Today's The Day

My bladder woke me a little earlier than usual this morning, so I took advantage of the earlier time to check for the Quiltville Mystery Quilt Intro. I think it's going to be a wait-and-see as to whether I'm going to do it, based on the color scheme. The one color that appears to maybe be predominant aside from the neutrals is orange. I use very little orange, so there's little in my stash - even if I included FQs and yardage; the total would be not much more than 1/3 of the requirement. I'm considering yellow, but am sure I would have to cut into some FQs and yardage to accommodate the requirement as well.

Sum total of my orange "scraps".

Following along, saving and printing the instructions and getting the paint chips are still on the agenda, so we'll see where it goes from there in the months ahead. I can't deny that I have plenty to do! All one has to do is review my UFO Parade and see how many projects need to be finished. There are a few that aren't even showing on there yet. Digging out of my 'black hole' has been challenging!

Mystery Season

The Quiltville, Bonnie Hunter mystery introduction for 2018 is almost here. Her followers and devotees know of what I speak. Her traditional date of release for colors and yardage is October 31st. That is just two days away, on Wednesday. There has been much expectant chatter on her Facebook group, and while I'm still unsure as to whether I will actually do it this year, I'm looking forward to seeing what she has going this year.

I first 'discovered' Bonnie Hunter in 2011, probably later than many, but have been hooked ever since, attended one of her quilt guild presentations meeting her in person and had my picture taken with her...she's a quilting world Rock Star, and while I wasn't a Beatles fan, I am a fan of Bonnie's, though I still won't scream my silly head off like a teenager.

The first mystery I became acquainted with was Orca Bay though I did not make it.  Some day I hope to. And as you can see by the labeled manila folders above, I have all of the patterns from 2011 through 2017, and if you look really closely, you'll see a folder for 2018 without a pattern name...I'm ready! And to be clear and respectful to Bonnie, I will not provide any part of these patterns to anyone so please do not ask. They are Bonnie's copyrighted property and available to purchase either on her website store, or printed in one of her books.

I'm still working on (well, I haven't really since last December when I last sewed anything) En Provence from 2016 and did not do last year's On Ringo Lake.

I'll briefly explain my organization: 

I trim a regular manila folder to fit an approximate 1/4" stack of 8.5" x 11" paper. That way it's pretty much like any other soft-cover book on my shelf. I crease at the fold closest to the actual fold of the folder and print the pattern name, Bonnie's name as the author, and the year of issue. It overlaps two years, but the year released is to me the actual year date.

Inside the folder, I glue a card envelope where I keep the paint chips. I suppose you could put any size envelope to your liking, in there, or even a zippered plastic bag, but this is my own preference.

I keep the pattern sheets in order - that only makes sense, right? Except if I'm actively working on it, then, while they're still in order, the finished portions are moved to the back of the stack. 

Anticipating this years colors! Will they include green, orange, pink, yellow, red, white neutrals, cream neutrals, black or green and in what shade and hue? From where will she have taken her inspiration? Someplace she's been this year or some other time in the past? Two more days, and we'll know.

Bow Tie Calculating

In July of 2013, I began my Bow Tie leaders & enders project ala Bonnie Hunter - Quiltville.  I last wrote about it January 2016, you can catch up (as I did) with this post.   I still have at most a couple dozen sets to sew into blocks.  I have 156 unique fabric blocks.  I have, if I counted correctly, an additional 203 blocks.  Of those repeat blocks, quantities are mostly 1 to 5 of each, but one of them has 18 more just like it!  

Black Tie Party, Project #043

I've calculated that the 156 uniques can be laid out, in the above pattern, at 13 rows by 12 columns, which finished will give a 39" x 36" unit.  I'm thinking I will add a 3" black border all around it.  That would bring it to 45" x 42".  Still just a bit small in my thinking, so perhaps another round of bow tie units (I obviously have no shortage of blocks), which then would bring it up to 51" x 48".  I could leave it at that, or add yet another two rows all around, maybe alternating the direction of the blocks.  I would have to cut and construct 3 additional blocks though...again, all depending on if my initial count, and calculations are accurate.  I'm not known for counting accurately!

Happy New Year

2017 is upon us and you're probably pretty tired of hearing and reading about how quickly those years are changing on the calendar.  They sure do though, don't they?

Upon checking all things on my computer, before once again hitting online church (in my defense of not making it in person, I was experiencing quite a bit of sciatic discomfort again so stayed home).  Sitting in a pew for nearly two hours with sciatic pain is not on my list of joy.  At home, I can stand and stretch or move about frequently with my headphones tethering me to my computer.

Bonnie at Quiltville provided us the final clues and the reveal of the 2016 mystery quilt.  While it's a little more purple than fits my personal preferences, it is a beautiful pattern, and I'm enjoying the process.  I'm looking forward to getting it together and put into the queue for the quilting process....before I die I hope!

