2016 Finish Along #2 Grand Illusion Report

The second Finish Along has just finished and it is time to report in. There was 5 projects on my list and I know you want to know if I finished them all. The answer to that is no I didn't finish them all. I may of been a little ambitious to think I could finish all five. I can tell you  2 projects were finished that were on my list. Here is Grand Illusions quilt my first finish of the two.

Have a look at some of the other completed projects by others plus my other finish for this quarter.

http://www.shecanquilt.ca/2016/06/fal-q2-finishes-link-is-open.html

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Wandering Camera # 5

May was busy but not busy. I know it doesn't make much sense but let me try to explain. I know I was doing stuff with a craft fair at the beginning of the month then two group visits to the Salisbury Stitchers and a group that came to me but when I look at what I have done sewing wise it wasn't much at all. I wanted to finish a few projects before starting a couple of new ones but it just hasn't happened. So I thought I would share some of the action pictures of the projects I have been working on this month.

You can't see the quilting in the first picture but the one below show you what I am trying. I'm half way through this one. This is 2 of 3 cat quilts. I think little Miss Ponchee fancy this one.

Once again Miss Ponchee doing her quilt testing job of checking the warmth factors in this one. She just loves to test all the projects as I make them. So all finished projects are Miss Ponchee Certified.

This piece is a workshop sample for my friend Kate who is going to run a workshop on a set of rulers. We had a day of testing the rulers. Lots of fun.

 I tried to take Miss Ponchee picture but it was not easy with her in my arms and trying to hold my tablet up and take a steady picture. She is one of the princesses of the house.

Lastly my Grand Illusion Quilt is finished. It was a Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt from 2014.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Under the Pressure Foot #18

After spending a couple days of quilting and binding it is time to go back to piecing. I have two new quilts I am working on and I still have some on my 2015 list yet to be completed. It would be nice to complete a couple more off that list before the year is out. So I am going tackle a couple projects that are up to the border stage to see if I can complete them. One is my Vintage Sewing machine quilt (one of my new projects).

The other is last year's Grand Illusion mystery quilt.

The first one only needs the second border cut and added but Grand Illusions needs its inner border plus it's pieced second border added. A little more work. I hope I have enough of the blocks for the second border.
The Vintage Sewing Machine quilt borders went on not a problem and it was brought up to the stage for quilting easily and quickly.

My Grand Illusion quilt is a harder task The inner border is supposed to be yellow but I have changed it to pink. So I managed to get it done and a lot more happier with it.

The second border has turned in a bigger problem. First I couldn't find the blocks. It took me a good hour to locate them. (Note to myself put things where they belong.) Then secondly there isn't enough blocks. I really don't want to make make any more. I just want it finished so I can move on.. So this is what I came up with and I will finish each border with a neutral piece on each end of the borders.

Now I just have to measure and cut the neutral and sew them on the sew the borders on. There will be another quilt ready for quilting. I have 2 ready for quilting now so I may have to have another quilting session later in this week.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt #8

I have made my decision to stop at 16 blocks for my Grand Illusion quilt and that is still going to be a good sized quilt once the borders are added. So this week I have been working on joining the rows together and make more of blocks for the sashing strips to join the rows together. 

This project has been a real challenge for me as I struggle with doing scrappy. I think I still prefer my controlled scrappy where I only use 2-3 different fabrics per colour but that doesn't mean I don't like total scrappy as I do appreciate the work and design effects of a total scrappy quilt but I like to have some control fabrics in my scrappy quilts. So here is the blocks and sashing all joined together and now I am ready for the borders. 

Why do I find the mistake after I sew all the blocks together?  Grrr. Oh well the quilt is really scrappy maybe no one will see it. Only we will know I made it.

At least I am well ahead this year on the mystery quilt this year. Last year  I was at this stage in June. So I am very happy on that point. Now on to the borders.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt # 7

Where am I up to on our Grand Illusion mystery quilt? I had six blocks completed last week and I have continued making blocks until I ran out of my clue 1 and 2 units. So I ended up with ten blocks completed.

I know in my picture there is only nine blocks but there was an accident. You may notice I lay my blocks out on the floor to check the layout and take photos. I also like to leave them on the floor.

