Celtic Solstice - All Done.....Sort of

Today was the day - I finished piecing my Celtic Solstice :).  It is a happy little quilt and I really like the final layout.  It's much smaller than Bonnie's, mine is 58 x 58.

I took some pictures as I was building this.

Here are all the 4 patches done - using some darker greens and moving the really bright green ones around.

Then I finished the pinwheels and the corner units - all that was left were the green "V" units.

When all the blocks were done I had to decide about the border. I thought about turning some of the orange triangles (instead of all going in the same direction) - kind of blah.

I changed up the orange triangles, thought about adding some neutral ones to visually finish the blocks, tried using some of the 4 patches I had taken out and auditioned a yellow inner border.

In the end I went with all orange triangles, a neutral inner border and no green 4 patches.  I really like it, especially my little rogue block in the very center.

So now Celtic Solstice joins the pile of Bonnie Hunter mystery quilts - from 2010 Roll Roll Cotton Boll. This was my first and is probably still my favorite.

Next was Orca Bay - 2011.  I didn't like the original border and three years later I'm still trying to decide how to finish this.

This is a black and white check.

This is a blue inner border with a black and white print (it wouldn't be that wide).  Any suggestions????  Maybe the answer is - it IS done- no border.  Although to me it looks unfinished, like it needs a border.

And this is Easy Street - from 2012.  I had  tons of pink, red and grey scraps left over.  When I decided to enter the NYC MQG DWR challenge, I immediately thought of those scraps and they ultimately became Organic Pink Pickles.

So there is my saga of BH mysteries, the tops are all pieced (except for Orca Bay) and they are just waiting to be quilted.  Maybe 2014 will be my year to quilt up some of my tops that have been languishing.

Celtic Solstice has been fun to make, I'm glad I made mine smaller and that it's done.  Considering it's only January 11th, I'm really rather impressed :).  

Now it's on to a project that was started over a year ago.  I've been procrastinating but I'm determined to not do anything else until it's done - except for the never ending hand quilting my Jubilee quilt.  I am determined to finish it before our quilt show in April.

Happy stitching,

Karen

Final Piece of the Puzzle

It was fun reading your suggestions and choices, but in the end, the dark grey won out.    So each pink block gets the same dark grey and each red block gets the pink batik.  It's a very small attempt to corral this very loud and wild quilt!  I did appreciate how many red people gave their opinion, but in real life this quilt is VERY red.  I may add a little red in the borders.

Here's the fabric I chose.  I have to say that this is quite possibly one of my favorite lines ever!!  I have this line in at least 10-15 colorways.  I'm so glad it's still available.  This grey was a last minute choice at MJ's last month.

 

So I'm on to pinning blocks and putting the top together.  Hope to finish this one soon :).

Karen

 

Making the Final Choice

This is as much of this quilt as I can fit on my design wall. A 15" block takes up a lot of room!  My set will finish at 3 x 4 blocks ( not 4x4 like Bonnie's).  You can see the border and the bottom setting triangles laying on the floor, there isn't room for them either.

Here's my last decision, the center of the main block.  The light grey (shown previously) is in the upper left, other greys are in the next 3 blocks, with a red in the center block.  I know which one is my favorite, what do you think??

 

I'm ready to get this one done and down off the wall.

Have a great Monday,

Karen

Building a Quilt

Well, it's started - the  cutting is done and the blocks are coming together.  I've put the soft grey in the first block, as I build the quilt I'll audition other fabrics.

I'm pretty sure I know what it needs just by looking at the pictures.  Any thoughts??

  I'm thinking of using a dark grey inner border and the light grey floral for the outer border.

Back to sewing - it's getting fun now!!

-Karen

Last block - ready, set, go

 Here is the last block - I only need to make 6 of these.  I think I'm going to use the same pink batik for all the centers of this block.  Not only do I really like this fabric, I think it will give a small dose of continuity to a very scrappy quilt.

My first group of pink seemed so intense, so when I realized I needed 54 more pink squares, I added some softer ones.  I'll see if they work when I start to sew.

Here is the last unit - these reds are a very strong element.  I still have no idea if this colorway is going to work.

