creek - Summary - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

 

Bonnie Hunter's Winter Reader Appreciation Mystery is BACK!!!  I so love this time of year.  This makes my eighth year of following her and making the mystery quilts.  I've also picked up and completed many of her other ones that happened before that and along the way in other forms -- Plano classes and Quiltmaker Magazine.  It makes my heart happy to work on these each time I have the opportunity.  In fact, I am down to only ONE mystery of hers that I have not completed and that is Orca Bay.  Stay tuned as I'm tackling it in 2021.

I am gathering all of my posts and placing them here so you can link up and find what you want easily.  They will each open in a new page, leaving you access to this post.  You can also always find this post by clicking the tab at the top of the blog.  Please become a follower and you will always know when a new post is up.  Welcome to you and comments are ALWAYS appreciated.

If you wish to play along, PLEASE click on THIS LINK to get directly to the Quiltville site and all of the information.  I promise, you'll have a great time.

Post 1:  Introduction - Colors

Post 2:  Part 1 - Half-Square Triangles

Post 3:  Part 2 - Hour-Glass Units 

Post 4:  Part 3 - Triangle Units 

Post 5:  Part 4 - Giant Flying Geese 

Post 6:  Part 5 - Nine-Patches, Flying Geese, and Parts 

Post 7:  Part 6 - Snowball Bricks

Post 8:  Part 7 - First Part - The BIG REVEAL

Post 9:  Part 7 - Second Part - The Big Finish

Journey - Clue 9 and REVEAL

Journeys often take routes that are unplanned, such as our trip to Arkansas or have unexpected events which alter one's idea of the planned outcome.  It happens.  It's part of life.  This mystery has taken on a life of its own at several times and I've had to adjust and reroute just as our daily lives have done the same.  If only the road could always be straight.

Have you enjoyed this journey?  Has the path been straight for you?  I hope so and that you have walked away with a positive experience.  I know it is challenging to blindly follow someone else's vision.  Thank you for having enough confidence in me to do so.

So, without further ado, this post is our REVEAL.  Yep, we're finishing it up.  It's time as my friend, Bonnie Hunter, has colors coming out for her mystery today and I want everyone to be able to focus on that if they choose to.  Let's get going and I would suggest reading all the way to the end first --- now, how many zipped to the end FIRST when they knew it was the reveal??  Come on, be honest.

Journey - Clue 8

Roads and more roads.  Have we journeyed enough so far?  Let's take a break and just look at the stars in the sky.  That's important too, right?