Frolic: Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Quilt Begins

Are you ready? I'm getting there. Picking through my scraps for just the right colors for the new Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt that will start the day after Thanksgiving. My sewing room is somewhat clean and so is my sewing machine. A new blade for the cutter and a bit of tying up loose ends so nothing is haunting me.

This will be my third Quiltville mystery to solve and the challenge is worthy. Each year it seems to improve skills and knowledge while having fun.

Jump in. Use some of your stash. Or you could just follow along. Here's  a place to start--right at the Quiltville blog.

Ladies: Start your engines.

Handwork Onboard

What was written earlier today disappeared, so I’ll capsulize it.

We just returned from a nearly three-week cruise. Handwork is all that I brought along, other than my clothes and money.


Here’s what I worked on:

•  Bluework acquired at a guild brown bag sale. It’s from someone’s shop hop.
•  Flamingos to be blanket stitched—mostly done before they flew off. The fusing just didn’t    hold. Next time I’ll take it in my applique roll rather than fold and store in a zip lock baggie.
•           Starts of some snowman from Quilter’s World recent edition. All I did onboard was add the smile. They’ll all get a carrot nose. There are corner pieces and a yo-yo for the top of the cap. More pics when I am finished.
•           No picture but I knit a cap that is not finished either.

Happy fall stitching however you choose to do it.

Marcy

Christmas Sunbonnet Sue

(You can jump below for pictures)

I'm part of a group of eight very talented ladies. Oh yes, they quilt. However the majority are also accomplished painters and some play musical instruments as well. These ladies more than impress me and I'd like to live in their shadow. Over the past more than 15 years they have taught me everything about quilting. Some do needle turn applique and some are fusers. Yet can all do both--just have our preferences depending on the project.

We broke off from a larger group of quilters several years ago and now meet for breakfast once a month to chat and exchange ideas as well as show and tell. We've even shared new skills, shared a new tool or two and led each other to some marvelous online groups, patterns, sew alongs and more. It's kind of like a support group for quilters.

Lately we'd have challenges and the blocks created have been made into quilts and sold in our local hospital gift shop that supports medical students with scholarships.

Here's the latest quilt. The assignment was to make Sunbonnet Sue in her holiday finest. Many of us are no longer making holiday quilts etc. that's why we determined Christmas fabric was not mandatory.

Here's the first finish and there will be another.



Quilting is minimum. Quilts don't always sell for what they are really worth. Non-quilters don't know the difference.

One member made the sweet candy canes with hand blanket stitch all around.

Check this one for detail. She attached the gold (metallic elastic) to the hat and you can barely see the stitches.

Below is an inside picture that doesn't show too well. Now doesn't this look like a package ready for under the tree?

Fall is in the air and the holidays aren't far off. Another quilt to assemble before the season arrives.


Marcy

Tulip Tablerunner

                                                                                                 (Sorry for poor picture--too hot outside)

The block was designed by Bonnie Hunter (Quiltville) and it appeared in her regular column in Quiltmaker. My plans were to unload some of my 1930's reproduction scraps--small scraps at that. However, the contrast with the main fabric just didn't work out. So I cut my loses and just made a tablerunner. As it turns out, I'm quite fond of it now and may keep it for myself rather than pass it along.

I finished eight blocks quickly since they were so much fun. Quilting was simple. However, the binding took  F O R E V E R. Arthritis doesn't allow for long hand sewing sessions.

I hope the heat isn't keeping you from stitching. It's what makes us happy. 😊😊😊


Marcy

Shopping Bag

Annie's on Facebook has offered a free pattern for a shopping bag when you join their site.

It's a simple pattern and goes together quickly. Here's a picture of mine with some changes. These changes were made since I didn't follow directions. Sometimes you read over a pattern and continue in the method you are used to. The pattern is much simpler.

Ditto on the handle. Do you think a person can change her ways? I used leftover fabric from other projects. I think I'll use it for my sewing stuff. The colors are way too light for hauling groceries.

Here it is with my last year stuff of similar colors. Aqua and oranges are not my bag (pun intended),  but it the in style colors right now.

Stay cool and sew on.


Marcy

Summer Stitching

It's going to be a hot rest-of-the-summer. So sew! 

Here's what my sewing group has been working on for the hospital gift shop. It started as a learning project where we each made a block from the Underground Railroad era quilts and explained the meaning during our meeting. I put it together and did the scrappy strip board. Now it is ready for quilting. 

Yesterday my quilting neighbor and I delivered 25 quilts to go to the naval hospital. Believe it or not, there aren't two alike. My quilting neighbor has tons of flannel and I'm not fond of sewing with flannel. It's always a good mix of quilts for the kids and babies.

This is one of the patterns we each made. It's a four-piece block that sort of self sashes itself. I did mine scrappy and she did hers more planned.

We got a load of donation fabrics and went through them like kids and candy. This picture is with just one boarder. I did add more but can't remember what.

Happy Summer, Happy Quilting (and stay cool)

Marcy

Independence Day 2019

Happy Birthday America!

Mystery Quilt--Good Fortune

It's finished and labeled and I am ready for the next challenge. All of the fabric except the baking/binding were from my stash. Free quilt. Fun quilt!  Towards the end one doesn't care if the corners match or the points are cut off. 😅 I like the dark, busy background since the only quilting is stippling.

