On Ringo Lake Fun!

Excited to be doing Bonnie's Ringo Lake.

Those are the words I typed several weeks ago.  Now. I am surprised to say that it's nearly a year since my last post on this blog.  I am working on Bonnie Hunters latest, On Ringo Lake.  I love the quilt.  It was much fun, as always.

It's my fifth one.  I guess I must really like doing her quilts.  Its not like I havent got ten million of my own quilts to finish.  It must be that community thing.  Lots of my other friends have been more obsesses with out local sensation, Charlotte Hawkes quilts.  She starts her Mystery Quilt very soon.  You can see her mystery, here.

Bonnies Mystery En Provence Reveal

Finished! Yeah!  I am so excited.  After I quilt it I will give it a proper photo shoot.  Because that is always fun!

 I am so excited.  I love this quilt.  I replaced only one color.  I exchanged the yellow for some blue.

Update:  Someone just pointed out that the third row, fourth star from the left is messed up.  Dang! Should I, shouldn't I?  It's always a metaphor to life for me.  Says one voice, "Nothing is perfect, let it go."

Says another voice, "Seriously girl!  You know that's going to drive your OCD crazy!"

Says the other voice, "Just let it go! Who cares?"  Back and forth it goes until one of those voices finally wins out.  After its quilted I will let you know who won!

Bonnie Hunter Mystery En Provence, Week 5

By some miracle, I have been able to keep up with this weekly mystery.  I almost feel as if I am missing something because I have been able to keep up.  Ha!  I haven't made it to the link every week, mostly due to some issues with my computer.  Hopefully it will be resolved soon.  Isn't it funny how your whole self can be in a pinch when you dont have your internet/computer.  25 years ago that would be hard to conceive of.  Computers were a small part of my life, mostly wrestling with Microsoft Word to get my company newspaper together.  No internet, just that.

 Some purple flowers to share on this grey winter day.

The time for the reveal is almost here.  I can't wait!  But then I will be sad, no more mystery...

Bonnie Hunter Mystery

Step #2 Done

Step #3 Done

So far, I have definitely been able to keep up with the steps since I gave up Holiday cookies this year. I gain a lot of weight over the Holidays every year as most people do.  This year I decided to skip the cookies. I will make a cake for Christmas instead.  This will help narrow down the caloric consumption to a one time deal.

The kids are asking me when we are doing cut outs though.  I will have to do that...

Instead of baking I have been sewing.  I have got a lot done.  Totally excited!

My purple four patches are nearly done.  I am anxiously awaiting step #4.

To join in on the Holiday fun sewing mystery quilt, En Provence, click the button below.

Bonnie Hunter's En Provence Mystery Quilt

At last count I have 200 made.

I can't help myself.  Bonnie's Mystery Quilts are oh, so tempting for me.  I love the thrill of quilting with a large community and my friends too.  It's  a blast.  I learn a lot.  I escape the pressures of the season and I get a quilt made.

The one time I did different colors.

I always want to do different colors to be different, but then I get so jazzed about her colors and that's what I end up doing.

I am a huge fan of lavender.  Had a few bushes out front for a couple years.  They were big and beautiful.  Sadly a few years back when we had such cold temps int he winter, I lost my lavender. Sigh.  I haven't had the heart yet to plant them again.

Provence.  Now, that is a place I have always wanted to go.  I would love to visit France.  The countryside, Paris, the coast... all of it.

So its a win, win situation. Click the button above if you want to join the fun.

Second Quarter Finish Along

It's time for the second quarter challenge.  The months of April, May and June will be filled with free motion quilting on my domestic machine.  I have picked three projects.

The first thing I want to finish is what I said I would finish last quarter, Celtic Solstice.  Now I am nearly there.  I will finish this quilt top.  I have 6 more rows to go of 11.

I finished this quilt about a year ago. I really want to get it done and on a bed.

I finished this quilt, um, like, 3 years ago. I want it done.  Done!

Celtic Solstice

I have been making progress on my Celtic Solstice.  I started it at the beginning of summer.  It was an easy thing to pick up and put down at any given point.  I have made purses and other things in between to because I get distracted. 

Oh boy, do I get distracted at the sewing table.  All those colors and ideas flying around.

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt Finish

I like it.  I didn't last week.  I was not 100% impressed at the reveal.  I feel like I wanted to go back and rip out the seams and put sashing in.  I felt like I wanted to rework it in some way to make it less busy.  It was driving me crazy when I looked at it.  I just wanted to settle it down.  Once I put the border on I felt much better about it.  Like a 100 percent better about it.

My daughter is wild about it.  It's going to go in her room.

Now, can you tell me why I finished this and have so many other quilts that need to be finished.  Is there a WIP/UFO Challenge somewhere?

Grand Illusion Finale

The last clue was revealed on Bonnie Hunters blog Quiltville's Quips and Snips.  I am spending the day putting it together today.  Woot woot!

So, enough computer- time to sit down at the sewing machine.

 

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt Part IV

I know I am not the only one cleaning, wrapping presents, baking, cooking, shopping and in general running around like a chicken with my head cut off.  I love it though.  I love every minute of it and am grateful for it all.

But a few stolen moments, mostly because I am too exhausted to do anything else, I find a little time to work on the next part.  I may not have all the parts done but I am getting there.

Grand Illusion Part III

I am getting excited about seeing what the final product will be.  It feels like such a gift.  For me its the perfect time of year for this Mystery Quilt that Bonnie does.  I know its busy.  But who says you have to do the whole thing.  Do a few at each step and then when you have time resume.

I love doing it side by side the people in my Guild and also all the people out there in the Blogosphere.  And it is so fun waiting for Friday for the next Part to be revealed.

Since I am not doing mine totally scrappy this Part was quite a bit easier for me because I was sewing strips together.  Pieing a bunch of 2 inch squares is definitely admirable.  I am quite sure that at least one of the ladies in my guild is doing just that.

If you want to join in on the fun, visit Bonnie Hunter's page, Quiltville's Quips and Snips. The pattern is available until June.

I realized this morning that I never posted my colors before this all began. 

Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt Grand Illusion- Step 2

I know its not scrappy.  As I mentioned before I have yardage that feels neglected.  I am worried about it lacking some interest but I bet, knowing the way Bonnie's quilts look in the end, it will have plenty of interest. I love the colors.  I am excited for the next step.  Pooh pooh all the people complaining on the blog or Facebook.  I am having a blast.

So only two steps have been completed.  If you want to jump in on the fun, head over to Quiltville's Quips and Snips.  Tomorrow is Step #3.  Woot woot.

My piles have grown since this was taken on Saturday.

Mystery Quilt Grand Illusion Begins

Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt is on.  Here is my pile so far.  Only 75 more to go!  Yikes.  Not much of that is happening this week.  Too dang busy.  We have had 101 appointments this week.  Well, it is a bit of an exageration but not too much.  It felt like it anyway.

If you want to check out the Mystery and join in, its not too late.  Go to Quiltville's Quips and Snips- Grand Illusion.

Who met Bonnie Hunter?

Me- thats who. I took a class, Crumb Piecing, from her in Tonawanda with my friend Jan.  Had a blast.  Very much enjoyed the class and enjoyed Bonnie's style and personality.

 These pics are all of Bonnie's work. Her quilts, her blocks.

This quilt above is my friend Jan's.  Its called Lantana, after the flower.  It was Jan's choice of colors for Easy Street.  Beautiful, right?