What's been under my needle lately?

 What's been under my needle lately? As an avid Bonnie Hunter fan, I've been participating in her Allietare Mystery Quilt. Bonnie is so generous to do this every year and her designs never disappoint! I started this quilt Thanksgiving week when she releases the first clue and finished piecing the last week of January.( If only I didn't have to go to work!)
For those of you not familiar with Bonnie, check out her blog at .quiltville.blogspot.com . She is an amazing teacher, author, and designer. My biggest dream is to be able to go on one of her teaching cruises. Quilting and a cruise...I think it would be heaven!

There are lots of pieces in a Bonnie Hunter quilt! I was so excited that I had the required fabric in my stash. I opted for the scrappy version. In my Easy Street Mystery Quilt by Bonnie, I purchased batiks. This time I used what I had.













This year I learned a new technique for headless geese. They were most time consuming. All the colors were scrappy except for a grey constant. I chose a grey with a white pattern. It was almost a mistake. It almost faded into my neutrals. Next time I'll be more careful.

Look at my happy blocks! I always love it when you start assembling the blocks!  There was 50 blocks in this year's MQ. I love the colors this year too!

This is the corner section. The blocks are pieced together on the diagonal.

Isn't it pretty! I love the stars! As I was laying this out, I noticed that the star blocks would make a gorgeous quilt and the square blocks would too. I may be doing this at some point!

Alletare on my little twin bed. I still have to attach the borders.

I think the borders really tie it all together! Bonnie put a scalloped edge on hers. I'm still toying with the idea, but will probably not. I like straight borders.

Forgive the picture. The sun was behind the quilt. And it was windy and cold. My daughter and 2 grandkids are trying to hold it straight enough for me to get a pic! I'm proud of this quilt and love how it turned out! Thanks Bonnie Hunter! Your mystery quilt along is most generous and makes me happy!

Sister's Choice...Blocks finished!

Sister's Choice blocks finished and sewn together! Now I have to consider the border's. Did you see Bonnie Hunter's Sister Choice? I just love it! I'm afraid I didn't see her lesson on Neutrals until after I was too far committed into my fabric choices. Still, Addi is most very happy with what I've completed, and I watched her little fingers tracing along the different blocks, and she would ooooo and ahhhh over the different fabrics.( This is why you sew for the little darlings, right? I have visions of her hunging onto her quilt long after I'm gone, remembering the Nana that loved her enoough to make her a quilt.)

I'm thinking a thin red border with a wider pink border. My daughter suggested that I put her name and a message on the back. I think I like that idea! After this, I have to quilt Easy Street and this quilt. I also have a smail's trail, and a couple of other UFO's that need quilting.

What are ya'll up too?

Once Upon a Time...

a kind friend named Ms Julie, give me a couple of huge bags of scraps. They were most colorful happy scraps, and I was overjoyed! I cut the scraps into 2 1/2 " squares and pondered, what shall I do with said lovelies? They were most precious and special soooo, they were stashed away in normal saline tubs awaiting the day that a most special use was found.

While watching Bonnie Hunter on Quilt Cam piecing together her Sister's Choice blocks, there was an epiphany! Hey! I love those blocks! Hey! I have a bunch of 2 1/2 square blocks cut out! OOOOOO! I have a bunch of white on white/cream fabric left from Easy Street! And so now I have this, 18 Sister's Choice blocks with rainbow points! See!

Now while I was sewing blocks, Addi, my 4 year old granddaughter, came up and said," Can this be for me Nana?" . Why yes! Yes it can. She loves the rainbow points too!

This is my favorite block. The yellow fabric with blue pansies is so gorgeous and I wish I had more of it.

So now Nana still needs to make at least 6 more blocks, maybe 10. I'm aiming for a twin size quilt for Addi's bed. I think I need some green points to mix in for the rainbow colors.

Now this isn't the end to my story! To be continued! 

Finished Piecing Easy Street...OH YEAH!!!!

I did it, yeah, I did it!!! I finished piecing my Easy Street!!! Yip Yip Yip!!! And I love it! The Batiks make me happy, and I just love the colors! 3 x 4 blocks is going to be plenty big for my twin size bed! Now to figure out how to use the extra blocks for pillow shams!

