Mystery Quilt & Disappearing Nine Patch

I have been sewing the units for part 5 of the Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt in little snippets of time in between parties, shopping, Dr. appts. and all the other chores that need doing. It is surprising how much can be accomplished this way. When I saw cut 700 triangles - I thought Oh My! - but whenever I have a few moments I head for the sewing room. I have about 200 units made. I really admire those who have these great pictures of neatly arranged units but right now I feel lucky to have mine a little over half done.

I like how the new units are gradually replacing the half square triangles.  Be sure to track the progress of this mystery here.

Since I'm in a black and white mode for the mystery quilt, I decided to work on the disappearing nine patch that I started almost 2 years ago.

Getting to  the point of putting some up on the design wall has helped me stay  focused but I still have lots more nine patches to sew.  Oh, I don't think I like that grayish geometric in the upper right.  hope I don't have too many of those if I decide to replace them. 

Christmastime Quilt Parties

Thursday evening was our annual guild party.  Everyone brings food and there are lots of door prizes!
 In September guild members can buy kits for Holiday Blocks, which have been assembled by various bees or groups, for $1. each.  Designs varied from red work, Christmas themes, applique etc.  In December you bring back the completed block and drawings are held for the various block sets.  I won the set of Kaleidoscope Blocks (32) and with it three pieces of fabric, 2 batiks and one marble, totaling almost five yards.  Yea!

Holiday Blocks - Capital Quilters Guild

Last year our Christmas Party was cancelled due to bad weather so we had the Holiday Block drawing in January.  I won a set of 12 small blocks that year.  My friend Sharon also won a set of the same blocks.  I gave her the ones I received so hopefully she will have enough to make a wall hanging.

Friday afternoon, I went to Whistle Stop's 10 year anniversary party.  They had a showing of wall hangings made by customers,  all using the same mystery pattern.  Here is Sally with her version.



Saturday morning was our Undercover Bee Party.  We have a brunch, voluntary block exchange and a dirty Santa gift exchange which is always lots of fun.  I think we had more stealing than usual - great gifts.  I ended up with a large plastic box, like the one I am using to corral my Bonnie Hunter Mystery units, that has removable thread holders too.

This evening is our Cantata and Church Christmas Party.

Tomorrow is Table of Grace at church so I will be busy all day shopping and cooking.  Maybe I'll have a little time in between to work on Step 5 of the Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt.

Happy Sunday!

Sewing Red Squares and Making Cookies

I think I just need to make 2 more squares and trim the group on the left and that will complete Step 4 of the Bonnie Hunter Mystery.  This being my first mystery, I have no idea how many weeks it will last.  Hope I can keep up to date during the holidays.  Perhaps we'll have a couple of weeks intermission? Check out all the details here!

Still have plenty of room in my plastic box.

Marcia helping with the icing

Daniel, Emily and Hannah (Cookie Party Organizer)

We spent Sunday afternoon together making and decorating cookies for Shelly's open house at Face It on Thursday.  Hannah did a great job getting it organized.  She had lots of cookie dough ready for us to roll out, bake and decorate.  She just home from Drexel Friday evening. 

We made 6 kinds of cookies.  I brought some sand tarts that I had made at home and Kathy is bring some cheese crackers that she made so Shelly will have a good assortment.

Shelly was in charge of packaging.

Tracey taking a break and enjoying some of Hannah's chili.  A fun day with the family!

Christmas Decorating Inspiration

The other day John and I drove over to De Wayne's Nursery in Smithfield.  It's Christmas on steroids!

John pricing the undecorated trees

And this doesn't truly show the extent of all the decorations.  They also have gifts and a nice ladies wear shop too in addition to their  extensive nursery.  A fun place to browse anytime of the year.  And then we had to go to the Hibachi Grill for lunch, of course.  What did we buy you ask - zilch, nada, and nothing. 

Fun Day - Sewing - Shopping

Yesterday was a fun day that Cathy, Connie and I had with Sally at her home in Goldsboro.  We sewed in the morning.  I worked on this disappearing nine patch that I started a couple of years ago.  I sewed about 12 blocks.

After lunch we visited a local quilt shop. Thistle Bee has a wonderful selection of Civil War fabrics and it didn't hurt anything that she was having a 40% off sale in one room.  We were there about 2 hours.

My Choices

 We had just enough time to stop at Dairy Queen for a mini blizzard before heading home.

I had a little time in between putting the ornaments on the tree (it's been sitting here with lights on for about a week) and other stuff to make a few of the blocks for Step 4 of the Orca Bay Mystery Quilt.

The weekend is pretty full so this may be it for awhile.

Hope your weekend is fun and productive!

Step 3 - Done - Archive Quilt # 85

That wasn't as bad as I thought.   But I guess in a way I cheated,  I used Triangulations. I didn't have a lot of black and white scraps so it was easy just to cut the pieces needed from yardage and fat quarters.  Now I have lots of black and white scraps!

It doesn't look like it but all 650 mini-blocks are in the there. As a matter of fact, it's more like 725 as I got a little carried away with step 3 and made 75 extra. You can read all about it at http://quiltville.blogspot.com/p/orca-bay-mystery.html

This in another of the red quilts I use at Christmas.  I call it 2592 Red Triangles (not very creative with names)- perhaps Out of Focus would have been better.  I finished it in February 1998. It measures 90 x 90 inches.  It won a red ribbon and an award of excellence for machine quilting at the 1998 NC State Fair. 

It doesn't look quilt so much out of focus on a close up.  I have washed it quite a few times and it is very soft and comfortable.  I use it on my bed quite a bit.

Steps 1 & 2 Done

Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt

STEP I:  224 Hourglass Squares

STEP II: 76 Strip Pieced Squares

Nice Plastic Box to hold all my Mini Blocks

BRING ON STEP 3!

Yuletide Camellia

 Two years ago we planted 3 Yuletide Camellias. Two are doing real well and one doesn't seem to like it's location.  Will give it another year before we move it. It was much smaller than the other two when planted.  It's nice to have Sasanqua Camellias to brighten up the winter months.