Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Orange Crush Part 5


to RED

to WHITE
PERFECT
 So I started by auditioning oranges! Honestly, I was going to use the 'red' one!! But that was before I changed up the colours and laid it out! EEWW!! Then I pulled the only other oranges I had enough of! The flowery one was just to white and I thought it might blend into the quilt! Don't want that!! The bird cage surprised me with the aqua (that I am using for the centers) already in the fabric! Umm YES!! Plus, it MIGHT just create an opening for yellow binding! (maybe!!??)
Cut and ready to roll!
So, I cut and stitched and finished up my album blocks, half album blocks, and quarter album blocks! Have I ever said I am a NUT for on point quilts! I just think it changed the look SO much!!
I was all ready fro next week to put these blocks together (part 6) but then I realized that there was an optional pieced border!! Well we all know I could NOT pass that up!! So I'm going to split part 6 up into two weeks so I'm not overwhelmed! I mean, I KNOW what the end of Orange Crush looks like, but I'm not sure what Grand Illusion looks like and weather or not the next clue will be more challenging! It's not a race ... right!!
Come back and check it out! Getting SO close to a completed top here!!
And be sure to check out Bonnie's Blog for part 5 instructions!
See Y'all soon,
Josie

Half album blocks

Quarter Album blocks
Album blocks finished!!

Monday, December 29, 2014

Grand Illusion Part 5


Quick and easy
This week clue was quick and easy! That was a great break I got a little after the Holiday cleaning done. (not really my FAVORITE thing to do, but I guess it has to be done!)

Thanks for visiting! Check back tomorrow for clue 5 of Easy Street
Linking up with Bonnie's linky party up!
Josie

Friday, December 26, 2014

Easy Street finished!!!

I'm so happy to have this one on the DONE and GIFTED list!! Our oldest Daughter laid claim to this one not long after the top was finished. I wanted to be sure I was in good standing with my long arm before I took on another big quilt! This beast finishes at 98 x 98!! (That's a biggun!!)
We were at my In-laws for Christmas so I was able to take an on the bed shot! (they have such an AMAZING home!!)
I hope it is well loved with our Daughter! (even though I'm SURE her bed will never be made!! )
Thanks for visiting! Linking up with Bonnie for a holiday linky party!
Sadly this was my only hand made gift for this holiday! I DO hope to be better NEXT year!!!
Josie

Easy Street!

A LOT of texture!!



Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Orange Crush Part 4

Cut
Done!!  Keeping up nicely with OC! Oh Yah!! This week added in new colours!! I chose to use my neutral here instead of black and pink instead of red! First step was HST units!
Then on to the first block! Spinning stars!!
Spinning Star blocks DONE!!

I love it when a block comes together!!
Be sure to come back and check out my next blocks!
Be sure to check out Bonnie's post for part 4


AND I'm FINISHED with my Easy Street!! It is bound and ready to be gifted! I will have to get good pics when I give it to my Daughter!

If I don't make it back before then I hope everyone a blessed Christmas!
Josie

HST

Monday, December 22, 2014

Grand Illusion Part 4

Binding!!
Got it!! I've been a BUSY girl!!
This weekend I finished binding my Easy Street (Post to come later when I give the gift!!)
Then after that I started in on my part 4!! I am happy to say I'm finished! Thank you for being a quick one!!
Linking up with Quiltville!
I'm off to work on my Orange Crush! This whole binding thing has gotten me just a bit backed up! Wish me luck!!
Josie
Part 4 finished!!

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Orange Crush Part 3

Cut and ready
This was a quick and easy week! I'm keeping up and doing great!! This is the end of the Black and lime! (on a side note I MIGHT have to buy more lime to finish my Grand Illusion!! LOL OOPS!!)

At any rate! Here's part 3!!

See you next time!!
Josie

And DONE!

Sunday, December 14, 2014

BHMQAL Grand Illusion Part 3

Oh so close!!
Oh, my lord!! I'm so glad this past week is done!
 First the thread debacle for my Easy Street! What 's that you may ask... well I'm THIS close to being finished and I ran out of the thread I was using King Tut that had been given me when I purchased my Long arm. I have to say I am not really a fan of this thread! It says 'low lint' but I'm not seeing that!! I see a LOT of lint! But when you are this close to finishing you use the same thread to finish... right??? It is on order, but I will have to wait till it gets here to finish! I'm so sad!!


