Orca Bay

I've finally finished piecing and quilting my Orca Bay.  I literally took it off the quilter and folded it up and put it in the car to bring for show and tell time during the Dancing 9s class Bonnie was teaching in Oliver Springs.

 
Bonnie asked me about my color choices .... 



At the time this mystery began, both my girls were taking classes at TTU.  The school colors are purple and gold... so I changed the black and white of the orginal pattern to purple and gold.


It also happens that the local high school colors are red and blue (navy).  Navy was too dark but the lighter blues worked well.



Since I still had some of these fabrics remaining I decided to piece a backing with the leftovers rather than buying more fabric for a solid backing.  With an idea and some help from an online friend (Thanks Cindy!)  we determined I had just enough fabric....

 

I love the way it turned out.  And the red binding I think frames it nicely

Black Friday Play

I was up and at it early Friday morning...No, I didn't get out in all that shopping madness!  I have more sense than that!

I had set a goal at the beginning of the month to complete Orca Bay to the flimsy stage before starting Celtic Solstice.  I had all the parts completed and pinned and Wednesday was supposed to be the day to stitch it all together.  Instead I spent the day taking care of some church business and made sure that a local family would be housed, warm and fed for the holidays. 

 

So this morning I spent about 2 hours getting the first half of my Orca Bay stitched together.  I decided to cut myself some slack and when the first clue for Celtic Solstice posted I set Orca Bay aside and got started. 

First I need 140 orange base triangles.  
I have six different orange shirts and some quick math told me I should cut 24 triangles from each shirt so that I had an even variety of prints.

Next I need 240 neutral base triangles
Again I have six different neutral shirts and the math says cut 40 triangles from each shirt.  I've only gotten half (120) of them cut so far.

My grandson came over for the day so I had to split my time between playing with him and getting some cutting done. 

We had lots of fun driving and crashing cars all over the living room floor!

Then it was time to make lunch.  And while I was preparing it,I suddenly found myself tripping over lizards and dinosaurs that kept flying out from under the kitchen table!  

We were about to call for an exterminator when my grandson the zookeeper arrives and sets up a fenced in zoo in the corner of the dining room.  The lizards and dinosaurs had to be fenced in their own separate areas.

This was the first time he showed us his active imagination and it was a fun filled day for all.

After a plate full of Thanksgiving leftovers, I'm heading downstairs to finish cutting the remaining 120 neutral base triangles.

The last bit of cutting for this step is 380 blue pairs of triangles.
I have 7 different blue shirts.  With some help I determined that they can be paired into 21 different combinations.   Some additional math tells me to cut 18 pairs from each of the 21 combinations... but that cutting and the sewing will wait for another day.

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!

Setting Decisions

I think I am finally ready for the new mystery, Celtic Solstice, to begin.  I now have all my colored shirts (and a couple pair of pants) and a handful of neutral shirts deboned and ready to work with.  With two more Wednesdays before the 29th I will stop back at Goodwill to see if I can add to the variety, but I think I have enough.

Please pardon the bad photography.  I dropped and broke my camera (I got the phone call yesterday that it will cost more to repair than it's worth) so I have to wait until Christmas for a new one from my hubby.... unless he, hopefully, feels sorry for me and brings one home sooner!  In the meantime, I am trying to take pictures with my kindle.  The pictures are a bit off centered, blurry, and the color isn't quite right, but this will give you a rough idea of what I'm doing.

While I wait for the mystery to begin, I have been working... on and off... to finish up my version of Orca Bay.  Today, I got anxious and decided to lay out all the pieces to see what I have.

But as I sat looking it, I thought, what happens if I surround the purple blocks instead of the yellow blocks with the blue?  WOW!  A totally different look and a decision to make, which way do I go?

OBW Challenge

OBW = On-track with Bonnie Wednesday.

There are many Bonnie followers (including me) who have started but not yet finished some (many) of the patterns Bonnie shares with us, both on her blog as free mysteries and in her books.
  
With the start of Bonnie's new mystery looming on the horizon (November 29) a challenge has been issued to make a list and finish up at least one current Bonnie project before the new start.

So here is my list of Bonnie Projects:

• Cheddar Challenge

This was Bonnies leader/ender challenge that I believe she issued summer 2011.  I first had to search for the cheddar fabrics and once found I started it as a take-along hand sewn project as I headed to California in November with Mom for a last visit with Uncle Tom. I carried it around with me and worked on it all through 2012 completing only this first quarter of the planned quilt.  I think I've sewn only 6 blocks this year.  I really need to start taking it along with me again and make some progress.

• Talkin Turkey

I started this in class with Bonnie august, 2012  Qultmakers Block Party in Williamsburg.  I love these French General fabrics that I pulled from my stash.  I'm not sure what project I had in mind when I bought these, but I think they are perfect for these blocks and look forward to getting it done!

•  Winston Ways

This is the second of the three classes I took with Bonnie in Williamsburg 2012.  They are made mostly from Goodwill shirts with only those white triangles coming from yardage pulled from my stash!

