Mystery Project #3 - Double Delight

The material is picked out. That is usually the step that takes the longest time for me. The next mystery is about to begin. So exciting! More to come...

2 Week (and 1 day) Challenge

What can be accomplished in two weeks? Let me restate that. What can be accomplished in two weeks in addition to going to work, cleaning, cooking, doing laundry, shopping, attending church, keeping appointments, doing volunteer work, spending meaningful time with your family, (add your tasks here)... shall I go on? I think you get my point!

I just completed the Orange Crush Mystery Quilt as presented on Quiltville. It took me two weeks and one day to navigate through choosing material to sewing up that last seam. I am really proud of this accomplishment. The instructions were understandable to my way of thinking. I didn't feel overwhelmed by the process, probably because there was only one small step to tackle at a time.

Here it is!

It's the First day of Autumn - Mystery Project #2 Solved!

Most times, when I take on a project, it isn't done in a timely enough manner for use. Here's a good example. When I began making quilts, I decided to make a very warm blanket. That's great but it wasn't done until July. Not a good time to be using a warm blanket. Of course, it was utilized a few months later. It's nicer to be able to use the FOs right away, don't you agree?

Today is the first full day of autumn. This orange crush mystery project can't say "fall" any more if it tried! Here is the Orange Crush Mystery Quilt laid on the floor, right before I finished sewing it all together. I love it! And it's going to look fantastic in my bedroom! It'll be done before summer; I can use it right away!

Pumpkin Runner - DONE!

Here it is - Mystery Project #1 is done! This very well could have been an unfinished object (UFO) for a long time. The decision make it into something, take a detour from my new project, and see it completed had to be made; it won't finish itself!

 

I fussed quite a bit over what color to use for the edge. After trying greens and reds and tans and solids and prints, I spotted some leftover dark brown bias tape I had from another project. Yes! It was going to look great! Hoping there was enough, I held it up along the edges and it was almost exactly the length I needed. There was only about 3 inches left after trimming! Whoa!

 

Taking a detour

Sometimes you have to stop the big project and finish up the smaller one that is waiting patiently for you. In this case, the smaller project is taking mystery project #1 (the pumpkin!) and turning it into a runner.

I'm making it pretty wide in order to have it be big enough for a table for 8 or to set on the foot of the bed or on the back of the sofa. The FMQ-ing is pretty straight forward: stitch in the ditch, lines with a curve, and curly vines. Not too hard! And because it's not too big, it's not taking too long! Yes -it's my kind of detour. After the FMQ-ing is done, one to the egde binding and it's ready for use.

Mystery Project #2- part 3

When you are making something that is big enough to cover a bed, you need quite a bit of material. So that brings us to...

Cutting. Lots of it! Here's a peek.

 

Mystery Project #2 - Part 2

The Orange Crush Mystery Quilt from quiltville.com is moving along! I have finished the next section of squares! The project called for 98 "split four patches" that were all made with scrappy, unmatched colors. That's my favorite way of choosing colors! This step took about

The handy 2" strips were part of the patch. I needed 196 of them. When you can cut 4 or 5 at a time, it goes quick. Really, it does!

Mystery Project #2 - part 1

Mystery projects have captured my interests! I have begun another one that I found at quiltville.com. The instructions say it will be a full-sized bed quilt when it's done. Exciting!

The cool thing is, when we were making our pumpkins at SSQC, I asked people to give me their scraps for my next mystery project, and they are perfect for the new project! My quilt will have orange and white in it, and other colors. The name of the project is Orange Crush Mystery. Too funny....

Mystery Project #1

A few weeks ago, I got an email from Janis, the leader of the Second Saturday Quilting Club, of which I am a member, that had instructions in it for a mystery project. WHAT's a MYSTERY project?

I've been a sewer since a teenager, but have only been a quilter since 2009 and a more dedicated quilter since 2010 when I joined SSQC. I had never heard of a mystery project. This idea intrigued me. Janis made this up for our first class of our year. She's so talented!

So I went through my stash and cut my fabric pieces for the Club meeting last weekend. Everyone got their machines set up, installed the thread and bobbins, began to get our pieces of fabric and we were instructed to sew together piece number 1 to piece number 2. Then number 3, then 4, etc. We had no idea what patterns or shades of fabric we would be getting and had no knowledge of what the final project would look like. It truly was a mystery! And it was SO much FUN!