June UFO Complete

Celtic Solstice (Quiltville mystery from 2013) was my project Judy L's UFO Challenge for June. 

The top has been done since February 2014.

In that post is this month's Challenge project,

Tell It To The Stars -a Judy L design, still available on her blog.

I have worked on it this month.

I needed to cut 4 borders and the binding.

They are all cut and ready to sew on.

The binding is cut and ready to make.

The left over fabrics will be for the back.

I'm having so much fun with my Handi Quilter Sweet Sixteen. 

I'm so glad to have let go of that I'm not a good enough quilter to quilt my Bonnie quilts. 

I truly believe in finished is better than perfect. 

Here's my post about the chevron border. 

Neil Diamond was a perfect companion for my basting party.

Hubs was in the recliner, reading. 

I told him there would be singing. He rolled his eyes. 😀

Of course Miss Polly must claim her spot. 

I love this quilt and I'm so happy to have it ready to put on my bed.

But first I'll show it off at retreat next month.

Design Wall Monday

I had a FAB-U-LOUS!sewing week.

Yesterday I finished my Celtic Solstice top.

Now to make the backing!

All week I've been stitching on Pieced Hexies.

I have the last 4 basted, ready to stitch together.

Then it's time for a quilt top.

Or another re-design because I love stitching these together!

I finally started my Tell It To The Stars BOM from Patchwork Times.

Wednesday I made these 2 blocks.

They weren't hard at all but 

I spent more time with my seam ripper than I did at the machine!

Just another of THAT kind of day.

Thursday I did the blocks for February.

I did 2 for each month because that's what the instructions say to do.

You know Judy L designs the most fabulous quilts so I will not question.

If it says make 2, I will make 2. LOL

Today I will sew a Monkey Counting Book for 2 year old Corbin.

The boy loves monkeys and while shopping last weekend,

 I found a soft book that was made just for him.

I will spend time watching all the Olympic coverage I can find.

Someone in my house doesn't enjoy it.

BooHiss.

Find other great design walls at Patchwork Times.

I love Monday in Blogland!

Design Wall Monday

 Very little time has been spent in the sewing room this week. Instead I have either been working on these hexies or knitting. I am so close to getting everything ready to lay into rows.  The half hexies on the right side need greens on the bottom. There are 2 of these. The left half hexies are done.

 I layed these out this morning to see how many more greens I needed on the whole right side flowers. I'll just pick 3 more flowers and finish them off. Then we can be ready to do the final lay out. When this is all sewn together, I will decide what to do with the edges. I just don't see myself binding all those little angles. What I do see is a nice border.....maybe pink. Something more to think about.

When I did sit down at the machine this week, I worked on my Chevron border for Celtic Solstice. My goal for the week is to get this top finished and get the backing made. The other day Jo shared a link to a really cool way to make a backing. I've already pulled some hunks of blue to use and I'll make the center a star block and use it for my label. My back will be more scrappy than the instructions since most of my pieces are less than a yard. 

See other fabulous design walls around Blogland at Patchwork Times.

I've also linked up at sarah did it!: HeLp for Hexie-aholics.

Design Wall Monday

My blocks for the Quiltville mystery, Celtic Solstice, are finished. They are now in nice clipped together row stacks waiting for me to start sewing rows. The border pieces from clue 1 are all sewn together.

When we first found out about clue 2, I told my friends doing the mystery I thought these would be for the border. I was wrong. Not paying close enough attention, I made all left side parts. So I had to make enough right side parts to make my chevron blocks.  I put all the "extra" left side parts away thinking I might go ahead an use them for a border, depending on Bonnie's design.

Sunday I sat down and played in EQ7 to see what my quilt would like like with a few extra borders. Still not sure how to use the border section of EQ7, this is not accurate for the amount of pieces I need. I'll just to the math and figure that part out.  I like it so much that I am going to do it. Today is a good stay home and sew day.  That is after I cruise around Blogland for a while.

Today I'm linking up with Patchwork Times-Design Wall Monday and Quiltville's Mystery Monday Link-Up.