• Midnight Flight

This was the third class I had with Bonnie that weekend in Williamburg 2012!  These fabrics were also yardage and Goodwill shirts pulled from my stash.

I think I was nuts to start all three the same weekend.  I was a bit overwhelmed and exhausted by the time I got home...but it was so much fun!  All the fabrics and pieces just sit in their crates waiting their turn.

• Orca Bay

This was Bonnies 2011 Mystery Quilt.  At the time, both my daughters were going to TN Tech here in town so I chose the school colors purple/gold instead of the black and white.... and the blue/red were the colors of their high school so I thought it was a perfect match.  Unfortunately, they both decided college wasn't for them and I lost my motivation to get this done.  I have used it as a leader/ender as I worked on Easy Street and Florabunda.  I have all the Ohio Star blocks and several of the Flying Geese string blocks completed. 

This is what I hope to finish up for the challenge before the new 2013 mystery, Celtic Solstice begins. 
 

 

Just so you don't think I'm a total slacker and never finish anything Bonnie, here are some Bonnie projects that are complete!

• Oklahoma Backroads

This was begun March 10, 2011... I remember this one specifically because it was my birthday present to myself... an early morning drive over to Pidgeon Forge and my first class with Bonnie.  I made this into a small wall hanging as a Mother's Day gift for my Mom.  Completed May 2011

• Roll Roll Cotton Bole

This was Bonnie's 2010 Mystery... I watched as the mystery progressed, but because I was busy with other things, I didn't start until January 2011, after the reveal, when my niece announced her May wedding and I needed a pattern.  She told me she wanted something blue, green, purple and I could choose the pattern. I figured if so many could get it done in the 8 week mystery time-frame, I could get it done in time for the wedding.  HA!   this was my first controlled scrappy quilt.  I used yardage for the colors and Goodwill shirts for the neutral strings.  I really loved the finish and almost hated to give it away!  I tried to finish it in time for the wedding, but too many of life's challenges got in the way.  I completed it in July.. and with my nieces permission since she wouldn't need it til the cold weather hit, I entered it into competition at the fair and FCE cultural arts and came home with a couple ribbons! Completed July 2011

• Florabunda

This is one of Bonnie's free patterns listed on her blog.  I was gifted the floral material, the yellow fabric was left-over from a quilt I made my SIL and the red was from my stash.  With Bonnie's permission I cut up some block kits to teach at an FCE craft day July 2012... but I cut way more blocks than needed and this quilt was the result.  Completed September 2012

• Easy Street

This was Bonnie's 2012 mystery... and I kept up and followed along until the last two steps were revealed back-to-back just before the New Year when I had to travel.   Bonnie made hers in tropical blue, pink, purple and greens... I used my Civil War reproductions.  This quilt was for me and my queen size bed so I took some extra time to add an extra square-in-square border and it finished at 108x108!  It's a bit bigger than I expected, but I absolutely love it!

Completed July 2013

What I've been up to lately....

During the last few weeks I have been working on my Orca Bay quilt , in small increments of time (like 15 minutes).  I think I have 4 more seams to sew and I will be done with all of the Step 6 Ohio Stars. It is amazing how much can be accomplished in those short spurts of work!

I am hoping to complete the next two steps and have this quilt assembled by the end of October.... even better if I can get it quilted too!

I did complete and quilt my version of Bonnie Hunter's Florabunda!   I started piecing the blocks July 2012! and I was so happy to have all the blocks completed, I quickly stitched them together without referring back to the pattern.  Once the blocks were all stitched together and the borders added I realized that all the blocks were oriented in the same direction instead of alternating every other block!  UGH!  Well, it still looked good to me so I let it be.  It has a nice soft rose colored flannel backing and binding and will be nice and cozy to snuggle under.

But now, the fall cleaning bug has bitten me, and I am working my way through the house... deep cleaning... room by room.  The kitchen and two bedrooms are done... except for the new curtains that need to be made. 

Next room to tackle is the dining room/office!  I must sort through all the papers and stuff that have accumulated on the table and find a way to get more organized.  I feel the the purchase of a nice wooden cabinet with shelves and doors that can be closed to hide the clutter will be necessary in the near future.



 

Bonnie's Quilt's I've Made, Easy Street Progress

Over on the quiltville chat group someone asked how many Bonnie quilts have others made?  I am definitely not as prolific as ShirleyAnne is, but I am enjoying learning and creating.

http://www.shirleyannesheart.com/2012/12/02/my-bonnie-hunter-quiltville-quilts-as-of-2012/

I found Bonnie in 2010 and joined her Oklahoma Backgroads class in Pidgeon Forge.  I completed only 9 blocks and turned it into a wall hanging for my Mom.  I just didn't have enough scraps cut and ready to make this bigger... and I didn't have time to cut more.

