Grand Illusion Mystery Big Finish!

This is the last post about my adventure in mystery quilting.  Go to Bonnie's blog to learn more about this fun mystery quilt.  It's time for the final update to show you the finish and to link up with the rest of the quilters participating this year.  You can go back and check out my work on Clue #1, Clue #2, Clue #3, Clue #4, Clue #5 and Clue #6 from the last few weeks.

I'll fill this post will loads of photos of the quilting.  It took me a couple days to get this one quilted.  Quilting is not my full-time job so I have limited time to work on the long arm.  

I did all the quilting on this with my Pfaff 18.8 Grand Quilter on a Grace Imperial frame.  

When I started I didn't want to do custom quilting because the piecing is so crazy I knew the majority of the quilting would be lost.  Then I put needle to quilt to baste and ended up doing a semi-custom job.  The outer border has a long drawn-out meander that reminds me of gentle waves.  With this quilting I defined a top and a bottom of the quilt.  The label helps with this, too.

The inner border has these little S-curves that travel all the way around the border.  

Each of the corner squares for the internal sashing has this kind of wavy line that goes in different directions with each one.  I think it matches the four-patch center blocks and how they seem to oscillate.  

The rest of the field is filled with this meander in orange thread.  The scale for the quilting is between 1/4" and 1/2".  All quilting is hand-guided without stitch regulator.

I finished the binding by machine for this quilt.  After weeks of working on it I didn't want to spend another week finishing the binding.  

You can find the tutorial for my method (I didn't come up with it, it's just the one that works for me) in the sidebar or at this link.

The quilt is slightly smaller than what I prefer on my queen-size bed.  It's just a little too short to get a tuck at the foot of the bed.  I did sleep under it to make sure it worked properly.

The texture that was created after the quilting was done and the quilt was washed is just amazing.  I love the wrinkled look of a freshly washed quilt. 

Here is the label that I embroidered directly onto the backing fabric before quilting.  The embroidery machine tested my patience but it does give all the particulars.  You can see the different quilting motifs from the back really clearly.  

When I put the last of stitches in for the gray (outer border) (I quilted with three different colors of thread for each area of the quilt) I pulled the bobbin case to find that I had less than 1 yard of thread remaining.  This almost never, ever, ever happens.  It was a great feeling.

I received one comment and wanted to share the response.  I respond to each comment or question privately in email (that's how I handle all comments, so if you are a no-reply-blogger you will never get an answer to your question or a response).  I was asked about my colors.  I did a straight substitution for Bonnie's colors.  Here is the breakdown.

My color = Bonnie's color

• black = black (I picked blacks that read towards a brown/gray)
• white = white (my whites read more silver gray than blue or brown)
• red = blue  (the blue and green had pretty much the same value so I made sure my substitutions did, too)
• orange = green (my red and orange replaced Bonnie's blue and green)
• green = pink (I'm just not a pink person)
• brown = yellow (with all the other changes I pulled a really neutral brown for my constant)

If you want to know more about my color choices you should go back to my first post about the mystery quilt where I talk about how I came to choose the specific colors.  

I'll be linking up with the Grand Illusion Mystery Link-Up.  Be sure to pop over and look at all the amazing quilts people have made.  I love seeing all the different colors and fabrics that were chosen.  Each one has a heart of its own and I love that.

Mystery Quilting - Clue #6 - the Reveal!

This is the sixth post about my adventure in mystery quilting.  Go to Bonnie's blog to learn more about this fun mystery quilt.  It's time for another update to show you where I'm at and to link up with the rest of the quilters participating this year.  You can go back and check out my work on Clue #1, Clue #2, Clue #3, Clue #4 and Clue #5 from the last few weeks.

On New Year's Day I woke to find that Bonnie had released the last clue, the grand finale!  I pulled out my bin with all the clues and started working.  This is a plastic bin designed to hold 12" scrap booking paper.  I think it is great for quilting projects because it will easily hold 12.5" by 12.5" quilt blocks until you get to put them together.