It's wet and rainy outside, so I had to do an inside pic. Couldn't back away enough to get the whole quilt in the pic! I've decided against borders, it's pretty big as is.
A special thank you to Bonnie Hunter for hosting and designing Easy Street Mystery Quilt Along. It was super fun, and the design is so fabulous! I can't wait until the next one! Your such a doll to do all that work!

Easy Street...Close to Complete!

All my blocks for Easy Street are finally complete! (Actually, I have done all the blocks for a 4 x 4 block quilt, but have decided to do the 3 x 4 block quilt.) Now all I have to do is join the blocks! My tush is still dragging from this flu. I have asthma, and it has my airway really irritated. Thank God for inhalers! 

 Here's a close up of the blocks. I was worried that the white on cream fabrics weren't going to look as nice as the black on white fabrics, but now that I see the finished results, I think I like it better. It certainly makes the pattern more pronounced. This has been such a fun quilt along, and I've enjoyed it so much. Now that the quilt is close to completion, I feel a bit sad! Not too sad though. I still have Amy's quilt in progress, and need to finish it soon! (She's patiently waiting!)

Getting Down on Easy Street!

Finally!!! 16 Block A are complete! 3 Block B are complete! Through yet another bout of Flu, I am sewing my heart out! I know it's not a race, but I just want to see the finished product! This will have been the most complex quilt top I've done yet!

 There is a dilemma; however, size! I was going to gift this to a daughter that was getting married. She informs me that she wants a Mario Brother's quilt with Mario and Princess Pea.  I already have quilts in progress for the other daughters. I can use a new quilt for sure! But, my bed is a twin size. Easy Street is no little girl! I measured on my bed, and making it 3 blocks x 4 would be most generous! Hmmm, I could always use the extra blocks for pillow shams!.

So here it is! Not finished, but making strong progress! I have totally enjoyed this mystery quilt along!

I've been browsing all the other Easy Streets. All the various color choices are amazing! I love them all!

Easy Street Follies or What Was I Smoking???

I was reviewing my block on Facebook, and I noticed, "OH horrors...I made a slight mistake! If you look at the first pic the lower four patch squares turned the wrong way! Ack! 

 Ok, it's an easy fix, no big deal.See...all better now in the next pic!  If that's the worse mistake I make, I'll pat myself on the back. But I digress...

 While pressing and starching my triangles, LOOK what I found!!!

 Not just one mismatched triangle, but 3!!! Yep, the 'ole seam ripper will be seeing some action today! Now Bonnie clearly warned about watching which way you placed the four patch, didn't she! (I think she knew I'd do this! Ok Bonnie, I will better heed the warning now!)

Ok, enough whinning! I will now go fix my mistake, and get back to my blocks!

Easy Street ...1st Block Done!

WoooooHoooo! All triangle ends and inserts are complete and I have finished my first block of Easy Street! My accomplishment seems a bit light compared to those that have completely finished their own Easy Street! 

And my...they are gorgeous! I tip my hat to you speedy quilters! I myself am a slow poke, but it's all about the thrill of the completed quilt. I always get a little sad when a quilt top is completed. It's comparable to that feeling you get after all the presents are opened, or at the end of a vacation!

At any rate, I won't be sad for sometime on Easy Street! It's sure to give me piecing pleasure for a couple of weeks at least!

Easy Street Clue #7, Headed Towards My Big Finish!

It's been an exciting week for followers of Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Quilt along, Easy Street! We got our last clues this week, including the big reveal! I can't wait to finish mine up! Here are my corner triangles, All four are complete! 

Here are 3 of my 12 triangle units. Isn't this fun? It's like working a jig saw puzzle. I'm loving the colors together!

And 3 other of my big triangle units. Only 6 more to go! Darn it...have to work tonight, but I'll have a few days off afterwards to finish this quilt I hope! Can't wait to work on the blocks. On my side bar you'll see a badge for the Easy Street quilt. Click on it to do your own Easy Street! Bonnie's generous free pattern will only be up for so long, so don't procrastinate!

Then a late Christmas present from my daughter! She gave me some Amazon gift cards, and this is one of the presents I picked! Thanks Sarah! The other is an Accuquilt die, Ring of Oaks. Can't wait for it to get here!

