Saturday, December 3, 2011

A week with Bonnie

Orca Bay Mystery by Bonnie Hunter.  Clue 3.  350 half square triangles.  Really?  After Roll Roll Cotton Boll and having to make 600 HSTs one week (month), this sounded manageable.   Not necessarily a walk in the park -- but not too bad.
And it was manageable.  After cutting the black strips, all the neutrals were already in my overflowing 2" tote and we were off and running.  At the end of the day (before sunset even), they were done, pressed, and double counted to make sure I really had them all.
So, what to do with the rest of the week?  I had expected a clue of epic proportion after getting by with the little 3.5" strings the week of Thanksgiving.  So -- maybe I should pull out my other mystery quilts from Bonnie and get them back on the front burner while waiting for the next clue?
The easiest was to get the binding on Carolina Christmas from two years ago.  We've actually been sleeping under it without binding once it got chilly before our furniture got here and one quilt wasn't enough.  I had been to Iowa to quilt this during a summer visit to a friend and hadn't even gotten it trimmed a before we started sleeping under it.  Once our island was installed, I could at least trim off the extra batting and backing. So Saturday was the day to get the binding on and get it washed.  It's back on the bed in proper order and I can mark it as COMPLETE!  Another finish before the end of the year!
Now what?  Oh dear....I know.  Roll Roll Cotton Boll.   Since I was sure I was pretty far along with the various steps, this should be a piece of cake.  Alas.  I am SO wrong.  I have two blocks done, all the strings complete and cut in half and most of the border pieces partially sewn into little strips but not even finished, much less assembled.  Basically, the quilt is cut out and each step has some work done on it.  Without instructions -- what was I thinking? Oh, yeah, I know -- that I was farther along than I was.
Last year at this time I was knee deep in the holiday stuff that we're all involved in but was also managing the acquisition and integration of a competitor and all the "people stuff" associated with it. A 12 hour day was a short day and a 15 hour day (with some weekends included) was more in order.  It was tough and they were cranky about all the changes. I was cranky too! Quilting was not on the front burner and staying up with the clues was impossible.  Apparently printing instructions was something I didn't think I needed..... we'll see about that in a few days.
So, I'll be spending the week with Bonnie after all.  Working on RRCB, sorting out where I am, and seeing what all needs to be done to get this top completed at the same time Orca Bay is looming.  I suspect there is a doozy of a clue coming since we haven't even gotten to touch the "red" or primary fabric and so much is needed.  I should put a new blade in my rotary cutter while I'm thinking about it and change my needle now!

I hope you're getting time to sew and making progress with whatever you're working on!  Jan

Postscript:  After putting 8 of the blocks together, I remain amazed at how well they go together and match -- so long as I pay attention to the 1/4".  Such a pleasure.  If you want to see what's going on with Orca Bay,  you can link to her post today and see everyone's progress.

9 comments:

Candace said...

Your blocks look great, and I thought that they were manageable too. I'm glad it wasn't 600, lol. I have finished a small version of RRCB and I had enough little leftovers from Carolina Christmas so I didn't have to make any. I'm making another small version though, so I guess I'll be making another 300 or so. Your Carolina Christmas looks beautiful, and in today's post Bonnie had hers on her bed. I am going to finish mine soon, I need mine on my bed too.

Unknown said...

Your blocks are looking great. I'm loving your Carolina Christmas as well. I did fancy making that one. We'll see how I feel after Orca Bay is finished.

Lucy | Charm About You said...

OH my gosh!! How many HSTs? 350?! WOW! You're a braver woman than I!! The quilt you finished is amazing. You are so busy! Great work :)

Connie Kresin Campbell said...

Congrats on getting all of your blocks done and putting the binding on your beautiful Carolina quilt!

Nann said...

I've slept under a quilt before it's been labeled, but never before it was bound. But finished is such a good feeling, isn't it? I think the most tedious of Bonnie's mystery quilts was Old Tobacco Road (fall '08). That featured hundreds of HSTs sewn into dozens of pinwheels.

karen said...

Loved your Carolina Christmas! Well done for keeping up with part 3

Unknown said...

thanks for sharing your Orca Bay progrss and Carolina Christmas- its beautifull! I didn't make that one...yet.

Kleep said...

Oh my stars that's incredibly beautiful! Great work!!

Kim said...

You did it! you finished this one and you can finished the RRCB,,,
that is the finished quilt I showed today through AmandaJean's link.
Yes it took me a year to get it totally finished and ready for gift giving.....but I made two one for each of my kids :0)

I'm rooting for you! I know you can do it!

Happy Sewing and Merry Christmas