Judy at Patchwork Times selected the first UFO to work on for 2017.  It falls within one my top three (those are the ones already layered and pinned), and it's a wall-hanging size, so I'm hoping I can get it finished.  My #3 is my Loveland Log Cabin.  

Loveland Log Cabin

I started this quilt in October of 2009.  Remember how quickly the years pass?  It's been pinned since February 2010.  Remember how quickly the years pass?  That's almost embarrassing!  It seems only months ago.  Well, send prayers for strength, energy and determination to get it finished, I need them.  My biggest hold up has been deciding how to quilt it.  Maybe echoed hearts?  Need to practice that FMQ stuff.

Wouldn't it be nice if I did get it finished in January so that it could hang on my wall in time for Valentine's Day?  That was a goal I once had; to have a themed wall-hanging quilt for each month and/or special holiday throughout the year.  I have the perfect wall which can be seen straight ahead as you enter my door.  I have Christmas wall-hangings that I hang, and when it isn't Christmas, I have my very first quilt, an Alex Anderson sampler that takes up that space, but I've no others done.

May 2017 be the best year, and may all we say and do bring glory to God!

Slow Flight to France

Hah, no, I'm not really taking a flight to France, but I decided to finally post my potential fabrics for doing this year's Quiltville mystery quilt, En Provence (see sidebar link).  Flash photography causes the colors to 'change' and show differently on fabric vs. paper...these fabrics really do match the paint chips better in real life.  We (Panda & I) found the paint chip cards with variable shades as well.

The magenta pink.

I have a piece of the same magenta pink fabric Bonnie showed.  She stated that she chose the paint chip Hibiscus because her Lowe's didn't have a chip that was as dark.  Hibiscus is the upper left chip.  Looking in the gradient cards, we found Very Berry (lower left) and Adored & Very Cherry (center two on right) that matched the fabric quite well.  I still need to go find and purchase a pink because I don't have enough of the one shown for the constant.  I have one other same-color piece but even if I used both, it wouldn't be enough.

Flame

Look who's joined me while I'm preparing this post.  Flame has curled up nicely on the freshly washed, not yet folded, fabric I purchased to use for the backing on En Provence.

Impulsive

In the photo, the one purple looks more blue, it's iffy, as is the one directly beneath it which is a little dull or brown to my eyes.

Garden Spot

My greens didn't photograph well either.  The ones that look lighter, are actually closer to the tone of the chips than those darker appearing ones.

Afternoon

I can say the same about the yellows.  Some of these are iffy - one possibly too lemony.  The one on the left second from the top looks like one in Bonnie's image, so I'm leaving it in for now even though it doesn't look remotely close.  Afternoon is the lightest color chip shown.

Neutral

My neutrals are becoming scarce without cutting into actual yardage.  Working towards the goal of eliminating as many smallest to largest scrap/chunks/pieces as possible before cutting into yardage, if I can.  Frankly, I'm getting real tired of the same-o, same-o neutrals, so will be really happy when they're gone and I can work with fresh fabrics.

Magical

I have very little in the way of any shade of lavender, and this is the sum total of my lavenders including yardage!  And again, the photo doesn't reflect the true colors.  I may have to add to this collection.

There you have it - my fabrics in contention for En Provence.  I'm looking forward to this.  Depending on the final reveal, I may turn it into two smaller quilts rather than leave it at the posted size.  These aren't "my" colors, but I'm up to the challenge of being pulled from my comfort zone, so will stick with them, and if I really don't like the end result, I know who those are of my family and friends who love purple and pink and it may become theirs...or a donation to the local guild perhaps to use as an opportunity quilt.

While I'm waiting for the first clue, I have plenty to do yet on Allietare, and with my aunt still planning to come down for Road to California in January...I have a house to get in order!

Post Updates & Copyright Comments

The last few days have been (re)educational.  For those of you who follow Bonnie Hunter/Quiltville, you know she had a recent issue over someone posting her copyrighted material in an inappropriate way.  

I always try to be respectful of copyright yet know that in today's media/social-centric world, inadvertent lapses could be made.  In that respect, I went back and reviewed what she had written in her Grand Illusion Introduction and she stated there that neither sizes nor (element) quantities should be posted on our blogs, and I thought, uh-oh, I may be guilty there, so I went back and reviewed all my own posts that dealt with G.I. and found a few personal offenses in that vein and have changed them.  I don't expect anyone to go back and review my blog posts, the changes wouldn't be obvious anyway, but should someone new come along and read my older posts, hopefully they will be inclined to look up Quiltville for the instructions and/or purchase Bonnie's (future) book when the pattern is removed from the website to be put in that book.

As much as it relies on me, I will keep the piece (peace) in the quilting world; won't you join me? :) 

Quilter's take on the adage "To err is human, to forgive Divine."