Moving right along...

I'm going to to to document my progress on my quilts.

Maybe in setting goals and documenting what I have done, I can get more done, because otherwise it feels like a snail's pace.

Currently I'm on hold on my sister's quilt.

Its obviously a medallion quilt. I'm sort of stuck on the next border. And I also need to consider what the final size will be. So - on hold for a bit.

I've finally finished the backing for Bonnie Hunter's Grand Illusion. I did talk my daughter into taking it, if I let her chose the backing fabric, which naturally wasn't on sale. I made some improv type blocks and bordered them and pieced the back together. In this way I should enough left over to make her some "decorative pillows" - she loves those.

These are pictures of the basting process. I used the tiles of the floor to figure out the center of my quilt. Each layer was folded into quarters, which enabled me to place the center of the quilt on my pre-determined center on he floor. It is a bit ambitious, but I'm not going to stress out too much if the front and back do not line up perfectly.

Trying to flatten those seems just a bit more.

My son is upset that I waste perfectly good duct tape in this way.

Grand Illusion going down.

The backing is tight. Not much room for error.

 I've realized that there is a part of the quilting process that I do not enjoy - pin basting. My knees, my butt, my hands - not loving it.  But at least it's ready to quilt !!! Yippee!!

I also went on some nice walks last week and saw some interesting creatures...

My husband and I uncreatively call this turtle log.

I'm not sure who was more surprised, him or me!

Anyway, off to quilt....

Clue #2 - Not Done!

But close.
Slightly more than halfway through assembling the halves. Initially I was having flashbacks to the chevrons from CS - but then they sort of took on a life of their own. Someone, I think on Facebook said that they reminded her of Good n Plenty - and they really are like candy! I used method 2 - with the Easy Angle ruler and trying to carefully line the triangles up to the sides of the diamonds. The hardest part is trying to get that corner to be sharp - the corner that separates the two halves.

These are so much fun to play with!

And in the mail this week -----

She autographed them!!!!  I didn't want to ask, because I thought she'd have too many book orders, but I was so touched to see that she did it anyway.  Really, the sap that I am, it brought tears to my eyes. Thank you Bonnie, you're the best!.



 Boy, these things are addicting!

I'm linking up, just under the deadline for the second time.

See everyone else's progress at the Grand Illusion Link-up for Clue #2.

Now off to make dinner...

Yay, Its started!!!

Christmas has come early!!

I have been waiting all year for this! I even got my Celtic Solstice top assembled, although not photographed - too rainy to take good pics.

I did finish completely the quilt I made for my in-laws. This was from a pattern I purchased through Craftsy, called Radiant Jewel - designed by Kimberly Einmo. I made it a little bigger than the original pattern called for - which meant I had to buy more fabric - so sad.

For the back I bought a piece of those wide backing fabrics, but decided that I wanted to add some of the extra blocks down the middle. The quilting is not too innovative - I am struggling trying to maneuver a large quilt in my sewing machine. Smaller blocks are so much easier. Maybe I need a long arm? Santa, are you listening?

But my most fun was starting Bonnie Hunter's new mystery quilt - Grand Illusion!!!

My pinks look more red than they really are in these photos - I've not been able to figure out how to tone down the red on my camera. I was very careful with my seam, trying to get the correct size with nearly no sliver-trimming - Last year when I did CS - I sewed with a skinny seam and trimmed down all the blocks. I thought that this would give me the best chance of accuracy - Silly me! It wasn't until I had to assemble the blocks that I realized that I was cutting off my points - even if I tried to continue with the skinny seams. Grrrrr (Insert mad face)!  A painful lesson to learn and one that I am applying now. With the first HSTs - I measured to make sure that I could be as accurate as possible. I have a guide on my machine that is very helpful. Overall, a little more slow going - and they're still all not perfect, but they're the best I can do right now. And they made me very happy!

This pic taken with my phone has a better representation of the pinks.

I'm all done with Clue #1 and am waiting for tomorrow - #2 here I come!!

Off to cook dinner.

Still plodding along...

I am happy to be up to date on my Sugar Block Club.  These are my blocks for August, September and October.

I am more than a little sad that the year is coming to an end for this group, and I'm hoping and hoping that there will be an announcement and day for the 2015 Sugar Block Club...

Also trying to keep up with Leah Day's Building Blocks Quilt Along, but falling behind miserably...
These are some of the latest blocks.

Still have to quilt the baskets and piece all the stars. Leah and Josh have announced that there will be a new quilt along in this blog post. It will be called the Dancing Butterfly Quilt. I'm sad that I'm not in love with it as much as I was with the BBQA. Sort of like the 2014 Craftsy BOM. ( I could not wrap my mind around the loud colors, and I like bright!)  I do love the BOM method for quilting and seeing everyone else's work is really inspiring. I will most likely join up with the Dancing Butterfly Quilt, especially if its a quilt along.

But the MOST EXCITING THING is that Bonnie Hunter has announced the colors for her new Mystery Quilt - The Grand Illusion  !!!  WOOHOO!!!!

On the day she announced the colors,  after noticing that my stash was woefully under-pinked, and under-greened, for that matter, I went out to visit three LQS. Since then I've ordered from 3 other on-line sites. (maybe I shouldn't admit that- its probably ok - my husband will never read this.)
Any way that is my official new start for the month!!! YAY!!! I've been waiting all year for this...it's better than Christmas.

I didn't get the Lowes paint cards because I liked the colors of the pictures that she posted on her site so much. The way the bright pinks and greens go together make me feel so happy! The only trouble is that there's not a whole lot of variety within the color choices, so after my mail packages arrive, I will have to reassess.

Posting to Cat Patches October NewFO Linky Party!

Now if only I can get to the mail before my husband does...

Wow, its been a while - Clearly I'm a sucky blogger...

But I have been checking out lots of cool stuff and following along.

I'm doing Leah Day's Building Block Quilt Along. And am nearly caught up...

These are some of my favorite blocks.

I've also realized that I suck at circles. Oof, its bad!  Wiggle, waggle. Blech.

Also caught up on Amy Gibson's Sugar Block Club. I went a little cuckoo, myself,  for paper-piecing.

This last one was not so successful and may end up being re-done. I wanted more contrast between the orange Kaffe Fabric and the blue. It actually reads a little better in the pic, because for some reason reds and oranges are deeper when photographed on my camera.

I also started and finished the top of Kimerly Einmo's Mystery Radiant Jewel Quilt from Craftsy. (which I bought last November :-[ )  I did make it a little bigger by adding one row and column. Which meant that I had to purchase more fabric - it was such a hardship.....heh heh heh.

August? Bring it!

Linking up to Cat Patches NewFO Challenge for July

Off to quilt...