Design Wall Monday

I bet you thought I'm was going to tell you I did all 100 units like this one, but I'm not. I only did this one.  I made my Ultimate Scrap Quilt Like Julie's with just this block so making these was easy peasy. I had lots of practice and this little unit was deep into the chain piecing.

All little blocks are finished, only 30 have been pressed and trimmed of their dog ears. I'll get the rest finished sometime today.

I've been doing some scrap management instead of sewing. I have several bins of "scraps" and decided the real estate these bins were taking up was ridiculous and it's time to see what I have. On Monday I babysat the kiddos so I brought out a bin a, iron and ironing board and Go! to the kitchen table and started in. With willing help, we cut lots of 1 1/2" strips for my Scrappy Pineapple Quilt and there are 2" and 2 1/2" strips, a pile of shiny that will go into it's own bin, the bag on the left is for string and crumb blocks and the thin fabric in front of the bag will be foundation for the string blocks.  I have a pile of novelty 3" tumblers and 5" blocks for kid quilts, piano key border pieces left from the last string quilt and small block parts that will be fun to play with. There is also another 2 piles of pieces to big to cut up yet and a larger pile of pressed pieces that need to be cut. Scrap management is a never ending job but when I'm finished with this projects, I think it will be easier to keep up with.

I hope to have the remaining fabric from this bin cut today and all of it put away.  It's a fabric play day around here.  That is after I spend some time visiting around Blogland. I'm linking up with Patchwork Times and Quiltville.

**Note to self:  Must set the timer.

Celtic Solstice Part 4

My goal is to stay current with the Quiltville Mystery Celtic Solstice. I'm glad Bonnie gave us the mighty 4 patch for this weeks clue.

I love making scrappy 4 patches and in no time at all I had 137 scrappy, happy blocks. It's easy to get carried away.

It's time to find a bigger container for my parts. This one is full.

Now that these are finished, I probably should get to making my house ready for Christmas.

Design Wall Monday

Gramma's Quilting Room has become Gramma's Christmas Workshop. The doors on the Workshop are about to close as the work for this year is almost complete.  I'm having to take my time with Celtic Solstice Clue 3. I've been setting my timer to work on this clue so I don't get behind.  A half hour here, 15 minutes there. It always amazes me how much I can do in a few minutes.  I'm happy this is an easy step and that I haven't made any big blunders like I did on Clue 2.

I divided my HSTs into 2 groups when I cut them. Half went in one bin, the other half in another. That way I could have a somewhat even distribution.  I'll have this clue finished soon and all the Christmas sewing will be done too. And hopefully all the shopping and wrapping.

Today is another fun day in Blogland. I'm linking up with Patchwork Times and Quiltville.  Ohhh the pretties I will see this morning. I'd better fill my cup and set the timer.

When All Else Fails, Follow Directions

Part 2 of Celtic Solstice from Quiltville is Chevrons. 

Easy enough, follow directions, you'll do just fine.

Key words are follow directions.

I did not.

Instead of making the units on the left in the photo go up hill,

I made mine go down hill like the right side units. 

I didn't shed many tears,

instead I vented to my Facebook friends knowing I could save someone.

I was surprised others did the same as I.

Only most didn't make all 90 remaining units wrong like I did.

These are now set aside, 

waiting for me to make a decision on whether or not to complete the units for the back

or to create an additional border for this quilt (depending on what the final results are)

 or save them for something else. 

NO BIG DEAL!

I cut more units.

I carefully followed directions.

I started a new audio book to keep me company.

I use One Click Digital through my library

to listen to books for free.

My friend Pam B told me about this and I'm so glad she did.

Thanks Pam B. 

I used these units to constantly check myself.

Then it was time to sew them into pairs,

finger press the seam open,

give them a light press with the iron,

turn them over,

give them a shot of starch 

and press them flat.

WhooHoo, all 100 units are complete with a few extras,

just in case...

And some half units waiting for something to happen.

Ready for Clue 2

Design Wall Monday

I've been working on Celtic Solstice in between other things.

