Dogwood, your color combination is beautiful. I'm especially taken with that green, which is the closest I think I've seen to the ceiling effect in the hotel photos.

Windblown, thanks so much for sharing the inspiring sunlight moment with us! Your blocks are looking lovely; I think your greens are just right with your other colors. As for the backing issue, I don't think it's necessary to have a busy backing with a quilt that has so much going on on the front, so don't be too down on your plain backing!

Speaking of backings, I did get that backing fabric I was so enthused about, but now I'm not so sure about it, lol. I'll post a photo when I have a block together, to give it context.

mimiknox, you have some really fun fabrics there! (It looks like the diamond/broken dish segment on the right side of the block at left needs to be flipped.)

Beautiful. Love the colors and how the blue or what the print is just stands out so great. Thanks for posting.

I put my blocks together and with the fabrics I chose, realize that I totally lost the pattern and design. It looks like a big bunch of confetti to me. With all the mistakes, and points that I lost, and sashing that somehow got turned around, I still love it. I put on plain borders and made it a lap quilt instead of bed-size. I still have to quilt it.

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Thanks so much for noticing that. I did something like that on the 1st one I got together & fixed it. It's easy to do with this. That must have been #3 last night before I called it a night-lol.

I finally finished piecing my Amish-inspired Grand Illusion! I learned so much during this mystery and I am so grateful to Bonnie Hunter for all her hard work. This was a lot of fun, and I am really looking forward to next year's mystery!

SusanE ,I love your quilt too. That blue-green marbled fabric, if I had found that I would have used it too. My favorite colors!

Wholeheart Mom, Your Amish design choice is wonderful and inspiring.

mimiknox, I know that your colors choices will make such a soft comforting look, I'm anxious to see your's finished too!

Thank you everyone for your kind words on my quilt.

Wholeheart Mum, that is wonderful!

hand stitching the last 2 yards of the binding....this BH, GI will be finished before dinner !!!

Today I finished the center 3x3...can't be in the sewing room tomorrow, so Friday I will be using leftovers to make it longer (I'm not fond of square quilts)...just have to play with it some to figure it out...hopefully I can post finished top by next week. Seeing some lovely quilts (favorite so far is Amish Inspired). I hope mine comes out ok; others were not sure of how theirs were going to come out due to colors (I'm in same boat); but they did turn out just fine. Fingers crossed on mine. :)

No, you haven't lost the pattern or design at all! I see it clearly, the movement... everything! I think you need to step back further from your quilt and you will see it too. Your top is lovely.

What a great quilt! It looks like an entirely different pattern on first glance... I see your 4 patches and broken dishes blocks with yellow all jumping forward, while the rest of the quilt recedes. It's like a 3D grid pattern. Really cool.

Beautiful quilts, all! Susan, I love your blue fabric and the design definitely isn't lost. Just squint a little bit.

Podunk, Thanks so much for starting this thread because otherwise I would never have known about nor started a quilt like this. It's been such a fun time with a LOT learned.

I think your pattern shows more than most. I wish I had known the secret to use blacker blacks and whiter neutrals. Next time!

You are so very welcome, Whitepine. I'm so glad you (and so many others who joined this thread) enjoyed this year's mystery. I do it every year and, even though I don't always fall in "instant" love with the finished quilt, I'm always glad that I made it because they are such a challenge and something I would never choose to make on my own. They always take me way out of my comfort zone in the color choices and patterns and that's a good thing!

I will be doing it each year now as well as I agree with you it takes us out of our comfort zone which IMO is a good thing.

Ladies all your quilts are beautiful and unique. It is always interesting how everyone takes a mystery clue and puts it together. Especially those that used different color ways. I want to thank everyone for your compliments. And thanks to Bonnie Hunter for a great mystery.

This quilt looks a lot like Bonnie's. Just thought I'd share. It's calked Fire Whirl. Scroll down to see the full quilt.
http://www.freshlypieced.com/2014/11...craps-inc.html

Oh quiltsrfun, that quilt would be perfect for all those little tiny leftover HSTs. I might play around with them soon and see what I come up with. Thanks for the link!

That's very pretty, too... as are all the quilts on that blog!

I really like the quilting on it!

It's done! Well, the top is, anyway. And the backing fabric has been chosen. Now I just have to get it from the "to be quilted" pile onto my longarm. Hopefully that will happen in the next month or so.

While I was putting it away, I noticed a large ( 6 or 7 yard) piece of fabric I bought some time ago. This was going to be a one-block wonder, but it's been languishing for some time and that quilt is nowhere near the top of my "to do" list. So, I decided to repurpose the fabric for a backing for Grand Illusion. It is shown in the second photo.

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Dogwood ... Love that quilt! I like the way you used the aqua for all of the green - really unifies it. And the black squares give it yet another secondary pattern that is somewhat different from the original. And who can object to garlic?? Love the garlic!!!!