This little fellow is Robbie my robot vacuum. He sweeps my floor once a week and it only takes me a minute or two to empty him so I have more time for sewing. Well the other night we had a thunder storm during dinner. When the power return I went out to the sewing room to get an hour of cutting and sewing done. There was Robbie in the middle of the room with one of my Grand Illusion blocks stuck in him. He does turn off if he gets stuck luckily. Obviously when the power goes off and returns it set him to do a run rather than at the schedule time he was set for. No more leaving my stuff on the floor just in case. I don't want to ruin something. When I removed my block from Robbie, it was dusty so I had to wash it. I am just drying it and I will add it to the others.
I need to make more of clue 1 and 2 blocks so I can continue. Clue 2 was a problem last time so this time I thought I would use the other method suggested to make this block, just using the squares and rectangles rather than using the template and Easy angle ruler. My block were a little out of shape dealing with the triangles.

So I cut and made one unit up to check it and I was lot happier doing it this way. In my quest to test different methods to make the same block, the second method was the easier method for me so I will continue with that method for the rest of clue 2.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt Reveal # 6

                                                             
With the new year breaking Bonnie released the big reveal on our mystery quilt Grand Illusion. Now we all know how those blocks we have been making go together. I have already seen a few complete top.
I still have more blocks make so it will be a while before I finish. With the reveal I had to make a few blocks up to see what they were going to look like. Very scrappy for me.

 I am thinking I may not make mine quite as big as Bonnie's but then again if I get carried away it may be the full size.My first six blocks made. I ran out of block 1's. That is the only reason I stopped. We won't mention the mistakes that I made and have to undo and fix.

Here's the link to see how everyone else is doing.

http://quiltville.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/mystery-monday-link-up-part-6.html

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

2015- To Do List

I don't believe I am writing this post already. Where did 2014 go? I have learnt some much during 2014 with new techniques, blogging, social networking,  and I have met some great people during 2014.
So what is left on 2014 list that needs to be transfer over and the new projects that were started during 2014 that need to be added.

UFO's from 2014

1. My Pies & Tarts quilt. I am 3/4 through hand quilting this one.
2.My Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt. I have finished the top in 2014 so it is ready for quilting. I just have to decide hand quilt it or machine quilt it.

3. My Double Wedding Ring quilt which has become a bed runner. I have lots to go on this one.
4. My Disappearing Hourglass quilt. I only have made 6 blocks so far.

5. My Wishes quilt. Ready for quilting.

6. My Pink Dahlia quilt. I need to find the templates so I can continue.
7. My Inklingo Castle Wall quilt. I am working on the 2nd pieced border.

8. My Inklingo star quilt. All printed and 2 blocks completed out of 12.

9. Grand Illusion Mystery quilt. I am currently working on the blocks.
10. My Lozenge scrap quilt. All ready for blocks to be assembled, if I don't change my mind and want to make it bigger.

11. My Aurifil Block of the Month quilt.  I am ready to arrange and piece the top ready for quilting.

12. My Crossroad Quilt. I am still working on the blocks, 12 done and 13 to go if I settle on 25 blocks. I am undecided about a border I may just make some more block to make it bigger.

New things to do for 2015.

Pat Sloan's Vacation Time Block of the month
Fat Quarter Shop Snapshot Block of the Month. This is going to be a special present.
Quiltmaker's New Year Mystery Quilt
So Scrappy Rainbow Scrap Challenge 15
Stretching your Skills 2015
Aurifil Mini Project of the Month. I may not make them all just the ones I really like.

There is a few more possible project starts in the pipeline like I want to make a Dear Jane quilt maybe 2015 is the year to start it. I also want to do some foundation piecing as I have 2 patterns I brought over the last year. Who knows what else I will start in 2015.

 Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt Clue #5

We are at clue #5 this week. I am about halfway through each of the clues except #2  which I am only about 1/3 away through those blocks but I will get there. I may redo some of them that I am not happy with, but we will see. This is what I have completed so far.

Now Clue #5 is a nice easy one and I can say I have completed all the blocks for Clue #5.

 The only clue completed so far. My aim has been to get as close to the halfway point as possible before the next clue is released. With clue #5 completed I can go back to Clue #4 and continue with that one as I have a number of blocks ready to sew together then I will have to go back to cutting.

Here is the link for the link up so you can have a look at how everyone else is going on their Mystery Quilt.
http://quiltville.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-5.html

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt Clue 4

I am  going to pay attention to the placements on these blocks. I can see me twisting these up and sewing them together wrong. Mind you it doesn't take much for me to do that even on the simple blocks I somehow manage to do it.

It helps that this clue is similar to clue 1 and we have made some of the half square triangles units. My Sunday afternoon is my Grand Illusion time slot at the moment. So I cut and sewed some of the blocks on Sunday afternoon and have a good pile of prepared pieces sitting by the machine ready to sew when I have time during the week. So I may complete the 80 blocks this week. Lol. 10 of each are completed.