Other things being these cute little mug rugs I gave to my friends.

And a few other things that I can't talk about right now.

'Tis the season to keep a few secrets.

I did my 10 test blocks before continuing on with the down and dirty-not really-

task of chain piecing 90 units at a time.

(Pardon the upside down block-it is after all, 5 am!)

Here are the completed 90 units

with the other half at the machine with the neutral squares sewn on half.

I'm pretty sure these will be completed today or tomorrow.

Monday in Blogland will be a busy place today.

As will the grocery store since I have to go there!

Check out Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times 

and Celtic Solstice Link Up at Quiltville.

I'm going to need coffee.

Celtic Solstice Part 2 Cutting

Celtic Solstice Part 2 was released yesterday.

Me, being the procrastinator that I am, 

had to finish up some things for today so I couldn't start cutting.

Last night at 10, I finished.

I know!

Why do today what you can put off until the last minute!!

This morning at 0 dark 30, I wake up bright eyed and ready to start.

Only problem--there is a man in my house that will not leave to go hunting.

Come on, it's going to be daylight soon (in a couple hours), she says.

Finally, he's out the door and the cutting begins.

Browns are up first.

I love brown.

I love using up what I have and only having slivers left over.

Guess these won't be going into the scrap basket.

I read a Facebook post yesterday about using the June Taylor strip cutter.

Duh! I have one of those,

quick and easy work of those browns that I cut into 3 1/2" strips,

then zip, zip, zip,

they were cut to size.

The browns are now stacked into 2 nice, neat piles of hopefully equal amounts.

I'm going to do one side of this block at a time.

After I do a test block or 10. 

Probably 10 since I bundle in units of 10.

Next up are the neutrals.

I have oodles of 2 1/2" strips but not many 2" strips.

My dilemma this morning was to cut the strips or cut yardage.

(Isn't it wonderful that this decision is my big dilemma of the day!!)

I cut yardage.

I'll use those 2 1/2" strips in something that calls for them 

and I have lots of neutral yardage.

There is always the neutral scrap box that I could get out and go through.

But gosh, yardage is so neat and tidy.

Later today will be my pinks...

I can't wait.

I love pink.

And brown.

And neutral.

And purple.

And blue.

I can't wait to do Celtic Solstice Part 2 sewing!!

But first I must party with quilting friends.

Have a fun day.

Design Wall Monday

Like oodles of quilters out there, I am working on Quiltville's newest mystery called Celtic Solstice.

Also like oodles of quilters out there, I am working on Christmas gifts.

That is why I only have 30 triangle in a square units complete.

Am I worried about that?

Goodness no.

Friday morning I had 4 littles here while their mom went shopping.

It was a good morning to cut while the olders watched a Cat In The Hat Christmas.

See the green bin in the background with the little cars?

That kept Little Mr. busy while I cut.

And it kept him away from my side of the table.

For a few minutes.

He's 2.

I wasn't sure if I'd like my substitute choices of Bonnie's colors.

I do.

I like them alot!

I'll have all of these sewn together before Friday rolls around.

Or maybe even Tuesday.

Today is a a busy day in Blogland.

I'm linking up with Patchwork Times and Quiltville.

I think I need another cup of coffee before I start to wander.

Quiltville Mystery--Present and Past

The new Quiltville Mystery, Celtic Solstice,  is ready to launch Friday.

 I am so excited.

This is the first time I have strayed from Bonnie's color choices.

Only because I don't want to buy fabric right now.

I know, weird! But I am in use it up mode.

I think I'll dig for some more purples.

Here are my past mysteries.

2008-Carolina Crossroads

This one lives with my Sister Sue.

All the others are mine.

2008-Orange Crush

2009-Double Delight

2009-Carolina Christmas 

For some reason, I didn't do it. 

It is in Scraps and Shirttales II .

I do plan to make it at some point in my life.

2010-Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll

My favorite.

2011-Orca Bay

Finally finished last month.

2013-Easy Street

Waiting to be quilted.