I haven’t had any bad luck so far today – how about you? Went to the grocery store because we are in line for a winter ice storm this weekend and continuing into Monday. More ice! We don’t need that!
Yesterday I took a pile of quilts into church that I had finished for the sewing ladies. I think they are very imaginative with some pretty uninspiring fabric scraps, don’t you? They are anxious to start on the new fabric that’s waiting for them when all the scraps are used up.
Of course you know me – I quilted them all with straight lines and bound them by machine.
Telly and Rox are so bored with this cold weather – soon we’ll be getting some visitors so that will make them happy. None of us can wait till spring. I will be so glad to get back outside to mow, garden and clean the barn. I love to sew but I miss doing things with the dogs outside. With the help of the dog door, all dogs can go outside whenever the mood strikes them. It’s a godsend!
I have never taken part in a Bonnie Hunter mystery before and was very surprised when we got Step6 on a Friday and the next day, Step 7 and the Reveal all came at once. The final two steps involved more sewing that many of the other steps and then BOOM! There was the final step and the Reveal! That really put me behind and I considered scrapping the whole thing because it was very discouraging. Am I the only one who felt that? Maybe I missed reading those details. I jumped in last night and started cutting – more tonight.
I am also continuing to make triangle squares for the Sew Along.
Telly and Ethel say “hi!” —- stay warm, Everybody!
Love the picture of Telly and Ethel. They are waiting for spring. My kitty has a kitty door that he can go in and out of but he always stops once his head is out and looks around. Something must have made him extra cautious when exiting.
So nice to hear from you on Friday the 13th! I had actually forgotten about it so that must mean my day is going pretty well.
The pictures of the quilts that the women did are fantastic! It gave me some very good ideas with which to design and use up many random rectangles that I didn’t use in other projects. 👍🏼😃
Stay warm everyone and enjoy this Winter☃ for it too shall pass.
Love the quilts! Sorry to hear your in for more icy weather been there done that, I grew up in Des Moines until 15 then headed south to Texas. I won’t tell you how it is outside right now😉. This was my 1st Bonnie Mystery too and I agree with you I was disappointed with the last 2 steps coming back to back, I was making so many mistakes as it was, causing me to be so far behind that I’m thinking of scrapping the whole thing and don’t think I’ll be trying anymore. Maybe being a semi-beginner didn’t help me either. Stay warm and well.
Jeri
Love the quilts! We’re expecting some of that icy weather, too, but probably not as much as you. (South of Sioux Falls). Stay warm and hope the electicity stays on. Als, I just finished a great book. It’s ‘A Man called Ove’. I loved it, if you haven’t read it, put it on your list. Have a great weekend. Love your posts.
Anna M – I have read that book – I liked it, too.
Am envious of all your projects, whether you like them or not. Being in short-term care, has turned into a long ride.
Since I didn’t have any therapy today, I listened to my body and took a long, winters nap. Not any easy task….
Have fun with your triangles, can’t wait to see all the finished projects!!
Thank you for sharing your life with us. This connects us all in small ways. Please do not get down on yourself with MQ from Bonnie. I was so excited to find out you were doing this as well and plan on doing some of your quilts with the book I bought of yours. This is my first MQ and I was having so many problems but will not give up for anything..want to see where it takes me and planning on next one ..Tobacco Road…it is the search looking for the fabrics that has kept me in this game…thanks again for your blog and sharing..hope the weather doesn’t hit you hard..oh and dug out my thangles love triangles..sharleen
Ethel looks exactly like my shop cat Abby.
Can you rescue your mystery and do your own thing with your blocks? Maybe create a quilt of your own design….a bit of sashing and some cornerstones…a Winter’s Night Quilt (that’s your new quilt’s name!).
Carol – I’ve considered just that. I’ll see.
My porch cats get pretty antsy with this weather, too. The end of next week is supposed to warm up, so hopefully they can go out a little bit!
