Framed Up Mystery Quilt

I had a mystery quilt class last week where only I knew the final quilt. It was a simple block but set on point with sashing in between the blocks and the whole quilt is made from 2 1/2 inch strips so it is perfect for pre cuts.

This is my class sample finished to top stage. I need to quilt it or have it quilted.

 This one was made using a  Penny Rose Fabrics Rolie Polie bundle called Meadow with a background fabric and sashing fabrics.

The great thing about this quilt is you can make it with 4 fabrics as I have done in a smaller version with a new range in store Lewis & Irene Autumn in Bluebell Wood range.  This would make a great baby's quilt for a boy or a girl with the cute little animals through it.

This one I am quilting using the Westalee rulers which I stock.  I love using them and seeing what i can create using them especially when I have new ones to try. We will be have a number of days over 2018 for you to can and do workshops on them. From the beginners starter class to an more advanced class where we will be making a quilt and then quilting the blocks. It will be like a sampler quilt for the rulers.

I have used Glide thread to quilt this quilt in. I used Battleship in the blocks and Raspberry in the sashings.

With all this said there is one more version of this mystery quilt I want to try out. That is the totally scrappy version with a standard Jelly roll. My first version had what I call a control fabric in it. (my background fabric was the same in all the blocks.) I must admit that is my preferred scrappy way.
So when I get around to doing it I will share what happens and will I be able to be totally scrappy or will I pull back to my comfort zone.

Maybe I can share the next mystery quilt class here online with everyone if there is enough interest! Let me know if you are interested. Nothing too hard.  Maybe it's time to get The Block Library going again.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

En Provence Post #3

I am still working on clue #2 but clue #3 has been released, so what do I do. Start clue #3 while still working on clue #2. Nearly done with clue #2.

Now onto Clue #3 and out comes the purples.
This is my first batch of purple four patch blocks. There will be more to come but sewing time has been limited this week. Maybe next week once I am on holidays.

Once again I have linked up with Quiltville to share my post so click on this link to see how everyone else is going.  A big thank you to Bonnie Hunter for creating this project for us.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Allietare Mystery Quilt #4.

We are up to Clue #4 which means I am working on Clue #3  They are Four Patch blocks but I still have some of Clue #2 to finish as well. Now that I have finished my day job for the year I have a few days planned to finish a few projects and catch up on some and this is one of them. With the weather in the mid 40's  (100 + for my US readers) here in South Australia it has been hard to find the motivation to do much of anything. I did spend a couple of hours on the sewing machine to piece the backing for a table runner and finish sewing a matching quilt top after I had to unpick the last seam because I had pinned it wrong big time. With this happening I was able to complete my Four Patch blocks so I now just need to complete the last of Clue #2 and I can start on Clue #4 which looks interesting.

I am using blue instead of the gold. Not a big fan of yellows/gold, so there is very little of that colour in my stash. That is the only colour I changed.  I promised myself to working from my stash and the only fabric I bought was the yardage for the grey as it was the constant fabric.

 Hopefully I will be caught up by the time Bonnie releases Clue #5.
Here is the link to see where everyone else is up to.
http://quiltville.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/sewing-parties-are-best-kind-of-parties.html

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Random Ohio Star Quilt #1

I am a member of the 2015  Australian Mystery Quilting group on Facebook where we have been sewing our Bonnie Hunter Grand Illusion Mystery quilts. As the mystery has been reveal and a number of quilts have been completed (not mine but nearly there) a group of us started a new project, Bonnie Hunter pattern Random Ohio Stars. My aim is to use up more of the leftovers from  My Farmer's Wife project and my Wishes project. Both were large quilts and are still waiting on quilting. I must do something about that. In the mean time here are the first  three 12' blocks I have completed.

There was a fourth block but I twisted one of my hourglass blocks the wrong way and it needs to be unpicked then sewn back together.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Scrap Dance Quilt Along #1

I am still playing with my scraps. I found this quilt along on My Carolina Home blog 2 1/2 months ago and joined in for the Scrap Dance Quilt Along. Over the last 18 months my stitching projects have been rolling off at a good rate and my scrap bin keeps overflowing. I have to do something with this fabric. I can't waste it. Scrap quilts don't come easy to me so I find these mystery quilt along great help to use up my scraps.
I am doing the lap quilt size in the Scrap Dance Quilt Along, but there is instructions for a number of different sizes. You get to choose. Now we are already up to clue #2. For the first month we had a lot of half square triangles to make. Nice and easy.