Here is the link for you to have a look at the progress of the rest participating in this mystery.
http://quiltville.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.html

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt Clue 3

How quickly time goes by. We are up to Clue 3 already I haven't finished Clue #1 or #2 yet but there is time later for that. I haven't decided if I am making all the blocks and ending with a smaller quilt or going the full distance. This week's clue stands out to be the easiest clue so far for me. So off I went to get my fabrics sorted  and I got the cutting done in no time. I was off sewing my strip set together using my clue #2 pieces as leaders and enders so technically I was working on two clues at the same time. Now that is being productive. I did manage one mistake some how I messed one strip set up and I ended up with a neutral strip next to the black. It is suppose to be green.
By the end of my sewing session I had 40 blocks made. That is the most of all the blocks so far. We will see if we get any sewing time in during the week. Being the week before Christmas it looks like it could be busy. I left everything at the sewing machine so if I can slip away for 10 minute I will.

Here is the link to our link up so you can have a look where everyone is up to.
I wonder what Clue #4 is going to be.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt Clue 2

Here we are at Clue 2 already. I have pieced some of clue 1, not as many as I would have liked due to no sewing during the week but I can do some more later. Like Bonnie said do as much as you can, you can always go back and finish them later. So I am diving in to clue 2. This block looks a bit more challenging for me I will have to take a little extra care cutting these, being left handed I sometime have trouble (generally due to right handed instructions) and end up with my diamonds pointing the wrong way. At least Bonnie has thought of that and included some instructions for left handers. Thanks Bonnie.

I started with a couple of test blocks just to make sure I was doing it right before I took the plunge and got the production cutting and sewing going. I am trying to avoid too much unstitching. Lol There will be unstitching I am sure of that. 

Look what happened I still stuffed the cutting up after the test blocks. Luck I checked after the first pair so no real harm done, into the scrap bin for them.

Now the chain piecing is going after a good cutting section.

To see how the rest of the gang are doing on their GI projects here is the link to this week's link up. Quiltville

Until next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Grand Illusions Mystery Quilt Clue 1

Finally we get to start this year's mystery. Grand Illusions!  Bonnie promises this year's quilt will be a little easier the Celtic Solstice so this should be a breeze. Clue 1 has been released and HST (half square triangles) is first up to complete. Then a good portion of them are then going it to a broken dishes block. Nice and easy. There is still time to join us if you are tempted. Just pop over to Quiltville and click on the Grand Illusions tab at the top of the page. 

So Sunday afternoon I got to start. I didn't get as far as I would have liked but a start is a start. Here are some of my HST units, plenty more yet to cut and sew.

Here are a few of my broken dishes blocks. I had some reverse sewing to do as I had a thread issue. I'm glad I noticed after the fourth block and was able to fix it.

 Not totally scrappy. It is what I call controlled scrappy but more scrappy than last year quilt. It is where I am happy.

I will link up each week with others to share our progress. To see other quilters Grand Illusion progress just click on the icon in the right side tool bar or here.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Grand Illusions Introduction- A Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt

This is the new mystery quilt by Bonnie Hunter Grand Illusions. Last week Bonnie released the colours for this year mystery so we can prepare our fabric selections for the first clue next month. Here is the link to Bonnie's post if you are interested in joining us. 

The colours for this year are yellow, green, turquoise, pink, black and neutrals. Now I find it hard to do scrappy but this year I have been working on my fear of scrappy with the Leaders & Enders Challenge and after a few wobble of I can't do scrappy it's not me.  I am ready to take on this year's mystery quilt as a scrappy quilt. So we will see how I go. 

Here is my selection for the quilt I may adjust it once we start, there is a couple of fabrics I am not sure about but we will see what happens. I was very pleased with myself that I was able to find most of what I needed in my stash I was worried about the turquoise and the yellow but the turquoise was ok, (one may be blue and a couple may be closer to aqua but we will see if I use them). Yellow was the only problem in the end, no yellow as it is the only fabric for the quilt that you needed yardage and I didn't have it. Not a huge yellow fan, that is why. So it is the only piece I had to purchase. Very happy the stash has a dent in it and room to add some new fabrics to it in the future and I did get to buy one new fabric and of course I brought a little extra for the stash. I look forward to starting this project next month but in the meantime let's finish a couple projects off, time for some sewing.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia 

PS I have put the Grand Illusions button on my side button so you can pop over to Quiltville to see what is happening at any time.