Telly looks VERY bored!!! 🙁
You aren’t alone in your feelings. It certainly was overwhelming to the newbies! The opinionated loyalists can crowd out so many as well!
Those church ladies made some very nice quilts, imho, even though their fabric supply was limited. A lot of creativity in that bunch. They are so lucky to have you to do the quilting and binding!!
LOVE that Big Blue Bricks quilt! So simple and yet really catches my eye.
I decided to not do the current BH Mystery as couldn’t settle on the colors and didn’t want to clone everyone else’s. I did 2 of her quilts from long ago which are not finished yet …. I found that for the sizes she makes, one does end up sewing FOREVER !!!!!!! I also did Celtic Solstice but made it smaller, around 50″ or so, just the right size to use when I watch tv and need my footsies warmed a bit. I’d make something small, at least placemat, table runner or table topper just for the visuals and use the leftover parts in your own design.
Karen – great suggestions for the BH blocks. Maybe I can come up with something else. I’ll show you when I do.
I’m” behind” on my BH quilt too. Just going at my own pace and enjoying the ride. I think I may profit from some of the group who didn’t care for the yellow in it. Thinking I will like it better without the yellow too. Time will tell. I have some other quilty deadlines that I’m working on and some string blocks that I think I’ve become addicted to! I’ve been pondering what friends will say when they find the stacks and stacks of string blocks I’ve been making. Just call me “that crazy string quilter”. lol I’m enjoying the process and hopefully they will be made up into quilts and keep someone warm at some point. So far I haven’t been moved to put them into a top. They may be seed for a church group or guild charity sew. Now to decide, will I cut the fuschia for BH or work on my more pressing deadlines???
I did the BH Celtic Solstice mystery. I took about a year to get it done. I’ve started the current one and I’m figuring about that much time until I complete it. I do like this year’s design, so will definitely finish it.
These are wonderful quilts! My church does some charity quilts. One lady does all the tops and some are so ugly I want to cover my eyes. They only tie quilts and I’d never tied a quilt until I went to work with them. If your church were closer I’d join the quilting ladies there.
Jane – this year I offered to quilt some of their tops for them – otherwise they also tie their quilts. They do a nice job, don’t they?
Our 8 dogs are bored too, when I put on my barn clothes they are ecstatic. They all try to get out the dog door at once. As you said a doggie door is a godsend, they come and go as they want BUT Carmen has started bringing frozen horse apples in and she puts them in Al’s bed! The poor man is blind and keeps wondering what is so cold in his bed. I have to constantly check his bed and I do a lot of sheet washing. Carmen just doesn’t understand why I get upset.
I plan on doing this sew along, it sounds like fun.
Ginny
Want to do your sew a- long, but may be a little behind because I’m still working on Mystery quilt blocks. Already have everything cut out, so am determined to at least get the top together. Really like the church ladies quilts! Very nice of you to quilt them, so much better than tying! And there was some bad luck today, but I don’t think because of Friday 13th. A young, 29 years old, friend of mine died in her sleep. So sad, I know you understand because you just buried a church member. Weather-wise, it was 79 today, down side, torrential rains are predicted for Monday and Tuesday. Live near Houston, we never flood, they do.
Paula – oh no! 29 years old? How devastating for her family and friends who are left behind to wonder why. I do understand – Margaret is doing well but she has those “moments”. Please accept my sympathies!
I was surprised with the clues at the end with the reveal. I am still working on it …. slowly because I like the fabrics I chose. I am doing mine in shades of dark blue and light blue, blue green and gold with the accent a grunge aqua/mint green.
This is my first Bonnie online sew along now that I have retired. I am trying to use up my stash and had the perfect amounts and colors that fit this one.
I have decided I like the online sew alongs. It inspires me to dig through the stuff I have at home and use it.
