Bonnie Hunter's - Grand Illusion-Clue 1-Broken Dishes

The adventure begins! It's finally here. The first clue of Grand Illusion has been released.The blogs and Facebook pages are abuzz with questions, and pictures of early examples and test blocks. It is exciting times.

 I am planning to do something new, take a few risks and let the chips fall where they may. After a slow start I have everything cut for clue one. So far I completed 20 Broken Dishes blocks. I hope to get a few more done later tonight. That will be it for the week as I am traveling for work.  I've played around with the layout. It is fun to see the various patterns you can get from one block, and I'm always surprised by how Bonnie integrates the blocks into her designs.

Broken Dishes blocks

I hoped to get an early start, but you know sometimes life gets in the way. Second reason for delay is my indecision about my colors.  As I said, I got this crazy idea to do something different, something I've wanted to try for a while. That is to reverse colors, like a negative. Sooooo, I am using my neutrals for Bonnie's teal. My turquoise watery fabric will be her neutral. Brown for black, purple for pink. Yellow is still the constant and I am thinking about a constant for the green too. I will wait till we use green to decide.

Fabrics for Grand Illusion

I realize this is taking a big risk since we have no idea what this is going to look like. My idea is that the pattern will appear to be floating in water. Now I know that this is a little out there. And my decision may totally backfire, only time will tell. Nevertheless it will be an interesting experiment, and since this will be my quilt(not a gift), it really does not matter. I'm easy to please.

I used the easy angle rules to cut the half square triangles. I've used other methods in the past, but when I am learning from someone (and boy do I learn from Bonnie), I try to use their methods too. It's good to try new ways. It takes a little time to get used to the ruler, but I've am feeling more comfortable with it. Also it is pretty speedy to cut and then strip sew the triangle pieces. As with all practice, you have to learn something after 280 half square triangles.

Creating kits for broken dishes block

So far things are going together pretty well. I am knocking on wood as I say I think I'm making progress in this accuracy thing, and that scant 1/4 inch. So far I have not had to trim any half square triangles, what a time saver that is.

I'm looking forward to Monday's link up. It is so cool to see everyone's progress. Till next week. Happy piecing everyone. If I've done it correctly the link below should take you back to the link-up

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2014/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-1.html

More binding-Finished Hidden Spools and My LaScala

A few sassafras leaves are handing on.

This has been a sad week. A lovely intelligent 23 year old women was killed in an accident. Her death is a reminder of how short life can be.  This quote seems especially relevant this week. 

"Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you'll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you'll find that you have more of it."

Ralph Marston

(Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/ralphmarst163841.html#jAsCOK55Fjg8gV5z.99)

I have been following Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville blog and noticed that many of us have been very productive the last month, We been catching up, and finishing projects that have been hanging around over the summer. Everyone seems to be concentrating on finished up projects so they can devote full attention to  Bonnie's new Mystery. This first clue will be out this Friday. I'm concentration on quilts I plan to give as gifts this holiday season.

So I am no exception. I finished Bonnie's Hidden Pinwheels this month. I began this quilt in the spring when I attended Bonnie's Workshop. I really love this quilt. It is still scrappy but has only three colors: orange, white and blue. These are my nephew's  favorite colors. The quilt is a gift for him this Christmas. The quilt inspector says it passes inspection. Sandy Erwin did the quilting.
So my fabric is ready, rulers on handle.  However I have to work on Friday. There is visitation on Friday and funeral mass Saturday. I may only print the clue, not sure there will be time to work on it. But I will be looking forward to seeing what everyone is doing. I'll be caught up in no time.

Hidden Pinwheels

Hidden Pinwheels

The second quilt I completed is my own design LaScala. This is a gift for my husband's Aunt.  I called it LaScala because most of the fabric is from LaScala collections. the pattern is inspired by an Italian Ceramic floor. It was an easy quilt to put together.  I love the quilting Sandy did for this quilt. It really added some energy to the quilt.This quilt has already been put in the mail.

I followed Bonnie suggestion and ended up with lots of half square triangles that I used on the border.
I still have two quilts to bind before the year is over. Those quilts are staying home, so no hurry to get them bound. They will probably be a snowy winter day project. 

Sure makes things easy-half square triangles for a border.

quilting by Sandy Erwin

Detail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finishing touches

First things first. It's November. A time to give thanks and honor our family traditions. One of our family traditions is to set out this Friends of a Feather Display. I'm had other Friends of a Feather pieces, but have gotten rid of them over the years. For some reason I have kept this. Thanks go to my granddaughter who got this out and set up the display. 

Now it's time to get on with sewing. This has been a productive week and weekend. First on the agenda is the quilt for Aunt Eva. Last blog I shared a LaScala print that I hoped would be the border. Unfortunately no one, and I mean no one, liked it. It was sent to the floral bin and I decided on a simple border. I agree that this shows off the graphic design of the quilt much better. The floral would have clashed and been a distraction. It ready to go to the Longarmer. And a search of the stash found more wide background fabric! Although I did not take a picture of the finished quilt you get the idea. Keeping it simple I added a cream border.

OMG-forgot to take a picture of the finished quilt.

One of my favorite things to do is sew with my granddaughter.We have lots of fun together. We work hard. Sometimes we talk too much and make mistakes. But as Jana says, "it happens", and that's why we have seam rippers. For us it as much about the process as the outcome. Jana, 12 years old,  has been sewing for nearly four years and is becoming a very talented quilter. We made this quilt for her mother. Ohio Star quilters also helped as this was my BOM for the local quilt guild. There were extra blocks. Jana picked a few and made a few more for this pillow to go with the quilt. Her first pillow entirely on her own. Yeah Jana.

Jana and Smokey Mountain Majesties Quilt and Pillow

Last task for the weekend was binding the two quilts below. This coming week I hope to get at least one more done. These where finished on the machine as they are utility quilts that will get lots of use. Which is exactly what I like.

Autumn Happy Trails

Thanks for checking in.