Good Fortune: Top Finished

I'll be repeating myself, but I love this quilt design.  I will definitely be trying to complete this one to enter into the fair this year.  After I finish quilting, I'll take a better picture on my quilt frame.  There is too much to move to get an unobstructed picture of it in my quilt room.





Those borders.... The quarter squares were a challenge.  When I put together two sides in the method that Bonnie designed, the blue was too overwhelming to me.  I asked Kevin what he thought (without my prompting on thoughts) and he actually said the same thing.  I planned to do a final string border, so creating the ribbon design made sense.  Now the corners!  I was not happy with how they were lining up and wasn't really sure what to do.  The sides all end in an even number and some ribbon borders I've seen end in odd to get the right effect.  I also had mirror image blocks and I quickly pushed out the notion of creating more so they were all going the same way.

Here is the evolution:



What's worse?  After I had the quilt up on my design wall, borders and corners going the right way, I somehow turned a couple over and I had to rip out all four corners (instead of doing the entire border row) and replace them.  AND THEN! I discovered that the corners would not be mirror images on opposite corners, so I needed to rip out a corner yet again to get it right.  I decided to leave one corner with the background so it would be the "end of the ribbon".  It still isn't the perfect effect, but I am happy with it.

Those corners weren't the only pieces being ripped, I also had four patches that needed to be ripped after I read one clue wrong about construction (did way too many, nearly double of the needed 4-patches for the center of that block).   I need to replace my seam ripper however because I think it is getting dull (I'm sure I have a spare or two tucked away).


After the string borders, I still have a pile of strips... it doesn't even look like any were used!  My next project is going to be Hunters String Star and I plan to have the same type of background fabrics so at least I am ready to go for that.  I haven't decided on what color/s  I want to do though.  I can't decide on a single color or multi.  Should be a fun one either way.

I am also still plugging along on my Starlit skies.  I'll blog about that soon.

Link up Monday:
Check out the progress from other Good Fortune Mystery makers here: http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2019/01/mystery-monday-link-up-reveal-2.html

Revealing Good Fortune

There are some quilts that just make you want to fall into them and snuggle... this Bonnie Hunter mystery has done it for me.  I'm not exactly sure what it is, but it's just likely the combination of my stash fabrics and the design.  I really like this year's mystery.  It may just top my most favorite: Orca Bay (renamed Coffee at Orca Bay):



I did end up using some of the greens from Orca Bay in Good Fortune (as well as some of the reds from Allietare).  When I used stash fabric for Busy Street (Edit! I just realized the mystery was EASY Street... mine was just busier than most and I couldn't get that out of my mind apparently! LOL!), I wasn't happy with the result... I am thrilled however with Good Fortune.

I decided to make it longer because finishing at 72" square didn't give me enough length for at least a lap quilt.  I like to tuck my toes sometimes :)  Because there were extra four patches, I was able to make up that block quickly... and now I only have one four patch left.  I decided to do the green sawtooth border before deciding if I wanted to do more bonus hst's again, and there are many leftover still.  I haven't made up my mind yet, but I need to soon since I am almost done with one side of the half chevron pieces for my extra 7 blocks needed.



My project over the next week is to finish up the 7 chevron star blocks and then work on adding a few extra pieces for the two longer borders.  I am wondering if this quilt will bump others in line for quilting?


Check out the other reveals here: http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2019/01/mystery-monday-link-up-reveal.html  I love seeing how others have used different colors and how they turn out.

Good Fortune pt 7

I finished up my sewing on the latest clue released at 9pm (my time) NYE yesterday.  But it wasn't until today that I realized that instead of using XX four patches, I sewed up XX PAIRS of four patches.  So I currently have almost 30 halves of the clue not sewn up sitting on my table.  I'll likely need to rip them, but I will wait just in case.


I really like how the patches sparkle in the scrappy sense, and I am glad that I chose multiple fabrics instead of single colors.  That's just my preference.


I have also been working on last summer's (2017) Primitive Gatherings Summer Block of the Week.  I am up to 20 blocks made, and 7 more weeks to go (or, 28 more blocks).  Because I chose an on-point setting, I will need to make two more blocks for it to work.