Have “stalked” your blog forever, but had to comment today about the MQ. My quilting is more in line with traditional using mostly civil war fabrics. But 3 years ago I decided to do BH’s mystery. Even using my own darker fabrics I ended up hating it. Ended up Taking it apart (UGH) and redoing it. Can’t say I didn’t enjoy sewing it the first time around, but the completed quilt just made me seasick. It is tolerable now. but will never be my favorite. The experience taught me a lesson though. Past two years I’ve copied all the clues to see if I’m interested in jumping in again. That hasn’t happened. Don’t get me wrong, I admire Bonnie and all she does. Have done several of her quilts and am about to start another. Who knows, perhaps I will do another of her MQ patterns in the future. Hope you come to terms with yours and come to a solution you are happy with! Right now I’m off to do some straight line quilting on a queen size log cabin. Slow going….all on my simple home machine.
Suzanne
Suzanne – I’m wondering how I will like this BH quilt – I usually like much simpler designs but this was my first try at her mystery and it might be my last. I have done several of her quilts from her books and love them but I knew what I was doing when I started.
I was surprised to see the reveal of the Mystery come so soon, but I’m going to keep going. Love the colors and how the finished quilt comes together. Don’t give up! Finish it when you’re ready.
Your church ladies did indeed do a marvelous job creating designs from scraps. I miss church quilting, too far away to afford the trip anymore.
Hi Mary – I’ve been doing BH Mysteries for the last 5 years and this sudden conclusion was unusual, but necessitated by her grueling travel schedule. For me this is all about the process; I really get pleasure out of the sometimes seemingly endless repetition of unit sewing; it gives me some sense of normalcy and step back peace at a crazy time of year. Some years I like the quilt, some years not. I almost always revise her color choices to more closely match my taste and stash. Like you, I feel the urge to “keep up,” which can be a bit frustrating until I remind myself it’s not a race. Most of us would probably not undertake a quilt of this magnitude during the holidays if it wasn’t broken down into manageable segments, and I am always amazed at Bonnie’s creativity. Completing one of these really gives you a sense of accomplishment; I hope you continue on.
BTW, it’s been unusually cold on the Island this year, and my goats are sitting around grumbling and looking at Expedia for good vacation packages to Aruba… Best to all your four-footeds!
Keep at the mystery quilt, Mary! Don’t give up. I almost did too but I’ve got everything cut out and decided to just do it! I’ve got my 3rd block together. Will work on more this afternoon THEN I’ll get the sashings together.
We are expecting an ice storm this afternoon/overnight also, so I’ll sew while I can. You all stay warm!
Would you care to do a tutorial on machine binding. I am also quilting charity quilts and binding them by machine cut I am not pleased with the binding. Thought you might could help and would really appreciate. Paula in KY
Paula – the next time I have a quilt to bind, I will take pictures nd post a tutorial
Enjoy reading your blog. The pictures of the quilts are very nice. Simple but beautiful. I too am making the Bonnie Hunter quilt and also was enjoying the excitement. Then, bam. It seemed that it was just “ended” and everything went too fast. I also felt bummed out but am continuing to do the steps. Can’t work on it as fast as others because I work full time, but I will get there. Hope the weather clears, I live in Buffalo, NY so I understand snow and ice.
I love the idea of Bonnie Hunter’s mystery quilt and the enjoy the pressure of the schedule, but have never tried to do one due to the tight schedule – I know I can’t do it that fast and talk myself out of it ;(. Maybe I just have to quit looking at the updates until I am ready ? But found another Jen Kingwell quilt I am adding to my list – Long Time Gone- that will keep me busy until Bonnie’s next one is out!
Hi. Add one more to the people who read you!! I save them all in a file called Farm News from way back. Was very interested to see what people did with the somewhat “boring” fabrics and the last was my favorite. That yellow really makes it pop. Can you tell I like brights? I’m just getting caught up to my E-mail since the holidays so I’m printing what you have on the ” Honey Triangles” so I can get caught up on it! Also, is “The Woman in Cabin 10” a mystery?