This month's clue was even easier sewing with the HST units with squares and I only have to make 20 of these units. I am glad they have been easy clues as there hasn't been a lot of time for sewing.

There is a link on the right hand side tool bar if you are interested in having a look at what we are up to.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Quiltmaker's Auld Lang Stitches Mystery Quilt #8

Here we are at Clue 8 in our New Year Mystery quilt and we get to finally see the finished block and lay out for this quilt. I must say I love it. I am so glad I have been stitching along with this mystery it is going to be a beauty once I finish it. Alot of block joining to get this one together but I will most likely do in little parts as I have worked on the clues that way and surprised myself how far I could get with only 10-20 minutes blocks of sewing time once a day with a few other projects. I may have 1 too many projects on the go. It may be time to quilt a few and finish them. Then I will have this one to quilt. This has been lots of fun.

Here is the finished block.

Here is the ones I have completed in the layout to give you an idea of what the quilt will look like when it is all together.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Quiltmaker's Auld Lang Stitches Mystery Quilt #7

Our sub blocks are getting bigger. This week we are adding another border and another stitch and flip corner. Considering how small the HST units started at clue 1 to the size the blocks are now. I am feeling more in my comfort zone the larger the blocks become. It has been good working with the smaller pieces. I know I can work with them now and I have enjoyed it. My chain piecing session.

 I have finished clue 7 actually before the last clue has been release.

 I can't wait to see the final block layout. It is here. It time to start the next clue.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Quiltmaker's Auld Lang Stitches Mystery Quilt #6

This is the 6th clue we are up to in Quiltmaker's New Year's Mystery Quilt Along and we are having some fun with Unit 7  & Section 2  this week. Some stitching and flipping going on here. This is good fun I cut all my squares and while watching television later in the evening I drew the line diagonally across them ready from the next sewing session.

Look  here they are all done with their stitched & flipped corner added. I am ready for Clue 7. I think there is only a couple more weeks to go. The blocks are really developing now. I have taken a few photos of possible layouts just in case they are different from the mystery quilt, then I can play around with other possibilities after the quilt is finished and this way I will remember what I had in mind.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Quiltmaker's Auld Lang Stitches Mystery Quilt #5

We are up to Clue 5 in our New Year's Mystery Quilt. We must be getting close to the big block reveal. I keep playing with the blocks I have made trying to work it out. I don't think I have worked it out yet. So I will just have to wait to the final reveal to find out, won't I.  This week we are joining unit 2 to a unit 5  then a rectangle to the bottom and a rectangle on the right hand side. This is what mine look like.

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

Quiltmaker's Auld Lang Stitches Mystery Quilt #1

You may of seen this one on my To Do List for 2015. It is Quiltmaker's Auld Lang Stitches Mystery Quilt. Clue 1 was released New year Day and we were off to the sewing room for cutting and sewing. Lots of half square triangles to make in clue 1. Now I am getting ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning.

 The fabric suggestion were white, blue and red tone on tones. I love this combination but I wanted to work with something different and the yardage required encourage me to choose different colours from my stash. So I am going to use pink instead of white, blue is still blue and grey instead of red. These fabrics come from the Daisies in the wind range of fabrics.

So I starting the cutting and sewing of clue 1 making half square triangles and attaching squares to some and putting the rest of the HST to one side for later.

Each week we get the next clue and Clue 2 has just been released. So I am off to start  working on Clue 2.
If you want to join us here is the link to the first clue.
http://www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/2015/01/quiltmakers-new-years-mystery-quilt-part-1/

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Vacation Time- Block of the Month #1

It is time to start a new project with Pat Sloan and this years mystery quilt is Vacation Time. I have picked out the fabrics and I am going with batik fabrics this year. Here is my selection. I am missing 1 fabric at the moment and that is the border fabric so I will keep my eyes open for something suitable. My 2 creams at top of the picture are a little hard to see but there is 2 there.

The first block is Down by the Boardwalk. It looks like I am going to learn a new flying geese technique this year. Pat has included instructions on a flying geese method I haven't tried yet so I will give it a go. I like to try these different methods offered as you never know when you will find a better method of doing something. I liked the flying geese method so I will use it again.

Here is my 1st block completed.

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

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