Kev and I went to Mud Bay to pick up some dog food and pulling in our parking space, I spotted this guy:


I wish I could have pulled out my phone quick enough to catch a photo when he was staring at me, he had such pretty, big eyes.  I'm not sure if he was loose or got out of a carrier, but I think his person is pretty adventurous to travel with her kitty like this :)  I think the owner was agonizing over which food to get, as we went in and out before she had made up her mind.  I was hoping that the owner was on the Cats of Bothell facebook page and saw my post... but I haven't seen any comments to indicate she is.  I'll give her time :)

Good Fortune Mystery Pt 6

Yesterday I started trying to clean and organize my quilt room.  This room also has a small desk cubby that gathers EVERYTHING so that was my starting point.  I was able to discard or recycle a lot of stuff on the desk in order to rearrange so I could use a shelf easy access to my quilt books.  I finished it up mostly today, though I still have my walk-in closet to do next.  I don't know where to put my knit fabrics for garments, but I'm hoping if I can get a shelf space where old magazines and other books are currently stacked freed up I can put them there.  At least then my closet could house all my fabrics.

Now clue 6:


It was an easy clue, but I decided instead of the background fabrics I had been using that I would go through my string box and pull out something new to this quilt.  I am hoping for a New Year's Eve or Day clue release next :)



Monday Link-up: http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-6.html

And now I am looking through string possibilities to join the Moda String Along.  Though, I am confused because I know that Lori at Humble Quilts is also doing a String Thing Along.  Which one to say I am a part of?  I'll likely keep up with Lori.  I call that synchronicity.

Clue 5 Link-up and Merry Christmas!

I knew I would be taking this clue slow given things I would be doing this week.  But it's such a great clue!  I finished my Christmas tasks on Sunday and then sewed up a few blocks. 

Ready to go, along with bonus pieces.

 I started my blog post a few hours ago, before I went back to sew some blocks.  I didn't anticipate being finished with Clue 5 tonight, but I am!  Now I am all ready for Friday's new clue release. yah!

Check out other clue 5 link ups here: http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-5.html

I'll bet everyone has these teeny slivers after this clue!

This morning after gifts were exchanged, one of my sons  said, "you are still making cinnamon rolls, RIGHT?".  I really wasn't planning on it, we've been on treat overload for the last couple of weeks.  But I did make the recipe....  I use my grandma's recipe from when she worked in a school, and it is very good--it makes a lot though.  I wasn't planning ahead and started adding ingredients before I realized I should have halved it!  I will send some to neighbors tomorrow for sure!

I knew December would be rough diet-wise, but I've still kept up with logging calories at myfitnesspal.  So far I am only up by 5lbs and come January Kev and I already decided we are going to do our 2nd round of Whole30.  I found it really helped for kicking sweets.  The backstory on the Whole30/Paleo plan is that hubby's company started a new health push for those over the arbitrary BMI number they chose:  Lose 2 BMI points and gain $500 each participant into your HSA account.  Don't lose and lose $500 each participant (likely pays for those that lost the points).  I tried dieting from April to July with minimal to show except that I was back to where I was in the previous year's biometric screen.  Through Whole30 we both lost the 2 points we needed by Oct 15, and because I know how these things go, we continued for as much as possible until today.  So far I have lost 2 more points so unless they change things, I am in the clear for 2019's screen.  As much as I hate these "nudges", I am glad that I seem to have found what works for me in regards to diet and exercise (I do daily walk during the week, and add treadmill for at least 3 mornings).  My daily fitbit goal is only 7000 (compared to 10,000 "they" say to do), but I'm ok with that.  What I really dislike is that I have dieted my whole life and end up only gaining more.  I'm sure that's a story a lot of people have.

I hope you've had a wonderful holiday and celebrated in the way that brings you the most loving feelings.

Weekend Wrap-up

Clue Four is here!  Yah!  I was hoping this quilt would involve strings, and this was the clue I was waiting for :)  I finished sewing Clue 3, and have pressed the long pieces but I still need to press and square up the half-square triangles.  That will be this week's project.