The first step was to lay out a single block so I could piece the 25 blocks.  I did do some repressing before piecing just to make the seams nest better.  This is a hazard that can't be predicted with a mystery quilt.  Not because the designer didn't tell you how to press, just that everyone has a different workflow and may not press the same.

I used one of my design boards to hold a block until I could get one pieced.  Then I put the pieced square on the board until I had pieced all 25 of them.  

I admit that I sewed one block together incorrectly.  Considering how much care I took with keeping everything organized I was surprised it happened.  While piecing the blocks I used the sashing as enders.

I did a bunch of trimming of the blocks when I was done.  I should have checked and double checked my seam allowance but I just wanted to get moving.  This means I sacrificed a couple points.  I don't mind, though.  I don't want perfect.  I just want a quilt.  

Once all the blocks were trimmed it was a matter of crawling around on my design floor and sewing the rows together.  The sashing for these blocks was very different in that you only had one seam to line up.  I really like the sashing and I think the results are great.  When I got to sewing the rows together I pulled out the outer border and used those as my enders.  It was great to use the next step as the enders and keep moving.  It also kept me engaged so it didn't seem too monotonous.  

The movement that results from the smaller checkerboard sashing is just great.  I'm going to need a bigger design floor.

I did consider using a different color for the cornerstones but I decided to stick with the red because, well, I like red.  This quilt is huge.  Yes, I can read and I know Bonnie said 88" by 88" but until I'm working with a quilt that big I forget how really big that is.

I rarely do pieced borders so this was a little different for me.  I pinned and pinned to make sure these lined up nicely.  I'm sure there is a little fullness that I will have to deal with when I get it on the long arm frame.

I changed the layout of the border squares to make them look more like stars along the edge of the quilt.  I really like how the outer border cornerstones worked out with my change to the border.  I think my brown (my substitute for Bonnie's yellow) is really close to my neutrals.  I don't think it is a problem and tones the quilt down a little.  It was a risk picking that color.  Photos don't do it much justice.  Those neutrals really are more towards gray than they look in this photo.

All that remains is to pick the backing, the quilting thread, load up the long arm frame with all the parts, quilt all 7744 square inches of it, make and attach binding and a label.  Just a quick little project.  This is probably one of the most time-intensive quilts I have ever made.  

I am so thrilled that I did this quilt in different colors.  (Go back to my first post to see how I chose these colors.)  I know that so many quilters think they are poor at color selection.  I think they are much better at it than they give themselves credit for.  I think the world would be a very boring place if everyone made every quilt exactly like the designer made it.  Just like if we all wore the exact same clothes every day.  Sure, it might be outside your comfort zone, the world isn't about being comfortable.  Sometimes you have to take a chance.  It's only fabric!

Did you join in the fun?  Did you change up colors?  Did you learn something new?  

Linking up with Quiltville's Link-up Party! 

Mystery Quilting - Clue #5

This is the fifth post about my adventure in mystery quilting.  Go to Bonnie's blog to learn more about this fun mystery quilt.  It's time for another update to show you where I'm at and to link up with the rest of the quilters participating this year.  You can go back and check out my work on Clue #1, Clue #2, Clue #3 and Clue #4 from the last few weeks.

This clue was a quick one.  I think Bonnie was trying to give us all a little bit of time to decompress after the holiday and for some to play catch-up.   

Here are all of my other mystery quilt units stuffed into one project box.  I don't think I'll be able to squeeze clue #5 in there!

There is quite a bit of speculation going on about how many more square inches of quilt are left to piece and if the next clue will be the big reveal.  Still plenty of sewing left to do after the next clue!

Linking up with Quiltville's Link-up Party!

Mystery Quilting - Clue #4

This is the fourth post about my adventure in mystery quilting.  Go to Bonnie's blog to learn more about this fun quilt mystery.  It's time for another update to show you where I'm at and to link up with the rest of the quilters participating this year.  You can go back and check out my work on Clue #1, Clue #2 and Clue #3 from the last few weeks.

This clue had us grab the extra half-square triangle blocks we made back during Clue #1 and use them to make some more broken dishes units.  The green and red half-square triangle blocks are my set aside units from clue #1.