Wholeheart ... That is fantastic! Again .. another different but lovely secondary pattern with the Amish solids. Lovely!!

I really love all the quilts I'm seeing. I don't like this pattern, but some of your colours soften the chaos and your different colourways are wonderful. I'm not through, but I'm through messing with this mess. I had made half of everything and to finish the way Bonnie suggests I'd have to make another batch of broken dishes, and I'm really not up to that. So, since I don't like square quilts, I'm going to use the broken dishes I have on top and bottom and call it a day. I might put a narrow green border around to bring it together, but maybe not -- I could always use a green binding.

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Wish people would stop calling this a mess. I love it and all the variations thereof!

My Grand Illusion top is finally done. Now to find a back for it & get her on my Tin Lizzie for quilting. At this rate she just might be ready to go home with my Mom in early April!

Oh My! I'm having a heck of a time with clue #4. Clue #3 was challenging for me, yeah, I know it was just squares but UGH! I have ripped out clue #4 more times than I can count!! I keep confusing the A and B block, I'm so frustrated but WILL NOT QUIT, I need to get through this, I've spent so much time on it so far! I swear there are gremlins who keep switching my blocks around! UGH!!

Nice work, auntiejo. I like your colors. Are your blacks more charcoal?

It's such a treat seeing these photos. kristakz, you have a beautiful combination of colors there! I love the ones like yours, that have such a light feeling.

Belfry Bat, I'm sorry you're not more pleased with your version. I think many of us would have made some different fabric choices had we known the layout beforehand.

auntjo, that's beautiful! Your milder pinks and yellow really worked well.

baronreads, I'm sorry you're having such a hard time with clue #4! I just finished up clue #4 today. I had to re-do half of them because my points didn't match.

I think there's a good chance I may chicken out on doing the full size. On the one hand, smaller quilts are so much easier to handle, and can be used in lots of different ways, and I could make two smaller ones and give one away. On the other hand, I think the pattern is shown to best advantage in the full size version, and the full size is one impressive quilt. I guess I have time to decide while I work on the block centers.

I called it quits on mine about the same as you did; actually my top is finished & I had planned to make it 3x4, decided on the 3x3 instead & used extras to lengthen mine too; then made a little something extra with the leftover that was to be row 4. Hope to post a pic tomorrow night after getting hubby or visiting daughter to hold it up for the pic.:)

Me too... it's offensive to those who have invested time and money into making the quilt and are happy with it. It's enough to say you don't like the pattern. We get the picture.

I do feel sorry for those who don't like it and yet trudge on and get it finished anyway. Bravo for you. Donate it to a worthy charity and your good deed is done!

Baron, what helped me was to have one correctly made sitting out in front of me that I could check as I sewed the others. Just an idea.

/"Yes, that helps. Plus it helps if you make all of one kind first and then make the reverse ones.

My Mom & I found a backing fabric yesterday at Hancock fabrics. It's the right colors, it's fun, we like it, & it was on sale for less than $3/yd... Now it is on the frame, in process of choosing the pantograph, & have decided I need to run to the store for the "right" yellow thread for quilting. I'm jazzed. This is coming together.

auntjo, A great find at a great price. It's so cheerful I love it!

That is adorable, and absolutely perfect!

I went away last weekend and this weekend we were BUSY painting a bathroom and changing out the light fixture. The paint color was the yellow from Bonnies swatch!! I feel like I've missed so much on this thread! I love (LOVE!!) all the new quilts that have been posted.

I'm afraid I'm a mystery quilt drop out. Looking at what I needed to made for a full sized quilt (4x5 block layout, I think) was too much for me... And I felt like I needed to redo the green/ lights 2x4 sets...

I have 2 blocks made and joined and components for another two so that will be a 2x2 baby quilt. T

The other pieces/ weeks I've made into another baby quilt top. So I have two baby quilt tops (that need borders) for two little girls that are on stand by waiting for a baby... Or maybe a wall hanging! ;)

Jo: That backing fabric is amazing. Did you see BH's photo of the old houses on the island, very much like the ones on your fabric. It's perfect for the theme and its perfect for your fabric choices. Glad the project is coming together smoothly, sometimes that just happens. Wish I could duplicate that success more often.

I finally finished Clue #4!! Woo Hoo! I did Clue #5 tonight too just have to do the 4 corner 4 squares. I actually had enough pieces to lay out a block. I'm excited to put it all together! I think I need to buy more yellow for the sashing, I'm making a 3x4, I'm wondering how much more I'll need. The end is in site!

Julie: Thrilled for you! Be sure and post pictures. Your at my favorite part, where the first block goes together.

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Here is my first block sewn together. My first posted pic too, how do I get rid of double? I know I read it somewhere but couldn't find it if I tried! ;)