This weekend was filled with making cookie dough, almond roca, and in the wee hours of Sunday morning I decided to begin baking them.  The youngest child's alarm clock was going off at 2:16 and he wasn't turning it off.  After I woke up, carefully walked across his lego mined floor to turn it off and I could not go back to sleep.  45 minutes later I went downstairs and turned on the oven.  At least now all the cookie packages are put together and either already gifted to neighbors today or are ready to be mailed this Wednesday.  I have been dreading baking to be honest... I have been doing the paleo diet (started with Whole30 in September) and the thought of the sugary treats sitting in the house make me nervous.  Unlike soda, giving up sugar has been much harder.  My plan for December is to do my best and be ready to perhaps do another Whole30 month in January.

Oh!  and our Boy Scout troop's tree lot was sold out on Saturday!  10 days before Christmas!  In our 8yrs with the troop we've never experienced that so it was really cool.  Hubby's (he's the scoutmaster) words put it best:

Just shortly after the last shift of the night began, there were 2 trees remaining.  A gentleman came walking over and asked for me by name.  He stated that he wanted to bless the next two families who came to the lot wanting to buy a tree.  He paid full price for the 2 remaining Douglas Fir trees - $50 each.  He stated that he had been blessed in his life and wanted to share.  He stated that he appreciated us all spending our time at the lot.  We were all flabbergasted at his generosity and should his hand and thanked him.  He then pulled out his wallet and handed us a $78 tip!  On TOP of the $100 he had just paid for the trees.

Thanks to this gentleman's generosity, a single mother of two and a widower on a fixed income were blessed this evening with a tree.

He added in encouragement to live by the Scout Slogan of Do a good turn daily, which doesn't have to just involve treasure, but their time or talent in helping others.  This was a great year for the tree lot, even with one "unpaid" sale and two bad trees.  I enjoy this fundraiser.

Now... on to Clue 4!


Orange strings!!


Guess what my high school colors were?


Orange and green :)  My high school is now a homeschool network location as it merged with another local high school a year after I graduated.  For the new school colors they kept the green and added it to one of the other high school's colors.  I can't remember at the moment what the color is.  They then kept the orange and the other color as secondary/highlights.  I have to say that growing up in the 80's during the bight neon times, school spirit weeks were fun!

Thanks Bonnie Hunter for another fun mystery!  Link up here: https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.html

Good Fortune: Clue 3

I would like to say that I finished Clue 3 of Bonnie Hunter's Good Fortune mystery, but I'm not.  I saw the half-chevrons on Friday and cringed.  I seem to do Bonnie's mystery quilts every few years and the years I haven't done them have all had the chevrons.  I still haven't made any of her chevron'ed quilts... I hate to say it by it isn't my favorite piece in quilts.  Now, give me that tri-recs shape?  LOVE those.

beginnings, figuring out the spacing and testing...


I did start on Friday with cutting, and then some line drawing, and then a little sewing.  Saturday was a the scout Christmas tree lot shift day so I knew I wouldn't be doing any sewing.   It ended up being a 10am-8pm day for Kevin, crazy busy in the morning and he was called in!  I made a spaghetti and meatball dinner along with some pumpkin muffins for our dinner (all paleo) and was ready to start our shift at 2.  I went in an hour early to unwrap trees.  Our day ended with 64 trees sold which was a record (for at least this year), Kevin said he has never seen it that busy.  And it's difficult when a shift is 2 scouts and 2 parents, some know how to tie knots well--which is nice when you are hopefully paired with a more experienced scout/parent.  For some reason shoppers want to be sure their trees arrive home still on their vehicles :)  I'm not a knot person, thankfully Kevin is like a king knotter and Darrin is picking it up.  And we are now officially done with our required 6 shifts!


My greens along with the first two clues...

Back to sewing... Sunday I did bits and pieces throughout the day.  At this point it should be easy sailing with just sewing the other side, my lines are already drawn.  I am guessing there will be an opposite side to this half-chevron and I will take that in stride as well.



