Bonnie Hunter 2020/2021 Winter Mystery: Grassy Creek
#391
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: northern minnesota
Posts: 2,350
oh my....I am so slow....now that I have the dies for clue 2 and clue 3, I am starting to make them....just got the first "set" for Clue 2 done. It took me all day so far.....first I stitched the wrong sides together....so rip, rip, rip......then, I stitched some of the pieces wrong side up....rip, rip, rip......Now I am struggling to "spin" the seams....any hints on that one folks? On a up note...looks like my blocks are coming out pretty much to size so I am not planning on doing much trimming.
#392
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 706
oh my....I am so slow....now that I have the dies for clue 2 and clue 3, I am starting to make them....just got the first "set" for Clue 2 done. It took me all day so far.....first I stitched the wrong sides together....so rip, rip, rip......then, I stitched some of the pieces wrong side up....rip, rip, rip......Now I am struggling to "spin" the seams....any hints on that one folks? On a up note...looks like my blocks are coming out pretty much to size so I am not planning on doing much trimming.
#393
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ballwin, MO
Posts: 4,211
sewingpup, on spinning the seams, you will open the unit and put a thumb on each side of the seam, and you will twist your left wrist away from you while twisting your right wrist towards you; that should pop the seam. I press the point of my iron right on the little 4-patch, and then turn over and press the unit gently from the front. (I then spritz on the front with Best Press, turn over and press on the back, and sometimes give a final press on the front to square it.)
Last edited by joe'smom; 12-15-2020 at 01:39 PM. Reason: clarify
#394
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Central New York
Posts: 507
Regarding the discussion about the triangle tips getting pushed down into the machine plate....
Try using a smaller needle and lighter weight thread. I've had good results with a size 60 Microtex needle and 80 wt thread.
I typically find that just using a new needle that is the right needle for the job is a great help!
Try using a smaller needle and lighter weight thread. I've had good results with a size 60 Microtex needle and 80 wt thread.
I typically find that just using a new needle that is the right needle for the job is a great help!
#396
I decided to join in on the fun. I'm using the colors bonnie suggested. I have one constant fabric and that's by orange. I made half of the block requirements. Once I see the finish quilt I will decide if I want to make more units or add a wider border. I'll get pictures posted this weekend.
#397
I haven't started on clue three yet. I spent the weekend working on three lap size christmas quilts. I sewed backing together so I could do them all on one run with the LA, and than half way through the top thread popped out of the tension and made a rat's nest and a mess, broke the needle and knocked the machine out of time. Luckily DH knows how to deal with that, so an hour later I was up and running again. I've got them quilted and trimmed and ready for binding.
I plan on doing Christmas baking this weekend, and DH wants to make another trip to Sioux Falls (2 hours away) Friday afternoon, so we'll see if I get to clue 3 before clue 4 comes out.
I didn't pull any fabric for this, I'm grabbing my "small chuck" fabric totes (less than fat quarter but large enough to get a couple of cuts out of) and my fat quarter totes and seeing if I can get everything cut using only them. I also have a couple of totes of 1.5" and 2.5" strips I can pull from if the size works out to do so. I have plenty of yardage if I run out of scraps, and that may happen with the oranges. Kind of nice using up some of the smaller leftovers since they keep multiplying on me.
I plan on doing Christmas baking this weekend, and DH wants to make another trip to Sioux Falls (2 hours away) Friday afternoon, so we'll see if I get to clue 3 before clue 4 comes out.
I didn't pull any fabric for this, I'm grabbing my "small chuck" fabric totes (less than fat quarter but large enough to get a couple of cuts out of) and my fat quarter totes and seeing if I can get everything cut using only them. I also have a couple of totes of 1.5" and 2.5" strips I can pull from if the size works out to do so. I have plenty of yardage if I run out of scraps, and that may happen with the oranges. Kind of nice using up some of the smaller leftovers since they keep multiplying on me.
#398
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: South Central Indiana
Posts: 1,931
I've been using scraps first too Cathy. But it's taking longer to cut each clue because I have to find enough for the set and lots of my scraps are not enough for a set. I have managed to keep up at least so far.
#399
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 706
Macybaby: I hear you on small leftovers that keep multiplying in the stash. The cutting requirements for Clue 3 seemed likely to encourage my scrap pile to grow. When cutting the required strips for each unique set from a quarter yard, I always needed all of 1 or more strips and just a bit more from the next strip. Which left me lots of scraps cut in strips. I figured this was intentional by Bonnie to encourage us to adopt her scrap savers system!
#400
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Port Orford, OR
Posts: 279
Clue 3. Hard to believe I'm keeping up so far. I'm always so far behind - don't usually finish up til around April... Course, we are early in. Maybe it's because this one is for me, and the plan is to maybe combine blocks from this quilt with some other sea themed ones I've done this year, plus a couple other ideas that have been brewing all year since we moved into our new to us beach house (one year in).... Have no idea how this will turn out, but have ideas.