Monday, November 30, 2020

Frolic is together!

Building a corner
All year I have been working on Bonnie Hunter's Frolic pattern which was last year's mystery. This project involved complex block construction and an on point setting. It was my goal to finally finish the quilt top this month. 

Did I mention there are millions of pieces to organize and put in the right place?!?


This was just one of the challenges I came across. I pieced too many side triangle units (totally my fault!) so didn't haven't enough pieces left for the 4 corner units. I had to deconstruct some of the blocks on the left and magically turn them into the blocks on the right. It was not as easy as it seems... or maybe it's just my covid brain?!?


Miles of HST borders were sewn for each side of the quilt.

Wow did I work hard to finish this quilt top! I feel like this must be similar to getting a PhD in quiltmaking! 



It's a large quilt (84" square) and became bulky to work with, and it was surprisingly heavy sewing the long diagonal seams.


I did something when making this quilt that I have never done before in all my years of sewing. I sewed a flower head pin right into a seam! I didn't see it as I was sewing and only noticed it when the clunking sound started! 


I unstitched the seam and extracted the pin.
Look at the pin now! Can you believe it?! I almost sewed the flower in half!

I'm sure the sewing machine needle must have been damaged by sewing over the pin, so both the pin AND the needle went into the garbage. Too much drama!

Here is the inside of the quilt on the design wall. It still needed some trimming on the side, but this is how it looked before the borders were added. So cool how it looks like a 2 block quilt, but it isn't!

And here is my finished Frolic quilt top hanging on the clothesline. Wow that's an incredible quilting design... kudos to Bonnie Hunter!





Proudly linking up to One Monthly Goal and Design Wall Monday

38 comments:

Gretchen Weaver said...

I like your Frolic, I can see the whole design! Now you can start the next mystery with a clear conscience, happy stitching!

Julie in GA said...

Your Frolic quilt is beautiful! Congratulations on meeting your goal and getting the top finished!

The Cozy Quilter said...

Looks fantastic! Congratulations on getting it done before starting the next mystery! Your Grassy creek fabrics are pretty too.

Margaret said...

You should be proud! Your quilt top is beautiful! I hope you enjoy Bonnie’s next challenge.

gailss said...

What a great finish and congrats on finishing this up! You must be very happy to have this done and on the time schedule that you set to have finished. So, now on to this years Bonnie challenge and bet it will be another great quilt....look forward to your progress.

Carole @ From My Carolina Home said...

Wow that is a LOT of pieces! Congratulations on getting it done. Quite an accomplishment!

Mary said...

Congrats!! The Setting Triagles and Corner pieces were my why for a straight setting this year. With Covid brain I just couldn’t do it. I'll turn it diagonal on the bed, lol

The Joyful Quilter said...

Perfect time to finish it off (with the 2020 edition just beginning.) Well done, Kathy!

Ramona said...

Great job on meeting your goal and finishing this beautiful quilt! I really like your fabric choices for this design.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Oh, I've sewn flower pins and even thru those big yellow ball ends (and thru bone-finger) - my machine is tuff! Congrats on the finish with the next mystery out you now have a clean plate.

Andee Neff said...

All that extra work, but what a beauty! Your colors turned out great and now you can move on to the next mystery--HOORAY!

dianne said...

gorgeous ... absolutely!!!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

that one sure has a lot of pieces - looks great

Bonnie said...

Stupendous! Just in time to start the next one! Have fun.

Jacqui's Quilts said...

Wow, Kathy...that is incredible!!! Good job getting it finished! I didn't do this one but have done 2 of BH's mystery quilts and they are a lot of fun...AND a LOT of sewing lol.

I have a pin with a couple of holes it it too...good thing those flower head pins are plastic!! Scared the life out of me!

Deb A said...

Wow! That came out amazing and congrats on the finish!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Frolic is beautiful, Kathy! Congratulations on seeing it through!

Robin said...

Absolutely wonderful! I'm so glad you finished this one. Nice job!
It is amazing that you didn't break your needle while sewing through the flower pin. That is one for the books.

sue s said...

congrats on what looks like a very complex quilt. I passed on it last year but I love seeing what's been done with it. Yours is wonderful!

MissPat said...

Congratulations! It looks great. Mine got stalled with only some steps partly done and the last 2 maybe not at all (we were in FL and I didn't have the right pieces with me). I'm almost ready to abandon it because I don't have the energy to figure out what needs to be done. Not even starting Grassy Creek.
Pat

Cynthia@wabi-sabi-quilts said...

Strong needle and strong machine to not snap going over the pin. What a spectacular quilt top - it's just beautiful. There is so much energy in it.

Sharon in Seattle said...

Fantastic!!! I still have to finish mine.

Jenny said...

Such an amazing design, all those little pieces. Such a great feeling to get the top done, I'm sure. I started one of Bonnie's mystery quilts some time ago, but sadly gave up. But I have used some of the pieces in other quilts, so I'm pleased about that.

Mystic Quilter said...

Congratulations on a beautiful top finish, don't envy you all the the pieces to stitch though!

kathiquilts said...

a great big gold star for you - not just for a beautiful top but for persevering thru the challenges it presented.

Deanna W said...

I think in all the sewing I have done, I have sewn two of those flowered pins. Lucky you missed the pin part and only got the plastic part. WooHoo a finished top and just in time for the end of the month. Look at you go girl!!!
I haven't been posting on my blog as I am in Christmas knitting mode and no quilting or sewing is getting done!

Chantal said...

Kudos to you too. It's AWESOME!! I love the colours you had chosen for this one. Just Gorgeous! Enjoy the new mystery! ;^)

Needled Mom said...

It turned out beautifully. Her mysteries are not for the faint at heart!

Janet O. said...

It is a beauty. Kudos to YOU, for getting this completed.
That is crazy about the flower head pin!!

Vicki W said...

I'm not the biggest fan of BH designs for myself. They have too many pieces for me, but they are really striking designs. I do appreciate the effort that goes into them. The Frolic design is very pretty and you made it even better with this beautiful color palette. Kudos to you!

Sue... said...

Its beautiful, I literally just finished mine last week too!!

Patty said...

Amazing quilt! Thanks for linking up with Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal and congrats on your finish!

Preeti said...

Fabulous Frolic Flimsy Finish!!! Guess you are ready for the next Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt :-)

QuiltGranma said...

Good job! I once sewed a yellow ball head pin into a comforter, when I found it I managed to get the head off and left it in the comforter, and pulled the metal part of the pin out! If they ever find it, and I don't even remember which one it was, they may wonder.

ButterZ said...

Absolutely amazing. I still have my borders to do.

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

I sewed over one of those pins while paper piecing. Not fun. You did a great job on the quilt. Now you can start on her new mystery.

Marie said...

Worth every one of those HSTs for that border! Great finish Kathy, even if you had to sacrifice a pin or two :).

scraphappy said...

Beautiful! What a fabulous pattern, and your colors are just stunning. All of your quilts are great, but this one is a huge accomplishment.