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...