Allietare Clue #3 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

After a day in the kitchen yesterday and still managing to do a little sewing, I am thrilled for today.  My dear friend, Allison Bayer, is coming over for the day and we are doing clue 3 together.  Come along and peek in on our day.  We won't tell anyone you did, you little peeper you.

We are sharing space in the living room on a six-foot table today.  Why?  Well, because the studio is piled high with batting I need to take care of and it's Christmas time.  Sitting by the tree, listening to Christmas music just sounds wonderful to me right now.

I love that Allison is like me and an early riser.  I got up at 5 and made the dough for bread and cinnamon rolls, cut my strips of gold, and set up the room.  Oh my house already has that wonderful yeasty smell going on.  (For this amazing recipe - click HERE)  Why don't I do this more often?  Allison arrives by 8.  Perfect.  We are soon set up and ready to rock and roll.  First things first --- strip sets.



I am using up LOTS of short little leftover neutral strips from the previous clues AND the strips I cut this morning are from a bunch of samples so they are short already.  Woohoo --- variety coming my way.  Allison and I share strips to give each other a little more variety and I soon have a stack high enough to cut into "twosies",   We take a cinnamon roll break and then move onto turning those "twosies" into beautiful four-patches.  This is a GREAT clue.  I absolutely LOVE four-patches.  Here is Allison's lovely work space.  My own is NEVER as organized and neat.  We have two lovely ladies with us today -- a beautiful shortbed 301 and my Featherweight.  Their sound just makes my heart happy.

Murphy's Law in Effect

Sometimes it is just one of those days.  Today was such a day.  I am not sure whether I am ready to laugh at it yet or not, but I'm sure you will be as you read this.

As the story goes, the day starts out perfect.  Yes, I have a deep sexy voice for absolutely no reason, BUT . . it's still a great day.  I wake before my sweetie leaves, buy airplane tickets for two trips, write a personal blog entry, and check out the scraps leftover from quilting the Friendship Quilt.  It looks like there may be enough to make a chair cushion using a pillow form that I removed from an old sofa pillow when Mister bought new ones a couple of months ago.  It means I get to sew on something simple and fun for a little while.  I'm off to the studio.  Again -- it goes superb.  I soon have a great cushion for my studio chair -- all it needs is to have the opening hand stitched closed.  Easy peasy.  I'll just put it with the two quilts to bind and get to it this evening.

Orange Crush - The Grand Finale - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

It's time to finish this baby.  First things first, down on the floor we go to make a sandwich.

Saturday Craft Show and Antiquing

I let Mister sleep in this morning and as a result we are now quickly trying to get out of the house and get to Debi K.'s craft show in Hurst, TX.  It's about 45 minutes away and we are late, late, late.  When we arrive, the only parking we can find is in the back 40 and our walk into the building takes us at least 15 minutes.  Goodness but there are a lot of people here.  First things first, we go find Debi and say hi before wandering off to get some coffee and a pumpkin spice cake for breakfast.  Her booth is already full of people and sales are brisk.  Nice.

Allietare Clue #2 - Bonnie Hunter - Mystery Quilt

Friday is here again and so the clue must be there right?  I wake around 5 (why don't I do this normally?) and zip into the office, turn on the computer, and yeppers -- it's there.  A quick link post for the group and I crawl back into bed.  We were out late last night and this old gal needs just a wee bit more sleep.

Jennifer posted yesterday that she was looking for a sew mate today to work on the clue --- after a bit more sleep, I do some thinking, grab some fabric and machine and head out the door.  Leaving around 9:20, it takes me a little over an hour to get there.  Why oh why do you live so far my dear?  To read more about our day and see her cozy little studio click HERE.  Now, I must focus on the clue.  I brought black strips and neutral strips along with my grey and 20 different red scraps.  Well, I thought there were 20, but turns out I have 21 so 21 sets will be made.  It never hurts to have extra, right?

Jen's Cozy Studio

It's a play day, sew day!  Jen has invited me over to her home to work on Allietare together (clue 2 post is seen HERE).  I make it a policy NOT to turn down "friend" time if it at all workable in my carless world.  Fortunately, today Mister works from home so the car is all mine and after a difficult time waking, grabbing some fabric and a machine, and dressing, I am in the car and on my way.  It takes me a little over an hour to get there and she is already cut and sewing away.  I have some catching up to do but fortunately she is making two sets.  Every time I am here, I forget to take pictures of this cozy studio so today I am making a point of it.  Just look at how wonderful her loft is.  Someday, I tell myself, someday.

Fabric? Who Needs Fabric? Kelly and Ellen Do - That's Who

Way back in October --- hahahaha -- yep, that is exactly how long I've known Kelly --- we planned on getting together today for some fun.  After dropping Mister at work, I head for Mama's Daughter's Diner where breakfast is waiting.  And paid for by a nice man who must have thought I looked pitiful in my oversize sweater sitting all alone.

 She is in town with her mom, Ellen, and daughter, Izzie and wants to go to the warehouse district. I, for one, am more than willing to show her around.  How good can I be?  Fortunately, they are on the hunt for specific things and I am able to channel my buying frenzy into their pocketbooks.  Yep, everyone needs a friend like me.  We start out at Fabric Wherehouse (in the sale room pictured here) and are soon taken through the back rooms to the other side for fun in the quilt cotton room.  Yes, this room will do.  We find almost everything they need right here.  And me?, you ask --- well I walked away with ONE 2 1/2 yd cut of Indigo for Double Delight.  I've been VERY good.  A quick stop at Golden D'Or for the last piece and it's time for food.