The second best thing about the Friday after Thanksgiving is that Bonnie Hunter releases the first clue of her new Mystery Quilt!
Before I knew what hit me, I had a small mountain of nine-patches done.
After stacking them in piles of ten, I found that I had 35 done, with lots more in progress next to my sewing machine. My original plan was to just make half as many components as Bonnie calls for, so I'd not end up with yet another full-sized bed quilt, but I shot right by that number. She's taking it easy on us this year - we only need to make 50 of these nine-patches. Way easier than previous mysteries where we made hundreds and hundreds of four patches or HSTs right out of the gate.
One of the tips she gave this year is the one where you stack your strip sets, nesting the seams, and cut into sub-units - the pieces are lined up and ready to stitch, thus saving lots of time and cutting.
It also works for the other section of the nine-patches - I'd stack the strip sets staggered, nesting seams, then cut.
Two sets for the slice of one!
As long as I was making nine-patches, I made a few more for my Burgoyne Surrounded sashing.
I also cut a bunch of 3.5"x15.5" strips for the sashing from neutrals, since I had them all out to cut 1.5" strips for the nine-patches anyway. (I'd been using them without cutting any replacements for a loooooong time. The cupboard was getting pretty bare!)
Also, my leader/ender project is progressing nicely.
These rails are easy and fun, and having enough to lay out and get a good look is a real stimulus. I've decided my strategy will be to make and sew the blocks together in pairs. That way I'll end up with the correct number of each block, and it'll be easier to count the pairs than the individual blocks. Above I've got six pairs and three singles laid out next to each other, and I'm really liking what I see.
Linking with Quilting is more fun than Housework for Oh, Scrap!, and with Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Monday Linky Party. Come enjoy all the scrappy goodness!
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I have never done a Bonnie mystery, but I have to admit that I'm loving the colors this year. Your 9 patches look good! Isn't it fun to enjoy NOT having to do those least favorite parts of your job after retirement?! My retired teacher friends and I have many of those moments - we know exactly what the teachers are doing at certain times and we're soooo glad not to be there!
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of nine patches
ReplyDeleteAnd your rails I kinda tripping me out... I like it!
Those little 9's look great - they do work up fast and you can get carried away with them. I am saving my rails until after Christmas as I have almost enough to complete a quilt. Let it relax for a bit.
ReplyDeletePsst, don't tell anybody, but I made about the same number of 9Ps today. Of course, you know I've sworn off Bonnie's mysteries ...
ReplyDeleteI only made FOUR 9-Patch blocks for the On Ringo Lake Mystery. Your scrappy ones look SEW good!! LA LA LA... I can't see those racy Leader/Ender blocks you've got going. NOPE!! I don't see a thing (because if I admitted to seeing them, I might have to go make some of my own.)
ReplyDeleteI finished my ORL blocks in record time. I suspect that the next clues will be more involved! The variety of turquoises is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI got my Ringo nine-patches done quickly too. The did go together so easily with her hints! I’ve switched browns to grays and am really pleased so far. Trying to get several other projects done before the next clue is released.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a wonderfully scrappy post. So much eye candy! It is hard not to be inspired to start something new. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!
ReplyDeleteLove your leader-ender project! And your gumption for doing another Bonnie Hunter mystery. Maybe someday, I dunno.
ReplyDeleteLove your aqua nine patches - are they 3" finished? Your leader/ender project is coming along, so nice and bright and cheery!
ReplyDeleteI'll save the directions for Bonnie's mystery and decide after the finish if I want to make this quilt or not BUT who doesn't love 9 patches and those colors are beautiful . . . I can feel myself being sucked in. Enjoy your stitching this week.
ReplyDeleteGreat job! These did work up quickly... and it helped I didn't have children underfoot so I got some real sewing time in this weekend. Can't wait for clue #2.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, miss first-to-link-up lady! Am I understanding that you're newly retired?
ReplyDeleteYour nine patches look great, and so do those leader-ender rails; you've got a great start on both projects. I opted out of this year's leader-ender challenge, I want to finish up a few other things first. Keep up the great work!
Isn't it fun to do these Mystery Quilts!?! I also made way more 9P than needed for ORL. I've got 77. I like your L/E rails. I didn't start that since I had so many other projects. I'm using one of those as my L/E.
ReplyDeleteYour nine-patches look fabulous! I had to laugh about not missing working on Black Friday -- been there done that, and I actually worked the OVERNIGHT shift starting on Thanksgiving three years ago! Don't miss that at all!
ReplyDeleteYour 9-patches are beautiful! I haven't started mine yet bc I was away for the holiday weekend. I love all the colors for this years mystery quilt. Looking forward to working on it.
ReplyDeleteYou got a lot done on several projects. I do like that checkerboard rail fence. I've seen several and they all look great.
ReplyDeleteGreat bucketful of 9-patches; don't feed them to the pigs by mistake! I was also geared to 200 HSTs and joined far too many brown strip sets! I'll just use the leftovers on the back!
ReplyDeleteI'm saving the directions but no time right now to dig in. Though I'm restraining myself from raiding the fabric closet and pulling fabrics right now! The colors this year look absolutely gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteSome great looking prints in the ones we can see. I was thinking it needs to be a little bigger to have enough overhang on the sides of a queen bed. Will have to wait and see if that's easily doable after we see the finish.
ReplyDeleteBarbara at Stash Overflow
This looks like a great start on the mystery!
ReplyDeleteYou have a nice range of values in your aquas, Gayle! I think it's going to be really lively and fun. :D
ReplyDeleteI don't do Bonnie's Mystery Quilts. Not because they aren't pretty, some are down right gorgeous, but because of the 100s of HSTs or 4 patch or 9 patch they require. This year I do love the colors of it and 50 9 patch sounds doable. Am I in? ... Pondering. Love your leader/ender project. Looks cool. ;^)
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting on Sunday. It inspired me to get moving. I'm using the production sewing to work on my bad habits...like veering off the road at the end of the piece.
ReplyDeleteYou are moving right along with Bonnie's clue!
ReplyDeleteLove the colors of your nine-patches. Teal FTW!
ReplyDelete