peaceandjoy

DebbieJJ, I am also working on finishing some other things before starting this quilt. I was on the fence about starting this and postponing them, but decided to (for once) concentrate on what is already more than half done.

We arrived home late Saturday, having spent Thanksgiving with our younger daughter and her 5-year old twins. SO much fun, but exhausting. Friday we babysat, as she had to work. We assembled and decorated gingerbread men and a gingerbread house. Oh, my. Typical of most kids that age, I guess, the more frosting, the better! I kept a couple of gingerbread men aside with nothing on them for myself. SO good with coffee!

My Christmas shopping is mostly done, thanks to online shopping as well as a couple of stops at small shops on the way home. I was thrilled to see a local bookstore in Allentown was packed on small business Saturday. "Kids" (34 & 40!), grandchildren and DH always get a couple of books among their gifts; one of the clerks was very helpful in choosing books for a 7-year old boy who is not a strong reader. Last year, I gave both girls Lisa Moriarty's "Here One Moment", but don't think either one read it. This year, the older DD had books on her wish list and the younger... Well, she is getting a gift card for the bookstore.

DH came home with the dreaded man cold. And, after having had a cortisone shot in my shoulder almost 3 weeks ago, I got one of the lesser known side effects that post-menopausal women get. That was quite a surprise. Thankfully, the daughter we were visiting is an OT and has had patients experience it; otherwise, it would have sent me into a panic.

Although I have not yet started sewing, I am enjoying seeing everyone else's progress.

Stitches23

The house grew peacefully quiet Saturday afternoon as all the kids left for their homes. It was great to see them and we had a wonderful visit and Thanksgiving. So much to be thankful for!

So in the quiet of the afternoon, I pressed fabric, cut out, sewed, trimmed, and completed clue 1. Very excited as to how it turned out. Yesterday, I spent time on clue 2. Almost finished the dark purple units (I have a different colorway). Hope to cut out the lighter units today and maybe sew some on them as well. Not likely to be sewing tomorrow so will get done what I can today. Piecing units - my happy place!

WMUTeach

Peace and Joy, I am with you. Yes, I will be falling off the fence likely after Christmas or may be in to January. I need to bang our some finishes before I start another big quilt. UFO's and WIPs are more inportant to me than starting a new quilt. But start and finish the quilt this year I will! Blow the horns and ring the bells I will be doing my first BH mystery quilt. Just saving instructions at this time. (I've done plenty of her other quilts.) My seat on the fence is comfortable and I will lurk at at everyone's progress or the next span of time.

Iceblossom

Yay Peaceandjoy and WMUTeach, so glad we are about to have you drop off that fence!

Yay me, I got my goal done yesterday, I sit here hours before my sewing group with my Clue 2 finished (other than trimming), I'm feeling like I didn't make enough extra units for my eventual size upgrade, but I'm reminding myself that it is just a start and I don't want to make too many unneeded units. Is sort of nice to have this space of empty time... Another yay for me that I got the space heater plugged in -- so much better!

I will be getting ready for my trip over the next couple of days, need to load some apps and practice on my cell phone I don't usually use. Don't need much in terms of clothing, but I am bringing some things with me that I need to pack/get ready. My trip is Thursday night, if I don't post the Clue 3 Friday Morning, Joesmom offered earlier to post if no one else has by the time she checks the boards. If anyone else drops in and the clue is out but not posted yet -- please help out! I'm not bringing my sewing with me, but I will have my laptop.

I'll be back again on Thursday, Dec 11, so should be ready to post Clue 4 on Friday the 12th -- plus work on my missing week.

Iceblossom

Not much to do for the next couple of days, just basic stuff and prepare for trip stuff and I don't need a lot of preparation. Despite the snow, I have been assured the solar crew is coming today -- but was not given a time frame.

We had a small group at sewing group yesterday but 4 of us braved the ice and snow. I am so much more productive there because I keep my self to my seat and actually work. So got all of my trimming done quickly and easily.

So here's some organizational/pictures of that.

Picture 1 is Clue 1 in its bag.

Picture 2 is Clue 2 coming home from the library (my sewing group) After I post this, I will put Clue 2 in its bag and it will join Clue 1 in the roasting pan.

Picture 3 is an example of my Monochrome "colors". There are 3 rows of what the rest of you is Purple/Neutral, for me that is Gray/Black. The grays wash out a lot in the picture, in real life they are darker and have much more contrast to the white. But the picture shows the lighter textured ones I threw in, it is about the proportion of what I have, two-thirds of the fabric reads very consistent color/low print, and 1 third are darker/lighter/more texture. There are 2 rows of what are Pink/Neutral to you or White on White/Black for me...

Quossum

Well, I’m trying.

Two sets of step one down… many, many to go. Learning experience, right?

Those witnessing my incompetence, if you’re also in the Candy swap, I promise I’m better at cutting 2.5” squares than I am at, well… sewing stuff!

joe'smom

Those look beautiful, Quossum!

My Indigo Way is going together the easiest of any Bonnie quilt I've done; it is also the first one I cut with Accuquilt.

I've also cut Lupine and Laughter with Accuquilt, and am getting by without any trimming of clue 1. I will do some checking of my clue 2 geese, as irregularities with geese are pretty common. I think it might have to do with pressing too aggressively.

Iceblossom

Quossom, you are being too hard on yourself. Ok, so 1 of the 8 pieces is a little less that perfect in one corner. Your squares are shaped well and will go together nicely, and your center intersections are perfect. By the time you are done with this step, you will be well practiced. Just keep repeating to yourself, it's all gonna work out fine.. busy design, no one but me will ever see this...

I think your colors are great!

Joe'smom grats on the Indigo Way going together easily now that you've returned on it. Cutting with Accuquilt seems to be agreeing with you. Accurate cutting, however we do it, is huge. Is amazing what just a tiny slip of the ruler can do to an angle or whatever.

Hope the rest of you are proceeding at whatever your pace is, and that all are having fun.

toverly

I love it when I get to finish the clue early. It gives me a chance to catch up on housework, cooking, etc.. Then Friday is all mine to start the day's clue. Happy Sewing Y'all.

pinkflowers

Leftovers anyone? I typically over cut the amount of fabric needed for units and after participating in prior BH mysteries, I have a drawer full of orphan Accuquilt cut pieces, and 4 patch units, HST, QST, etc. Since I’m staying with Bonnie’s colors this year, I have a bunch already cut! I’m easing in to feeling happy about going with my choice of pink fabrics, some of which lean toward peachy pink. I love pink (and pink flowers!) but prior to the colors being released, I was thinking more fall, earthy colors. I guess those colors are destined for another quilt. I’ll make more quilts, right? LOL! I cut some strips and used Bonnie’s ruler. I remembered too late that the lines on the ruler MUST be completely on top of the fabric. I made some cuts that the ruler line was more at the edge of the fabric. The FG came out okay-good enough. I’m sticking with my Accuquilt - although I’m not using the correct dies…the pieces are a bit oversized, but that’s great because I can trim them down to get nice quarter inch seam allowances. So just a few more purple-winged geese to trim today, and I’m ready for the next clue!