I laid everything out on one of my design boards.  This makes it easy to get the cut pieces from my cutting table to the sewing machine.  I tested my cutting and piecing precision with a couple of the red and neutral half-square triangle blocks.  They needed very little trimming so I pieced them all and got to work.  I did most of my cutting while watching Lynn on the Simply Colorful Fiber Cast.  She is sharing her progress on the mystery quilt, too.

Sunday evening around dinner time I finished up all the clue #4 broken dishes units.

Here are all my units.  All 400 units pieced and ready to go!  Come on clue #5!

Do you have any guesses as to how all these will be fitting together?  I know Bonnie isn't telling.

Linking up with Quiltville's Link-up Party!

Mystery Quilting - Clue #3

This is the third post about my adventure in mystery quilting.  Go to Bonnie's blog to learn more about this fun quilt mystery.  It's time for another update to show you where I'm at and to link up with the rest of the quilters participating this year.  You can go back and check out my work on Clue #1 and Clue #2 from the last couple weeks.

This clue worked up quickly since it is just strip piecing and then string piecing the cut strip-sets.  Easy doesn't mean fast by any means.  Bonnie gave directions for pressing after the strip units were stitched.  I had a little bit of trouble with them before they were pressed, so I pressed them before joining.  It might seem like an extra step, but I think my piecing and pressing was better for the effort.  I cut all of my strips from fat-quarter pieces.

Here is another first for me.  That's right, cutting both of these strip-sets at the same time.  Risky!  I was pleasantly surprised with the results.  I think the precise cutting, pressing and trimming made the difference here.

I've learned a great deal about my own cutting method and my own perfect 1/4" seam.  The secret is in the testing and trimming.  If you test, learn your own methods and allow for them you can turn out accurate blocks again and again.

Even though I cut these together, I did mix and match a little as I went along.  Since I was using fat quarters I would have ended up with only 12 different units.  I consistently got 10 square-sets out of one pieced strip-set.  Not enough variety for scrappy.  Well, not to me.  I ended up sewing seven of each of those ten as cut.  The other three got swapped around with others to create a little variety. 

Before I was done there was a terrifying moment when I realized I'd somehow ended up with an extra black strip that got sewn to one of the oranges.  I had a lonely white strip without a mate.  It seems I'm destined to rip a little with each clue.  Last time it was 5", this time it was closer to 22".  Not too bad, in the grand illusion scheme.

Linking up with Quiltville's Link-up Party!

Tool Tip: Thread Snip

This is a quick little tip that I got from a video that was shared on Facebook.  I couldn't find the video, so you'll be stuck with my pictures and basic description.

Do you drop your scissors or the little block units when snipping the threads between chain-pieced units?  Do scissors just seem like an over-abundance of cutting capability to snip those threads so you can move on to the pressing and the next round of chain piecing?  This may be for you!  (You may also think it is just plain silly.  Make up your own mind.)

For this thread cutter you're going to need at least one letter opener like the one shown above and two pieces of hook fastener.  I went with the Command strips from 3M because I could get the fastener and the letter openers in one happy place.

You'll need two pieces of the fastener and one letter opener per installation.  I picked up enough for more than one, but I haven't decided where the second one will be installed.

Take two pieces of the fastener and stick them together with the hook sides of the strips.  This will make your cutter easier to move around or replace.  Pull the paper off the back of one of the Command strips and press firmly to attach to the letter opener.  Figure out where you want to put your cutter.

Pull the paper off the back of the other piece of fastener and press firmly to the underside of your sewing table or chosen location.  I put mine under the edge of my machine table to the left of the machine bed.

You can either turn it around to face the other way when not in use, or remove it and put it into a drawer nearby.  I didn't like mine hanging around, so I put it in the drawer to the right of the machine.

Now you are set to cut those threads at a faster pace without having to pick up your scissors.  Just hold the two chain pieced units, one in each hand, and slide the joint into the slot to cut the threads.  I haven't much testing this one except to make sure it cuts.  I will have to do a bunch of chain piecing to provide a fair review.  If you decide to give it a try, please let me know how it worked out for you.

Do you have any tips for making sewing tools out of unexpected things?