But I've been collecting these reds for a while so I'm glad to be able to use them.  As much as I really like the grey polka dot, I hope it's not going to be too distracting.

Here are all the units, ready to me to start :).  I'll be in the office working tomorrow, so they will have to wait for me :).

I'm anxious to see my version of Easy Street start to take shape.

Karen

Finally Adding Pink

 It's been so much fun finally getting to add the pink and get a glimpse what this quilt is going to look like.  My first thought was - it's a lot of pink!!  I've heard other people say that about the green (which is my pink).

This picture shows the corner unit, the setting triangle side unit and one of the blocks.  These blocks finish at 15" which is huge!

I'm using a dark grey for my third color - it's Bonnie's purple.  The center of this block should be the same color as the little squares and the flying geese - which would be the dark grey.  I didn't take a picture of it, but it looked too bold and contrived.

I'm trying out a lighter grey print that I haven't used anywhere in the quilt, and I'm thinking of doing every block  the same.                       Any thoughts?

I've been cutting all afternoon and thought I was done with the pink, but then I realized I didn't have the blocks cut for Block B - I need 54 more.  I am making my quilt 3 by 4 instead of 4 by 4 which will be big enough for me.  I may need to add something on the sides, but that's a ways off.  The only unit I have left is the red square with the grey wings.  So it's back to the cutting table for me.

Until next time,

Karen

Still on Easy Street

 I had such a fun day strolling down Easy Street with my greys and reds.  It was a grey, dreary day in Pensacola, so I was happy to spend the day in my studio.  I'm not sure why I am so comfortable sometimes with repetition.  I tend to do a lot of quilting without patterns or directions, so there are times when it's nice to sew and not have to figure everything out!  And Bonnie makes it so easy!

I'm realizing I should have used EQ7 to test my color placement.  I'm really hoping that I shouldn't have switched the pink and red.  I will know soon enough.

I'm really loving the black and white prints.  I've never really collected these (which is why I didn't have enough) but they are so fun!!

Since I had to buy some, I'll have some left over to use in another project.

Loving this so far.  One more step and I get to start using the pink!!  I think I'm getting close.

Going to have lunch today with a blogger friend - how fun.

Have a great day,

Karen

Seeing Red

 After worrying about whether these reds would run, I decided to wash and iron them all - not fun, but now it's done.  Several of them ran quite a bit so I'm glad it did it.  I have decided to use my reds, pinks and grey for my version of Easy Street.

When I looked at these pictures, I realized that several of the fabrics were reading really purple.  They have been pulled and are in a pile for another project.

A sweet friend of mine offered me some of her white/black fabric stash after reading my post where I had run out of enough variety.  I also made a trip to Mary Jo's (happy dance) while I was at my daughter's house in Charlotte over New Years.  Even though the prices have gone up, it's still a wonderful place to shop.  I'm very pleased with my collection of white and black prints now.

I'm hoping that my selection of colors will work well for Easy Street.  Since I cheated and waited until the final picture came out, I had a better idea where I wanted the colors to go.  The units so far have gone together very well.

 

My first 2 days of work have gone fabulously!!!  Monday night I fell asleep in the chair trying to work on a binding LOL!  I guess my little brain was completely exhausted.  I think it's going to be a really good fit for me.  I'm off to sew :).

Karen

I tried to resist, really I did....

I've participated in 2 of Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilts - Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll and Orca Bay.  Of course, neither one is quilted yet, but the tops are done - except for a border on Orca Bay.   And I was going to stay away this time, but the whole mystery of it just got to me - so Easy Street has begun.

So far, Step 1 - 71 blocks.  I already know I don't want to make it as big as hers, so I'm holding off for now.  Plus I have run out of a variety of white and black prints - so this is it for at least a week.

I went ahead and made my kitty block - love him :)!!  I don't have many of the colors she's using, so I'll be changing them.  I just need to see a little more before I decide what colors to use.  This morning's clue did not help me one bit!!  I know that's kind of cheating, what with it being a mystery and all...... but life is too short to end up making somethig you don't like!  I've been collecting grey, pink and red fabrics - so I'm thinking I'll probably lean that direction. I do like the grey blocks so far.

Have a great Friday!!

Karen