On Ringo Lake Mystery Quilt Update

Believe it or not, we are past clue 4 and this Friday will be clue 5.  I am not keeping up as well as I have in past years, but I have made some of each clue to keep up with knowing what and how the pieces are going to fit together at the big reveal (which usually comes on New Year's Day)

Clue 1:

Clue 2:

Clue 3:

Clue 4:

Christmas is right around the corner, this weekend in fact, so I'll take a moment to wish all my friends, whether in person or through this blog a Very Merry Christmas!!!  

I'll be back next week with clue 5, and some other non-quilting sewing stuff.

Warmest...

Little Quilt

I came across this mini quilt in one of my magazines (American Patchwork and Quilting, Oct 2017 issue)  and was inspired by it enough to want to do one myself.  It is called Chocolate Stars by Jo Morton.  She does a line of mini quilts each year for a program called Little Women's Club.  She even has a book out just recently with nothing but these little quilts.   The block in the lower left hand corner in the first picture is an old vintage block that Jo Morton takes and does a remake on that block.

This mini quilt will be done completely by hand.  So, I dug out one of my floss pocket holders and put all the small pieces in to keep them organized and easy to travel with while in the vehicle.

One of the reasons that this mini quilt will be better off done by hand quilting is because it had several set in seams.  These are so much easier to do by hand than by machine.

Here is a partial one done.  

And getting more done on the star block.  

I am enjoying this little quilt and it's process of doing it by hand.  Even if it takes me a year or so....

Warmest...

An Unexpected Gift

I just love my sister-in-law!  I received a package from her last week and was just overwhelmed with what I found inside.

You are looking at a huge pile of patriotic fabric.  WOW, just, WOW!!

She follows me on my blog, and knows that I work with a group, Quilt of Valor Stars.  She know that I make blocks for this group, and wanted to help.  She is short on time, but had this fabric, so she sent it to me so I could incorporated them into blocks.  

This is the new block the group is doing for their next drive.  They would like 2000 blocks from all of us participants.  I have 8 done so far.

I'll be working on some more throughout the month.  It will be a big help now having more fabric to choose from to make these blocks.  Shout out thanks to my Sister-in-Law, Ginger!!

She also included a couple of decorations. Which I put into my sewing room.  She knows my sewing room is pink, and pink is my favorite color, and my name is pronounced like the bird Wren.  So, she found this beautiful ceramic pink bird cage.  It's just too cute!

I have wall space above my sewing area, where I have a collection of crosses.  of the four on my wall, my sister-in-law has given me three.  Maybe even the big one??  Anyway, she knows I have this collection and she added another one.

The silver one is the newest addition that I hung on the wall.  It reminds me of Who I really have in my life and how important He is to me.  

Again, Ginger, if you are reading this, thank you so much.  You know me so well.  Love you and hope you are doing good with the Chemo.

Warmest...

On Ringo Lake - Clue 2

I am late working on clue 2.  I have been busy with year end paperwork.  Yuck!! But very important.

I had a few minutes this evening to get a few of the units done for this clue.

This clue is making flying geese.  Lots of them.  If you are interested in finding out how many, you can go to Bonnie's site to find out more about this mystery quilt.

Now that I am done with the paperwork, I am hoping to catch up on this clue.  Plus, the next clue is tomorrow, and will need to get working on it as well next week.

I am also considering do this mystery in another color way of red, white, and blue.  I have had the fabric for some time now, and didn't have that "right" pattern that I wanted to do, so when this mystery came up with just four colors, I decided to add a touch of gold and I will have a nice quilt.  We'll know more by next week, stayed tuned.

The end of the year is approaching and as always, there are new Block of the Month, Block of the Week, Stitch Alongs, etc that start popping up all over the internet.

These are a couple of programs that I am interested in participating this coming year.  This one is by Katheryn Kerr at Green Avenue Quilts.  It is called Aves, and using blocks named after birds.  Since my first name is pronounced like the bird Wren, I was intrigued and will give it a try.  It is not a "traditional" quilt, but it has a lot of traditional blocks, done in a most interesting way.  If you are interested, you can go to her blog here to find out more information about this one and several others that she has done in the past and some that are currently going on.  

