Mystery Update

Here are some of the blocks I have sewn for my scrappy version of the Quiltville mystery. The first step had us sewing 4 patches and 9 patches, which is a very fun way to ease into a project.  These are my 4 patches using the light polkadot in all the blocks.

I want to make a quilt that is a bit smaller than the pattern so I am making 2/3's of the number of blocks listed in the instructions. I can always make more blocks if needed once I see the design. 

I am enjoying using up my scraps according to value only. This photo makes me smile because I am sewing late at night, drinking tea in my Bonnie mug, and wearing my pink cow pyjamas!

Go to sleep for heaven's sake! You can sew more blocks tomorrow!

Here are some 9 patch blocks which can be used as an "I Spy". Can you find the stop sign, the dove, the kitten, the starfish, the butterfly, the swan, the panda, the ladybug, and the bird? So fun!

Okay... time for more fun now! I'm popping over to Quiltville to see what we will be sewing for step #2!

December Goal

December requires a Chrismasy goal don't you think? I'm going to make my OMG to finish the Fat Quarter Shop's mystery called Christmastime. The pattern was free on their blog earlier in the year and is still posted if you'd like to make one too. I have quilting ideas and am hoping to finish this quilt to hang on the wall for Christmas.

Linking up to One Monthly Goal

Design Wall Monday

A finished quilt top is on my design wall today! 

This is the project called "Scary Faces" that was in the Spooky Box from the Fat Quarter Shop. The quilt top includes 8 spider web blocks, 4 pumpkins, and 4 ghosts. 

So fun! I have some ideas for how to quilt this project and I'm hoping to have it pin basted and ready to quilt next weekend. And then I'll be done with Halloween and be able to jump right into Christmas projects... yippee! 

I'm so excited about this because this was my November OMG - I'm dancing over to add my blog post to the OMG link up and Design Wall Monday at Judy's!

Slow Sunday Stitching

Thanks for dropping by the weekly hand stitching party where we're all about needles, threads, fabric, inspiration and self care! There is no advertising here, no Black Friday sales, no machines to give us grief, and no stress whatsoever! It's just pure relaxation, taking deep breaths, and taking one slow stitch at a time. 

And because we are all about the S.L.O.W. part, it's not very often that we can announce a finish... but today I have a finish to share! This is my Bee Happy embroidery from the October online class with Julie of Clever Poppy.  First I did some hand quilting along the stems and around the jar to stabilize the 3 layers.

I hand quilted 1/4" away from the edge of the added border on both sides. Once I got to this stage I was really excited to finish this miniature quilt, and I was quilting it late at night.

Then I got a great (late night) idea to appliqué triangles on the inside of the border. This was challenging because the pieces were so small, and I'm not very experienced with appliqué. And when I woke up in the morning, I didn't like it!  

At all!

So I removed those triangles.

And in their place, I hand quilted a triangle. Thankfully I liked the way this looked much better. I didn't detract from the embroidery as much and it just felt lighter, but filled the empty spaces in the corners.

I'm so glad I had enough of this pretty paisley fabric for the border, backing and binding.
Time to get the label on, add the corner triangles (to put the dowel into for hanging) and attach the binding.

And ta da... here it is! I love it so much!

The name of this miniature quilt is "Bee Happy" and it does indeed make me happy to see it displayed on my wall!

Finished size: 6.75" x 7.5"

Linking up to November's Favorite Finish

What are you hand stitching today? We love to see your progress, so link up your photo, instagram or blog post below.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Scrappy Saturday

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilters are finishing up their scrappy projects from this year. But not me! I do finish quilts occasionally, but I much prefer to start them! LOL

Today I'm digging into the strip bin to make blocks for the new Quiltville mystery. These might work. There seem to be a lot of lights and darks but not as many mediums values.

Here are some of my scrappy 4 patch blocks for part #1 of the Quiltville mystery.  

It's so fun to sort according to value only. 

For example, should this green scrap be a medium?

Or should it be in with the lights??

It's both! It's value depends on which fabrics are beside it. So there is no wrong answer - it's all fun brain snacks for me!

Linking up to Rainbow Scrap Challenge and Oh Scrap!

A New Quiltville Mystery

The fabric requirements for this year's Quiltville mystery have been posted here and tomorrow the first sewing step will be posted. It's official name is "Chilhowie" which I have already shortened to "Chill". And my version of chill will be an extreme scrap version according to value only. I haven't yet made a mystery quilt according to value only, so the challenge really interests me.

I’ll be pulling fabrics from my scrap backet and using up whatever is in there according to 4 categories:

Light (for white/neutral)

Medium light (for aqua)

Medium dark (for orange)

Dark (for purple)

What kind of quilt do you think this could become?!? 

I have no idea if this will work, or become a hot mess express (which might be the real name of my quilt!), but I’m excited to try out this idea. It will take me longer in terms of cutting for each step (vs. using fat quarters or yardage) but it will make me happy to turn my wealth of scrappy treasures into a quilt!

One more sleep till we roll!

Who's in!?!?

Design Wall Tuesday

For some unknown reason this blog post did not appear yesterday,  so I'll try again today. Progress has been made on the Scary Faces Halloween quilt from the Spooky Box. I found a similar fabric to finish the background on the pumpkins. Can you see how it's a bit lighter? I'm hoping that it's barely noticeable.

Here are the 4 pumpkins together on the design wall. I decided it was "good enough". I love how the pumpkin on the bottom left is a hot mess! That was a mistake creative design opportunity!

Here are all the blocks on the design wall late at night. It's not a good photo, but you get the idea of how the 3 different blocks will look together.

This week's goal is to get this to turn into a quilt top... hocus pocus!

Linking up to Design Wall Monday at Judy's