Quossum

Oooh, good strategies. I didn’t have a problem with the Optimism blocks; I would just write in the colors that **I** was using, like you’ve mentioned.

Though I also admit that when doing the Merry Mayhem mysteries, I’ve sometimes ended up thinking, Ooh, if I’d know it was going to be like that I would have chosen differently…

Iceblossom

The hindsight is part of the Mystery for me and why I try to use pieces of fabric and/or colors I have in stash. Even when I plan a quilt by myself, or know what I'm making I would always do something different if I did it over again. But I don't feel too bad about making the "wrong" choices, because I didn't know what choices I was making. Informed consent and all that!

I am feeling bad about not using my pinks and purples and some of the others I've gotten from stash. I've been planning on doing the Whatchamacallit Sampler since it came out, it would be lovely with some of my pulls. Maybe even that blotchy fabric! Something else may come up but if I do it, I will post a thread about a sew-along. Is all free. I'm not so good with samplers or putting orphan blocks together, but I really like this project and the bright colors. Here's the completed project:
https://crystalmanningart.com/blogs/...macallit-quilt
(you have to scroll down a bit to the finish)

pinkflowers

Hi everyone- I'm planning on jumping in with this years mystery. I must admit...I have the same "plan" every year! LOL I love the anticipation, excitement, and quilting community aspect. My only finish-to-completion quilts are En Provence (gifted to my daughter), On Ringo Lake (gifted to my son), Rhododendron Trail (hanging on my dining room wall, and Frolic (on a quilt rack in my bedroom, but was on the wall). I really really wanted to make Old Town...made a zillion flying geese! But, the past 3 years (after our big move to Florida from New York, I was not only working full time, but had to pick up a second part time job to make ends meet. This past August we were financially stable enough that I could drop the 12-18 hrs a week part-time job. Whoo-hoo - I can do the mystery Quilt this year, thought I. I can't say I was excited for the colors, namely the pink. Only because I had two quilts recently finished that have a good amount of pink. I like pink, but kinda feel tired of the color. So I pulled deep browns, golden yellows, and robin's egg blues, and the white print/neutrals, of course. But I keep looking at Bonnie's purples and pinks and can't dismiss how cheerful they are. So back to the stash and starting to pull softer pinks and peaches, along with the purples. I didn't think I would have enough of the ice blue, so I dipped into my gray stash and found some that could work. I'll try to post a picture later. I'm at work, on a break right now.

joe'smom

Hi, pinkflowers! So glad it has worked out for you to participate.

I've been in a quandary over value. My plan as of today is to use my darker gray with units using purple, so as to avoid a blinding contrast (and possibly my darker pinks), and my lighter gray with the lighter colors. The lighter gray isn't really gray, but white with very pale gray print, so it is bright. If this seems to be looking too odd, I'll use the lighter gray for everything.

Quossum

Okay, I did another troll through the fabric, added a few from a trip to the quilt store, and I think I’m going to do more or less the specified color.

Thoughts:

• I’m not sure about the blue that has the touch of brown in it; I might stick with the other three blues.
• I’m going to use that white on the bottom throughout for the “white” shades.
• My pinks seem to have a really large range; I might narrow them down a bit.

I’m excited!

happylab

1’m really liked everyone’s color selections. I’m looking forward to this mystery.

I decided to go with Bonnie’s colors. since I had all the colors in my FQ stash. I have a debate on keeping the neutrals white on white FQ’s or using 1 piece of beige on beige fabric. I don’t care for a lot of white in a quilt. Since I use my quilts and have 3 cats and a pup. White is not a good color for me. I also decided to pick medium dark to dark purple toward violet purple. The pinks range from medium to dark-medium pink to pinkish orange colors. The blue is light to light medium color range. If I chose the light beige fabric, the fabric will contrast and be lighter than the blue color. I will go downstairs tomorrow and see if I can find 2-3 more yards of the white. Otherwise it’s time to wash and iron fabric. I hope Bonnie goes at a slower pace compare to last few years. I guess that’s one of the mysteries. I also ordered the rulers she suggested. I’m trying to use rulers more. It does make the cutting and sewing faster IMO. I had also wanted the 1/2 triangle trim ruler for a while, so it’s my excuse for buying. Bonnie was out of all three rulers, so I end up ordering the rulers from 2 different stores. A couple are already on their way, yea!!!
well we only have 1.5 days to go before the 1st clue is out. Yea!!!!

