Normal service will be/has been resumed.....GIMQ Post #5

I've been holding off with this blog post as I'd misplaced the SD card from my camera, obviously I've found it now, a blog post is no use what so ever without photos is it?

I had lots of good intentions over the past couple of weeks. After working on customer quilts right up to Christmas I resolved to take a couple of weeks to recoup and reorganise with a bit of painting, a bit of cleaning and a fair bit of farm office paperwork. I did paint and clean my farmhouse kitchen, I did catch up on my office work but still need to finalise my accounts before sending off to our Accountant. I faffed around trying to clear some space in my studio so it feels less claustrophobic, although I have a 30 foot room, it's just too full just now.

I finished up a Linus baby quilt top pieced from some leftovers from a different baby quilt.....

The digitised panto is Dropsy, quite appropriate for a broken dishes quilt don't you think?

I made a big push to finish piecing my GIMQ (Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt) and 'Tad Dah' it's done.

Last clue done!

Halfway stage......

My big reveal...

Joining in with a mystery or sew along is fun sometimes you add another quilt to your repertoire without even realising it. The colour choices and fabrics may not be your normal choice, have to say these are my colours with just minimal tweaks and constant fabrics. All of the other GIMQer's or sewers get you going to finish up in double time, believe me some people had their quilt blocks all pieced on New years day, that's the same day as the last clue was revealed. If you have never joined in with a sew along you should, it's fun.

Thank you Bonnie for all that you do, it's really appreciated, I'm linking this post with Bonnie's reveal linky at Quiltville

I'm waiting for just the perfect bolt of backing which has been on order since October and wouldn't you just know it is now on back order.....hope it comes soon, the colours will be a perfect match, who knew?

I'm already back to working on customer quilts, I have a small queue to be getting on with so that's really nice to just slide back into.....I'll be back in a while with a some customer catch ups.....

Playing catch up..... Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt Post #4

I got a little behind with the piecing but I finished up all of clue #3.  Instead of continuing with clue #4, I decided to go back and finish up those chevron type blocks from clue #2....that feels good!

Now, tomorrow I feel like I can move forwards and finish up another clue before Bonnie reveals clue 6 on Friday, I may still be one clue behind but that's OK, I might get another clue done on New Years Day, who knows?

Linking this post with Bonnie's Monday Link Up .....

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt Post #3

I had good intentions this last week, but only managed to make 35 chevron blocks....but onwards and upwards. Bonnie posted clue #3 last Friday so Monday I cut all of the fabrics for this clue and strip pieced enough (8 strips) to make up 20 blocks...only another 100 to go, then I'll go back to clue #2 and work on those other 65 chevrons....well, in the rule of thirds, I've past the first third mark, that's a threshold I stepped over so working to the next threshold should be easy.....right???

And yes, I know my colours are a little different, it's my quilt!

On a good note I did finish up all of my promised Client quilts today and moved on to a special Christmas gift quilt, it may take me the rest of this week to finish this one and it needs binding before gifting too. Did I say I have yet to write Christmas cards or wrap gifts....better get organised!

Linking this post to Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt Monday link up

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt Post #2

Clue # 2 was released on Friday, Bonnie gave 3 options to receive the same outcome. I tried all three techniques and even a fourth using post it notes.

Bonnie's third option is to me the most consistent and we all know that Bonnie likes to keep bonus triangles so this is obviously the technique she uses.

So, trying out the different techniques took a little more time but it's best to make up test blocks to ensure your blocks turn out the correct size and your points aren't cut off, those points are suppose to meet in the middle, point to point. I now have all of my squares marked to follow option three and will work my way through this clue over the next few evenings.

16 blocks done 84 to go....this block makes up a pretty good design all on it's own.....

Catching up on 'quiltcam' while piecing....

I'm linking this post to Bonnie's GIMQ Monday linky over on http://quiltville.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-2.html

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt Post #1

I didn't intend to do it, never planned, don't have time, honestly I don't have time!

But you know what, it's good for me to jump in and start something without planning. I'm a strange old fish, for me starting is the worst part of a quilt . I procrastinate at starting, I'm one of the very few who like the middle and absolutely love to finish a quilt, maybe that's why I'm a longarmer?

While surfing the Internet last Friday night there were lots of references to Bonnie Hunter's Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt, (you can find the link in the side bar on the right). So late that night I took the notion to go pull some fabric, all from my stash.  I knew I didn't have time to fuss, I had to make a snap decision else it would be a no go area. I have made a few quilts from Bonnie's patterns but never one of her mystery quilts, it's not a good time for me but I'm not whining at all. Bonnie herself has said that this years mystery will be less intense than previous years so maybe I'll be able to keep up alongside my day job of longarm deadlines for my customer quilts leading up to Christmas, I know I will be up against the wire with those so maybe a little extra curricular activity will spur me on, we will see? If I fall behind before Christmas I can always catch up again in the new year, either way I'll finish it!

Here's a photo of Bonnie and Myself at Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, UK, August 2014. Bonnie came to visit us on our APQS longarm stand, Bonnie has her own APQS Millennium to quilt her own quilts, love my Millie.

I do have a scrap system, but decided on using yardage in constant colours, I thought it would be a quicker, easier choice just now, these were my choice following Bonnie's own colourway.

That's all of the half square triangles (hst) sewn and squares cut for this clue, yes, I've already changed out some fabrics, I didn't like the yellow, the colour was OK but the fabric wasn't of the same quality as the rest so I swapped the green into that position, it is greener in real life....honestly, try taking photos at 1am.

So today I'm linking up this post with Bonnie's first linky for the  Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt  pop over to check out more fabric choices...