Can you see the two Easter Lily blooms just above the quilt in the photo below? How funny is that! The original plant was a gift at Easter about 19 years ago. All the rain we had this past spring encourage the bulbs to produce. There'll be many blooms if this triple-digit weather moves out.

Philanthropy Quilts

Philanthropy quilts are fun to make. You get the warm feeling of making a quilt for someone in need. It's also a creative outlet and scrap buster.

The best part? No rules. No quilt police. The receiver has no clue what's acceptable by a quilt judge. They are just happy someone is thinking of them.



Sometimes there's down-time early in the morning. Great time to hit the sewing machine when no one is around. Keep ready cut blocks to just piece together. There's always several projects in different stages in my sewing room.

Many of my blocks are assembled as leaders and enders. You would be surprised at how quickly your basket fills with these pieces.

Sewing without perfection is good. Maybe coffee is needed.

Marcy

The Quiltmaker's Gift

Get this book! No kidding. It can by way of a recommendation and thought it'd be a perfect gift for my great granddaughter (her mother loves books). I'm having a hard time parting with it. The story is sweet and the illustrations are fantastic. Most drawings are full page and full of color and amusement.

I do not know these people and am not being paid for this suggestion. If you love quilting and have kids, grandkids or students, perhaps the magic of quilting can be instilled in them.

Marcy

Daughter's Quilts

That's me. Not Missing in action--just sidetracked. 

If it's not one thing, it's another. Preoccupied by a distant family wedding, outside house construction plus a bit unorganized with my philanthropy quilts. Have been pairing fabrics, cutting strips and making kits. Very time- consuming but the swamped feeling is gone.

While at my daughters, it was time to take pictures of some of the quilts I made for her. Acorn Alley was a Bunny Hill BOM a long time ago and it was a pleasure to put together. My daughter had to sweep her driveway constantly when the acorns were dropping.

The sunflower quilt was made from the first quilt class with an expert pattern designer and quilter. Terry Christopherson of Black Mountain Quilts spoke at a guild meeting and the following day was the workshop.

It was nice to revisit these quilts and finally add the pictures to my album. I can see by the fold that I'll need to teach her about quilt care and refolding at different angles. How often do you refold your quilts? 

Enjoying spring, finally.

Marcy

Continued Good Fortune

This has been a wonderful experience. Being part of this massive group building quilts together. Some have chose to use the colors according to the directions by creator, Bonnie K. Hunter of Quiltville BlogSpot. Some participants have gone out on the ledge and are making or completed this quilt of colors unimaginable. It's amazing our differences. If you are a quilter and not part of Quiltville on Facebook, you are missing out. Just viewing what people around the world are doing is stimulating. Yes, around the world.

Here's my progress as meek and mild as it can be and totally scrappy. Not one piece of fabric was purchased.The journey thus far has been challenging and educational. If you are relatively new to quilting, you could be an expert by the time you complete the once a year mystery quilt.

This was an ad in the Los Angeles Times recently. 

And for those who enjoy applique, this was in today's LA Times. It caught my eye immediately. That pig is darling, right?

Good Fortune. That's the name of the quilt pattern. And, yes, LA Times the celebration will come at the finish. Good fortune to everyone--not just in February.

Marcy

Good Fortune Quilt

I'm beginning to assemble my Good Fortune quilt from Bonnie Hunter's Good Fortune Quilt  and have found a few problems to fix first. Why can't I do it right the first time and save myself from repeating procedures? I just get in a hurry and need to learn to slow down and enjoy the process.

This has been lots of fun and more than anything I enjoy seeing everyone's pictures on Facebook. Some of the other color combos are really neat and it's hard to believe it's the same pattern. What a creative and artistic group! It's fun playing with you. I've learned something from all the posts.

Happy stitching.

Marcy

Flower Quilt

My small quilting group of eight ladies just completed a round robin block quilt. It began with just a flower. Stems and leaves were added. The finishing touch was the bugs or birds addition. One member machine embroidered a saying for the center block.

The lower left flowers were done using Joan Shay's 3-D technique. The lower right side flowers were created using yo-yos and pearl centers. The others are  a variety of applique methods.

One member donated the green print, burgundy and solid green binding. She also finished the binding. She volunteers at the hospital gift shop where this quilt will be hung for sale. Proceeds from the hospital auxiliary provide scholarship for students seeking a career in health and medical.

These quilter friends are of varying levels and focuses of creativeness. Most are painters of many medias. Then there's me. I've learned all about quilting from them and the blogs I follow. Tried and true approaches have worked for others and they can easily work for anyone. I am fortunate.

Marcy

Good Fortune Continues

Happy 2019! I have found fortune and it is great. Yes, this mystery quilt created by Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville  has given a great start to a stitching good year. Her pattern is exact and she even explains the pressing. If you follow directions everything fits together perfectly. This is a world-wide experience. If you visit her site or Facebook group you will see a color explosion from everywhere on earth. I kept the colors according to pattern instructions and I'm having the time of my life.

And what's in my frame? Well it is a constant reminder: Stitching Makes Me Happy.

Marcy

Linking up with: Freemotion by the River