Iceblossom

What fun! So happy to have people joining us, either coming out of lurking or for the first time. Those of us returning sort of know what to expect in both the highs and lows. And remember -- we are doing this for fun.

My monochrome fabrics are out, my table is cleared off. The lovely pinks and purples and all the other fabrics I've been playing with have been stuffed back into their totes.

And -- I've just made my travel plans to visit with my friend Barb in AZ. Barb says she is doing the quilt in very close to Bonnie colors, including the ice blue (I figured turquoise for sure!) -- which for her to do something they way someone else planned it is a big change! Since she uses batiks her background will be creamier than Bonnie suggests but so it goes. I am not planning on bringing my project with me, but I paid to check a bag so we just don't know...

If someone would please volunteer to post the December 5 clue, I'd sure appreciate it. I will have my laptop but it is later there

joe'smom

I'm on central time; I'll post the clue on Dec. 5 if someone else hasn't already done so by the time I get to my computer.

There's nothing quite like a clue morning, is there? I'm not prepping my washed fabric ahead of time as I used to do. I'll just press as needed clue by clue.

CraftyBecksa

I’m really excited to start. I’ve now narrowed down my colours, but I have quite a bit pink and purple in the scraps that I’ll throw in when I get sewing!

here’s my fabric choices - I decided to go the black background in the end. I also went more mid than pastel - I’m hoping I’m going to have okay contrast!

my old trust machine also broke down last week and will be in the shop for a fre
weeks. I’ve borrow my mother in laws machine… but im
Not as comfortable on it as my normal machine.

I assume I’ll be asleep when the clue comes out, and I’ll only have a few hours to sew tomorrow… but Sunday should be pretty free for quilting!

Iceblossom

Here we are -- Clue 1!

https://quiltville.com/pdf/LupineLaughter_PartOne.pdf
I received a private email from someone who was concerned about the PDF links. Bonnie says "Please help me continue to design and show your support by sending your friends to my blog to print their own copy."

I try to take my role as host very seriously. The PDF links are direct to Bonnie's site and are provided here as a convenience and for us to have a way to discuss directions or pictures. The internet is not free and our internet providers are rewarded for site visitors, it is important to at least support them by going to their sites. And, I really really recommend actual print copies as well as downloads. (I just print copies, I don't keep them digitally) If you prefer to do a few more clicks to give more activity to Bonnie's site, here again is the start of the mystery (warning you can spend days on the site):
https://quiltville.blogspot.com/p/lu...r-mystery.html

Many of us also get Bonnie's emails. I did not the first year I did the mystery. I have been very pleased that I was not inundated by spam once I signed up. A reasonable amount of contact from her through the year which I enjoy, and the store she links as well (I ordered a neutral pack for Indigo Way). Unlike a recent guild seminar I went to where apparently they gave her our email and I got about 60 in 2 weeks before I opted out.

And a brief reminder of No Spoilers and a general Play Nice Policy (not that we need one). Different people do this mystery for different reasons, just as the quilts come out differently. We want everyone to have a good time. It's a wonderful marvelous thing that we can all do this together while hundreds and thousands of miles and different times apart. We have different beliefs and families as well as fabrics. Let's be respectful and let's enjoy our time and Bonnie's gift to us together!

I did repeat the quilt dimensions earlier because that is given to us directly (like the name of the project), just was a bit hard to find. But let's all try not to use numbers for counts or block sizes. If there is a problem, either a fix needed on Bonnie's side or a misunderstanding in our minds (we can discuss that here), we need to have a consistent place to go for answers, and that is Bonnie's site.

Please try to not include your cutting grid/ruler in photos, and/or use a representative sample and not all of our neatly arranged bundles. If you are trying to find an Accuquilt die size, say that is what you want -- but please respond with that info in private messages. I am open to private messages but I cut large, don't use specialty rulers or cutting systems but will make quick templates... I can help with things like how large I cut in private messages. Later on, please don't give spoilers on the layout.

And remember -- I am going Monochrome, it is my fabric and not my pictures that are black and white. I will very much enjoy seeing what the rest of you do, both in Bonnie's colors and your own colorways.