Hope ya'll had a great New Year's Day! I spent mine on Easy Street, and was a happy quilter! Now I'm off for a nap so I can't work all night. Happy New Year's to all of you, may 2013 be even better than 2012! 

Easy Street Clue 5 & 6

I was glad today's clue was easy breezy! I had to finish up the tall flying geese from last week, with Christmas, work and all putting me behind. Here are ES 5&6. I only took pics of part of the stacked bricks, the rest are stacked neatly in their tub, awaiting further instructions! 

I really wished I would have had the black on white print fabric required, but in person, the white on cream print stands out better. I hope it looks okay in the final quilt! I'm a bit worried about it.

Now the tall flying geese I'm please with! Love the colors of the batiks and it's such a fun fabric to work with. Whew! Been sewing all morning, and now it's time for a break!

Hope your Easy Street is coming along! I've been looking at the link ups and love all the variety! Can't wait to see the next clue New Years Eve, even though I have to work. I'll be off New Year's Day. Here's hoping everyone has the best New Year ever!

Easy Street Clue 3 and 4 Completed!

Oh what fun I've had with Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street Mystery! I really loved the shaded 4 patch. Though I wound up redoing a few blocks. I decided instead of mixing the the turquoise prints, to keep the same print for each 2 inch square. I also decided I needed to have 4 different pink prints instead of 3. The extra print worked out better I think.

Here are my flying geese units. I think I'm getting better at these. I really like the Easy Angle ruler set. You know, I've had the rulers for some time, but never used them to their potential before! Bonnie is such a great teacher and it's so kind of her to do this free mystery quilt, along with the lessons. She's just so awesome!

 

Here are my revised shaded 4 patch. I'm much happier with these colors together!

And let's not forget my green squares! I just love Batiks! Don't you?

 Now I don't presume to speculate, but just couldn't resist laying out my blocks! I LOVE IT! I think it's sassy and fun! So now I'm chomping at the bits to see what the next clue is! And hey...I've kept up! (That's amazing for me!)

 Now for my other project. I have the Scrap Basket Sensations by Kim Brackett. I love this book! This is the quilt 2 of my daughters have fallen in love with. So I bought all the fabric and 2 Bali Pops.It sure won't be done in time for Christmas, but they will be,"Just because I love you!" gifts.

 Here is what I've done so far! Love LOVE the bright colors, but you knew I would! It's such a fun quilt and is going along quickly! This is only a couple of days work. The daughter who's quilt it is, is just chomping at the bits. She seen me working on the mystery quilt, and said,"Is this for my quilt?" Uhhhh, no...it's for my mystery quilt. She looked so sad! (Ok, so I'm bad about finishing things!) Fear not dear Amy and Angela. Little do ya'll know that making a quilt for all my loved ones is my resolution for 2013! (Yeah...provided the world doesn't end on 12-21-12. I don't think it will...I'm just not feeling it, and I always have premonitions when *&%$ is fixing to happen.)

Love all you  gals that leave me the sweet comments! Thanks for visiting! Hope your Holidays are joyful and sweet! We are so ready for Christmas. I have to work, but we're doing our Christmas the weekend before. 

Last pic! Here's my Addi girl on her 4th birthday! December 7,2012. Happy birthday Addi Baby!

More Treasure!

Looky, Looky! My good friend Ms Julie gifted me a whole bag of yummy scraps to help me out starting my own string stash! It was so much fun to go through all the scraps and sort them out.

 

I found lots of 2 inch and 2 1/2 inch squares. Lot's of triangles, bigger squares, and some large peices of fabric. Wooo Hooo! I feel rich!

Then there were the stings and the crumbs. I'm really excited about all this because....

I finally have Bonnie Hunter's books. String Fling and Leaders and Enders! Now let me tell you, these are both wonder books, the directions and pictures are fabulous and I can't wait to start my own Sting Fling quilt! ( Sting Fling is autographed by Bonnie too! I love that!) I think these are just the best quilt books I have in my library by far! Bonnie is definitely my favorite quilter!

 Then I got a new Supreme Slider for my machine. Leah Day recommends them, along with the Machingers. The slider goes on top of your machine bed/table, and has a hole for your needle. It's teflon on top, and gripey on the bottom. It's suppose to help you slide your quilt around as you free motion quilt. Leah Day says she can't do without it or the Machingers, so we shall see.