I joined the chat group and learned more and my interest was peaked by the talk of using men's shirts in a quilt.  When the 2010 mystery... Roll Roll Cotton Boll came along I ran to Goodwill (and sent my SIL to her Goodwill store in MD) for neutral color shirts to make the string blocks and used yardage to complete the quilt.  I didn't actually begin work until almost March because I wanted to make sure I had all the necessary fabrics.   I finally completed it in September but had a difficult time sending it to my niece as a late wedding gift because I loved it so much!  But I had promised it to her and had kept her updated on my progress.  She was wonderfully patient, saying she wouldn't need it until the cold weather arrived so I should take my time! She also allowed me to keep it a bit longer and enter into the FCE quilt competiton (blue ribbon winner!) I was happy to hear how much she loved the results!  I do have extra yardage and shirts and have thought about making a second one for me!... maybe!  I have so many more I want to make.

Next up was Bonnie's Cheddar Challenge summer/fall 2011.  It took me some time to run around to several quilt shops in the area and a road trip to PA and I even had a friend pick some up for me on her road trip to find just the right cheddar to satisfy me.  By the time I got all the fabric together it was October and we were flying to CA to visit my sick uncle.  So, this became a take-along hand-sewing project.  I take it wherever I go and stitch on it a bit at a time.  Mine is much more planned than Bonnie's, and I'm only 1/4 done, but I love the progress I have made so far.

UPDATE:  7-16-2013  This project got put on hold when Easy Street came along.  

Next the 2011 mystery arrived....Orca Bay.  But once again I was very busy with family stuff last year at this time and didn't think about starting until mid January.  I changed the colors to purple and gold  (TN Tech colors) because both my girls were attending classes at the time.  They both dropped out by Spring and with no push to stay on task, I kept getting distracted with other stuff and have ended up relegating this project to Leader/Ender status. I'm about 1/4 way through step 4... the aqua string blocks.

August 2011 found me attending the Quiltmakers Block Party in Williamsburg, VA and taking all three of Bonnie's day-long classes!  These were fun-filled busy days and I have completed many parts and just a few blocks for each of these patterns. 

Winston Ways

Talkin' Turkey

Midnight Flight

 And as if I didn't have enough UFOs, when the local FCE club I belong to decided to host a Craft Day this summer, I volunteered to teach a quilt block class using Bonnie's Floribunda!  I kitted up 20 blocks, but had only one student.  So I have pieced all the four-patches and HSTs for 20 blocks and will put this quilt together soon.

Floribunda

And now, the 2012 Mystery... Easy Street has begun and I am working very hard to stay on target with these steps so as not to have yet another UFO.  With Step 1 complete and Step 2 well underway, I should be ready for Step 3 on Friday.

Step1four patches

Step 2.. flying geese

Sewing Day!

I have had a wonderfully relaxing afternoon.  No grandson to watch so I've been catching up on laundry and bill paying and sewing!

I completed the last of the nine blocks for the Quiltmakers Swap Party,  I like them so much laid out like this I almost hate to give them away.... but I look forward to seeing what I get in return.

The pattern is Birthday Girl by Bonnie Hunter in Quiltmakers 100 Blocks Volume 2 #174

I have also been working on Orca Bay as a leader/ender project.  I decided not to make the queen size quilt that the pattern calls for. I'm aiming for a smaller lap size quilt requiring far fewer components to make.  I  plan to make approximately half the number required for the original quilt and see what it looks like.  I can go back and make more of whatever is needed to make a nice size quilt.

As you can see, I'm doing a different color-way... instead of black and white I'm doing purple and gold.  These are the colors of the local college TN Tech.  My girls were attending when I started this and I thought maybe one of them would like it.   They both have dropped out for now but both are saying they want to go back someday. I guess whomever graduates first gets it!

Step one requires 224 2.5in hourglass blocks... I made 21/112 so far.

Step two requires 72 3.5in string blocks... I have made 20/36 so far.

Step 3 calls for 350 2in HSTs... Today I whipped up 120/175 quickly and easily!

When I started this project I did not have the specialty rulers that Bonnie suggests using... the Easy Angle Ruler and the Companion Ruler.  I now have both rulers and am amazed at how much faster it is to make these components.  I'm anxious to see what this will look like so I'm not making all the necessary components right now... just some of each step until I have everything to assemble the blocks and see what this colorway looks like. 

Next up is Step 4 requiring 64 5.5in string blocks.. but only 32 for me!

Orca Bay Mystery

It is November and it is Bonnie Hunter Mystery Time. About this time each year, when Bonnie is done with her travelling classes she offers a free mystery pattern on her blog for everyone to follow.

I am still waiting for my rulers to arrive (an early Christmas present from hubby)... so I haven't started cutting yet... which means I'm still thinking and re-thinking my fabrics... especially since Bonnie's extra post about which colors are most promnient

Red is her prominent color... not my favorite... so my prominent color will be purple!
black is her second color... mine will be that blue/purple
blue is her accent color... mine will be that pink/orange floral
whites are her neutral.... you guessed it... my neutral will be that yellow print

And of course, I don't have enough of any of these to make her size quilt, so I will be making only half the number of blocks she requires...

But, since I'm still waiting on the rulers to arrive, I keep pulling in different fabrics and changing my mind...




those rulers better arrive soon!