Linking up here with other Good Fortune mystery sewists: http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-3.html

Mystery Clue 2 and Holiday Sewing

Tada!


Sunday I finished my Clue two for Good Fortune.  I now have five days to clip off the dog ears.  Before I began this clue, I had to hem a shirt I had made earlier in the weekend.  Changing out the bobbin, I believe I won this round of "bobbin thread chicken"!  A little more than an inch was left from my last sewing!


I really enjoy using my Easy Angle ruler. I have tried every HST method, and it actually surprises me that this is my preferred method. I learned how to use it when I went to my first Bonnie retreat in 2017 and I've been hooked ever since. It really opens up not having to deal with that extra 3/8" and I can use 2.5" pre-cut strips that I have on hand.


A couple of miles of HTS's behind my machine :)


Monday Link-Up:  https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-2.html

This is what I sewed on Friday, and it took until Sunday to finish hemming.  I really tried with this pattern.  It was my first go with it, and a patterned striped knit to boot... uffda.  I thought I had the side seams aligned (nope) and I thought that I had the sleeves on the correct stripe (nope).  For the sleeves, I was paying attention to the red stripe pattern and not the reindeer/snowflake changes.

...and then! I was attempting to try out my serger for a blind hem stitch and mucked up the edging on a sleeve.  I need to invest in a coverstitch in 2019.  OTHER THAN USER ERROR: I love the pattern and it truly is an easy sew!  I did the scoop neck, 3/4 sleeve version first along with the full-bust pattern and it is just right.  When I originally purchased the pattern, I was 45lbs heavier and my measurements were at the top end.  Today it fits just right.  I think I may cut some of my black DBP knit and make a simple black tee.  I don't know why I jumped right in with the patterned version first (I think I found this fabric on sale a couple of years ago).  The sleeve cuff ends bug me, but I don't think it's any worse than RTW clothing available to buy.

You can find the $5 pattern here:  Classic Tee

A Weekend of Projects

This weekend was going to start with me working on Bonnie Hunter's mystery "Good Fortune", but it was derailed by other sewing things until Sunday.  I still have more four patches to make, and I plan to have that finished before the next clue comes out on Friday.

I love reds.... and I love spinning the seams so that will nest properly when it all goes together.

I need to sort through some current scrappy strips from Madame Rouge to finish up with the four patches:


I haven't decided yet if I will just do a half-quilt or the full mystery quilt.  At least four patches can be used in anything so they won't go to waste.

The day after Thanksgiving is always the Boy Scouts tree lot setup day, and usually I put our tree up on that day.  I haven't done that yet this year, perhaps next week.  Before Kevin left, he showed me a fleece beanie cap that he had bought for Darrin and himself (but Daniel ended up claiming one leaving Dad with none) and asked if this would be an easy item to make.  I put aside my first mystery clue sew to play with a beanie pattern.  It was pretty easy to make and then I learned how to do a blind hem stitch on my serger.  I had to play around with it so I had the fabrics going the right way for the hem, but what a great feature.  I think it is also called a flatlock stitch, but in the fleece that is hard to tell.

Here is the sewing I started the weekend with (Madame Rouge in the background):




I ended up sewing the troop patch onto the grey beanie. I wore the pink one for our tree lot shift last night and it was warm enough. I may choose a thicker fleece beanie for our next shift in two weekends.

This coming Wednesday is Darrin's first band concert and I had totally forgotten about finding a white shirt, black pants and shoes!  I decided to try out the thrift shop first and we lucked out!  The pants will only be good for this year (length), but the shirt and shoes should be able to see a couple of years of concerts.  If I had hit the shop on 1/2 price day, the cost would have been even better but I'm not complaining about $23 for these items.

Daniel was thrilled to find a guitar with an American flag on it :)  We also did our annual ornament hunt at the Hallmark shop.  Our local shop was suppose to close, but they were able to renegotiate the lease.  I am really glad because I'm not sure where the next closest one is.  Our original shop that we started our tradition with closed down when Darrin was 3, so we've been going to this one for the past 8yrs.

It's been a full weekend!

Link up day!
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/11/mystery-monday-link-up-and-cyber-monday.html