The other on is from Piecing from the Past, called Stars Over Baltimore.  I really like this site, as they offer Block of the Week programs throughout the year for free.  They are always done in civil war reproductions, which I am a big fan.  They also have a FB page that shows off the blocks and tops, which helps me see the different color ways that the blocks can be done.

This project will allow me to make blocks as well as do some appliqué.  I am finding that I need some hand work when we go out of town.  Or, I may go with Heat n Bond, and then just top stitch it down. I'll decide after I get the first pattern.

Warmest...

On Ringo Lake - Clue 1

If you have been a follower of my blog, you know that every year at this time, I am doing Bonnie Hunter Quiltville's Mystery Quilt.  I have done the last three years mystery quilts, Grand Illusion, Allitare, and En Provence.

This year Bonnie is calling the mystery quilt, On Ringo Lake.  Her color choice was coral, turquoise, dark brown and light background.  Of course, all of her choices were from her scrappy stash.

Last year for the En Provence I went with her colors.  For the Grand Illusion and the Allitare, I went with my own choice of colors.  Again this year, I have decided to go with my own choice of colors.

My fabric is from the various fabric lines by Fig Tree, manufactured by Moda Fabrics.  I like the softness these colors bring, and the small floral prints will do well in the small pieces that these mystery quilts end up, because it is based on using up scraps.

Clue 1, came out the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday.  Since I chose not to deal with the shopping crowds, I was able to get the pieces cut out and all sewn up.

So, clue one is done.

Now back to getting my backlog of UFO's done.  I am making great strides in getting them done, just having lousy weather here in the Pacific Northwest to be able to take pictures.  I have several quilts that I have gotten done, but need pictures and to do individual blog posts about them.  

I also got my summer goal project, repainting the kitchen cabinets all done!!  

These are the before photos:

These are the after photos:

I even went ahead and refinished my laundry cabinets as well.  The laundry room is off my kitchen and I needed the cabinets to look cohesive.  

I'll be posting at least weekly for this mystery quilt, as the clues come out weekly until New Year's Day.  

Warmest...

2017 Finishes - Dresden Plate - #32

I have been working on this quilt since 2013.  Yep, 2013.  The top was finished back then, and I just stuck it in the "to be quilted" pile.  You can read about the progress here.

I sent this off to the long arm quilter in August, got it back at the beginning of September, and finished binding it last week.

Here it is laid out to get a full view. 

Close up of block pattern, sashings, and borders.

I didn't have enough of the pink from the front to do the back, so I had to pick one that was fairly close.  

My favorite view of quilts with my roses behind the quilt.

It landed on my mom's bed.  As soon as she saw it, she claimed it for her bed, as her favorite color is pink.

Warmest...

Size: 64" X 80"

Fabric Lines Used:  Various 30's Prints

Pattern: Dresden Plate

Designer:  QAL by Ann Sutton, Bunny Hill Designs

Long Arm Quilter:  Carol Logan

Year Began: 2013

Year Completed: 09/2017

2017 Finishes - Thimbleberries Paint Box Stars - #29

If you have been following me on my blog for any length of time you know I am a part of Quilt of Valor program.  I have a neighbor that I am best friends with and her husband, as it turns out, is a retired captain form the marines.  So I had been working on a quilt that would be perfect to give him under this program.   

Meet Captain Jack Carter, Ret. USMC holding up the quilt I gave him under the program.  He is 81 at the time I gave him the quilt.

His wife, my friend, took this picture of he and I with he quilt for their memory picture book and family.

Below is the presentation letter you give with the quilt.

I made a label, something that I don't do very often (hang my head), but I wanted him and his family to know about the quilt and where it came from and how it was presented.  

He and his wife was very touched by receiving this quilt, and it made my heart swell as well.  Wonderful program to be a part of and a participant.

Warmest...