Double four patches

Then this step!! It was SUCH a simple step and yet for some reason I just could NOT get through it!!
 First, I sewed every last one of my black strips to a white strip!! That led to forty five minutes of unstitching!! I got them all properly stitched. THEN I did the worst thing EVER!!! I didn't listen to Bonnie's words!! I know better!! Thank goodness I was only stitching 20 units together at a time! I sewed the first batch correctly!! Then I sewed the next batch together with the black square in the WRONG corner!!! That ALSO led to about a half hour of unstitching!!
All is well now and all of my units are finished!! 

I also sat down the other day and did some quilty math! For these three quilts I'm currently working on (ES, OC, & GI) I need 405" of binding for ES, 370" for OC, and 364" for GI... that's 1139" for binding!!! Almost 95 FEET!! Maybe I will start on those while I'm waiting for the next clues and my thread!! LOL


I'm on to my next adventure for now! (well more Orange Crush) Wish me luck!!
Linking up to Bonnie's linky party!!
Josie

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Easy Street on the frame

On the beast!
I'm just on a roll right now! I have to admit it feels GREAT!! Can we all say I'm just a little Bonnie Hunter obsessed?? OK Yes at this current moment I'm working on Grand Illusion, Orange Crush, and I go throw Easy Street on my Long Arm! I know! Someone call the police! I'm a stalker!!

If you follow me you may remember I was having some issues with my machine! I sent the beast in and they fixed it, however my love for where I bought it is dwindling! You know I have not heard WHAT they did to fix it! Not a word!! At any rate.. It's fixed and purring like normal!!

Close up of quilting
I am going with a paisley repeat kind of deal! FMQ and making it up as I go along!! I'm just about half way done! I decided I should work on this while I wait for week three to begin! I like to have a few things going at once anyway!!

As I work on this I am reminded why I don't quilt for others... #1 I'm still learning!! My set up does not allow me to work on pantographs (because it is to close to the wall AND I don't have a laser) #2 Do you charge extra fro the dog hair you lovingly quilt into the quilt?? Try as I might there are short white from Little Dog and long black from Big Dog!! What can I say?? We re a dog family!!

OK I'm off to start my morning!! Wish me luck on my quilting!! See y'all soon!!
Josie


Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Orange Crush Part 2

Split four patches ready to roll!!
Whew! Keeping up!! I can do this!! So far so good!! I really do love the simplicity of Orange Crush!

Part 2 is split four patches! Once again for this quilt I have changed up the neutral with Lime green and the dark I chose to use black like in step 1! I popped it in my EQ7 (Oh wait did I not tell y'all that dropped on my doorstep...) I just LOVE how the four patch look much more BOLD with these choices!

They are all finished and I'm ready to move on to the next step!

On a side note it is very trippy to cut lime green on a green cutting mat! I go to my large mat for strip cutting! But for dog ears and such I sit and trim on this little gem!

OK week 2 is done ... Now what???
Josie

Monday, December 8, 2014

BHMQAL Grand Illusion Part 2

Cut
Whewh! DONE!! ;0) Be sure to check out everyone's progress at Bonnie's Linky party!! Then come back here tomorrow to see how my Orange Crush is coming along!!
Josie

DONE!!!

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Orange Crush Part 1

Cut pairs
Because I'm a glutton for punishment and sometimes one is not enough...
I have decided to do a second Bonnie Hunter QAL!!!
I have said it before and I'll say it again... I love Bonnie Hunter! She said this year would be a little more laid back so I have decided to do Orange Crush (a previous QAL) I can't really call it a mystery because I do know what the final result is, but it reminds me of Easy Street!
I have changed up some of the colours (actually going with most of the colours from Grand Illusion)
I have finished part 1. I chose to go with lime greens instead of her neutral and black prints instead of her dark selection!! I just can't sit still right now! It is after all cold outside and that makes it time to quilt... right!! LOL
SO both part ones are finished... and cut for part 2 for Orange Crush!!
Maybe I will start working on part 2 while I await Fridays clue to go live on Grand Illusion!!
Just call me crazy!!
Josie
150 Four patches!

Monday, December 1, 2014

BHMQAL Grand Illusion Part 1

Guess what time of year it is... SQUEAL BHMQAL!!!
Cut and ready to roll!!!
Part 1 went live on Friday! I went shopping!! And then spent Saturday and Sunday cutting and sewing!!! And I am happy to say part 1 of the Grand Illusion is finished!!! I had tossed around the idea of mixing up the colours... but I LOVE the fun bright choices Bonnie made! So, I stuck with her choices!! Can't wait to see the next part!!
Josie
Linking up to Bonnie's Post!
Done Done and Done!!!