Allietare--First Clue

I got my first clue done for Bonnie Hunter's Allietare mystery quilt. 

You can get the introduction here and the first clue here.

Lots of little pieces! These are smaller units than I usually work with, so I'm doing something new already--I wanted to learn from and refine techniques with the mystery.

Not a lot of color yet, but the grey/neutrals are quiet and calming.

My fabric choices are in this earlier blog post: Fabrics

Can't wait to see what is in store next week!

I am linking with Quiltville's Mystery Monday, Allietare Part 1.

Christmas Strings Part IV

It seems I've been working on this quilt forever!

Auditioned borders and bindings today--I decided to go fairly conservative and use the red I used in the quilt for the border as well. I chose a dark green/brown for the binding.

Now to measure, cut, and apply!

I'm linking with Confessions of a Fabric Addict. 

Allietare--Bonnie Hunter's 2015 Mystery

I promised myself that if Bonnie Hunter's mystery this year was based on colors from her trip to Tuscany, I would participate. It is! You can find her introduction here.



I went through my stash and pulled some fabrics this morning.

Reds

Golds

Neutrals

The grey and the black at the bottom will be constants.

I'm sure I have chosen more than I need, but I can pick and choose among them as the mystery progresses. First clue: Friday, 27 November 2015. I can't wait!

Trunk Full of Quilts

 

Soma from the blog Whims and Fancies is holding an online trunk show. It's a chance to post your favorite quilts and to see the wonderful quilts created by other bloggers.







Here are some of my 2015 favorite finishes:

Churn Dash and Greek Cross

I-Spy Bowtie

Autumn Path (Bricks and Stepping Stones)

Flowing Flowers

Calico Sunny Lanes

Shoo-Fly Variation

Paisley Mystery Quilt

Random Ohio Stars

Check out all the beautiful quilts in this online trunk show at Whims and Fancies. You will be astounded at the variety and beauty of the quilters' works.

Random Ohio Stars--Finished!

I've been working on this one for a while, but thanks to the challenge from Jo of Jo's Country Junction, it is done. <applause>


I always loved looking at this pattern--it can be found on Bonnie Hunter's blog. Something about the combinations of sizes and fabrics really speaks to me.

Here are a few detail photos, including one of the borders and binding.

I even pieced the back, using my trial blocks and some that lacked a sufficient contrast between fabrics.

Thanks so much Jo for the impetus to finish. Onward and upward!


I'm linking to Jo's Country Junction UFO Challenge and Prairie Sewn Studios.

Another Mystery Quilt

I really love making mystery quilts! On a forum to which I belong, a lovely lady drafts mysteries for the readers to do--free of charge! She gives great instructions and feedback, and the journey is always fun.


This mystery quilt is from Feb/Mar 2015. I got the quilt back from the longarm quilter in April, but since it is so big (90" x 120"), I had trouble getting a photograph. Finally, I just did the best I could, so I could be sure to have a record of it after it is given as a gift.

Here are a couple of close-ups. The triangles and the border of each block are all done in various colors of paisley.

In this shot of the four patches before they were sewn with the other elements, you can see that the red is a marbled fabric and that the neutrals are several different fabrics.

Here you can see the blocks--two four-patches and two HSTs.

The blocks were bordered and sashed,

then sewn together.

As usual, I had some help with the quilt. Nothing slides around while my quilt stabilizer, Dac, is on duty!

This is a tale of the quilt that grew and grew. I thought I was done, when she (the quilt) told me she needed a border: "You're not going to send me out into the world with just this skinny little sashing, are you?" So, though she was already huge, I added a paisley border--I think she was right; she DID need it.


This is one I had to send out to be quilted--there is no way I could have done the quilting at home on my domestic sewing machine. My quilter, Penny, also did the binding. When the quilt came home, she just felt done--and she was.


This is planned as a special Christmas gift.  I'm sure the quilt will love her new home, and I think the recipient will love her as well.




I'm linking with Cooking Up Quilts: MCM #41 and Quilt Story: Fabric Tuesday #254 .

Holiday Family 2015--Finished Quilt

I finished the nine-patch for the family my department adopts for the holidays. My first blog post about it is here: Holiday Family 2015 Project



It is a simple nine-patch pattern with a large, nine-patch pieced back.

66" x 84"

Pieced Back

Detail of Fabrics

Assembly was fast--I made strip sets of threes:

Subcut into blocks:

Then sewed them together.

My helper is keeping an eye on the quality of the work.

I pieced the back to echo the nine-patch on the front and did a diagonal quilting pattern. Bound with black, the quilt is done.



This is a very traditional quilt, but, I think, an attractive one suitable for a family.


I'm linking to The Quilting Room with Mel: Fiber Tuesday 33.