Scrap Quilt of Valor Blocks

I have been working on the quilt "Vintage Sampler" for the last few months.  Always, when working on BOM programs, there is plenty of fabric left over from cutting out the pieces for the blocks.  Since the colors for this quilt were red, white, blue and a little black, what was a girl to do, except make Quilt of Valor blocks!!

I found the pattern for this block on the fabric collections manufacturing page, Paintbrush Studio Fabrics.  You can find the pattern here if interested in making something for yourself.

This is my scrappy version of the block, and it's perfect that they turn out to be 12" finished.  Perfect for the Quilt of Valor program.  I am going to be able to get 9 blocks out of the scraps.  Well almost, I did have to add some of my own red to get the 9 blocks.

Then I had a lot of small scraps left over, so I made some very scrappy filler blocks as well.  

I was again laid up for another couple of weeks, recovering from eye surgery on the same eye that they put the gold into the eyelid back in April.  The gold made my eyelid too heavy, and I had a slight allergic reaction, so they had to go back in and remove the gold.  The biggest drawback from the surgery, is I can't lift more than 10 pounds, or bend over for almost two weeks. I have much yard work, kitchen cabinets to be finished refinishing, canning fall harvests, laundry, and my list could go on and on.  I am getting antsy.  

Warmest...

Quilt of Valor Blocks

The Quilt of Valor group that I belong to through FaceBook has had another block drive for the next few months.  I made a few blocks to send their way, and I am working on a another batch.

They gave out two patterns for the block drive.

This one is called Martha Washington's Star.  Not a fan, and would not want to make them for myself, but it gave me practice on the pinwheel block that is in the middle.

This stars is called Starflower.  Much better to block to make, so I made more of these than the other one.

The group is also asking for as many of these Rail Fence blocks that they can get.  I just made these, until I ran out of the flag material.  I only had a small scrap.  These blocks measure 6" finished, so they must be wanting them to be used as filler blocks for the normal 12" finished blocks.

Interesting side note about these blocks.  I posted this picture on the group's FaceBook site and some one commented about being careful about the layout looks like a swastika symbol, and that would look bad for our group.  I had to look hard at the picture to see such a symbol, but I doubt they will  e laying out the blocks in this manner.   I went back to look at the post, and the admin for the group, had removed this picture and all the comments.  Interesting how things get perceived, even in quilting.  Personally, I don't really see that symbol, but the commentator must have and hit a nerve somehow.  Oh, well, I really don't care, as I am just making the blocks, and happen to lay them out this way for a picture.  

These blocks were sent off last week, so that the other volunteers will be putting them together.

Warmest...

Vintage Sampler Block 9 - Feathered Star

I came back to show you that I finished the feathered star.

Some of the points are not perfect, but once it gets quilted, they will blend in and won't show so bad.

I'm on to working on the next section of the kitchen cabinets.  

Warmest...

Working on Vintage Sampler

I have been working on the Vintage Sampler, the next is a large Feathered Star block.  Anyone who has done one of these blocks, knows it is somewhat a difficult block.  

There are 133 pieces when the block is completed.  I have to keep everything labeled, and organized, so I can't do chain piecing.  So, if you look at the back of the first picture, you will see the last few blocks of the leader and ender "bowties".  Yes!  I am at the end of this project.  The next few weeks, I will be trying to figure out how I will be putting them together.  I have enough blocks to make two over-sized twin quilts.

Here is a block as a ender of one of the sides of the star points.

Snapshot of a layout of another part of the feathered star.

Some of the finished areas of the feathered star.  Taking a couple of days working on it, a few hours at a time.

I am also working on refinishing my kitchen cabinets this summer.  I am a novice at this kind of project, so I am taking lots of time to get it right.  It will take more than the rest of the summer to get them done.

Here is the before (cabinet doors off already).

The after pictures.

One-third done, two-thirds left to go.   Then considering to do the rest of the house, as all the wood (door frames, bathrooms, window sills, and baseboards) all need to be done and updated.   

Warmest...