Step 7 Carolina (Iowa) Christmas Mystery - Bonnie Hunter

I'm still waiting on my sashing fabric, but I have finished my blocks for the borders. Mine is different from Bonnie's, as I jumped the gun (was I the only one) and cut my fabric into 2 1/2 inch strips. I had lots of green strips left, and I had 2 red fabrics that I thought would be pretty larger, so I swapped the red and the green. I also think that I'm going to skip the blocks in the corners and use a 4 1/2 inch piece of fabric instead. I have another Christmas fabric that I think would be prettier bigger. It didn't really fit into the red, green or neutral, but has all three and I think is very pretty.

I just heard on the news that it will be New Year's in an hour in Australia. We still have 13 hours to go, but HAPPY NEW YEAR to the Australian's and all other's who are already into the New Year. On second thought, it's probably not too early to wish everyone HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Step 6 Carolina (Iowa) Christmas Mystery - Bonnie Hunter

I'm as far as I can go on step 6 until my sashing fabric arrives from Thousands of Bolts. My 25 blocks are ready to go, the sashing fabric is pictured below. While I'm waiting I'll work on step 7, the border.

Step 5 Carolina (Iowa) Christmas Mystery - Bonnie Hunter

I didn't finish all the blocks, but I have enough of the fox and geese blocks to get the idea. I think in my case there is a fourth reason for sashing, my fabrics are very busy, and I think it will calm things down.

P.S. I hope this hasn't spoiled anything for anyone who is doing the mystery and hasn't gotten this far, but hopefully if there is anyone, they stopped looking back on step 1.

Step 5-A Carolina (Iowa) Christmas Mystery - Bonnie Hunter

I thought that Step 3 was the biggie, but I think that all of the steps are biggies in this mystery. I have finished the first blocks, the pointsetta stars, and this is 30 of the 48 that I made. The others are laying on the ironing board below. Now, on to the fox and geese blocks. When I get to the next step, step 6, I think that I will use Bonnie's layout, but around each big 4 block combination block, I will add sashing. Three reasons; I like sashing, it makes the sewing together easier as far as matching, and I want a bigger quilt for my queen sized bed. My DH is always partial to black, so I may try to find some black with gold for the sashing. I have some that would be perfect, black with gold mini dots, but alas, I only have about a yard, and need about 3 if my figures are correct.

My brothers visit was very nice, short but nice. Even though we all live within about 4 1/2 hours of each other, we don't get together that often, and it was wonderful to spend time with them. I think that I will go to Jacksonville in the next couple of months and maybe visit. I'd like a little road trip. Hopefully, DH will be up to it.

My brother from Jacksonville, brought an old machine in a cabinet for my granddaughter-in-law, and after we oiled it it zoomed along. The only thing is, it is missing the bobbin case and it's not a well known brand. That's my next project is to try to find one that will work. She, Marcy the new mom, said she'd like the machine if I'll show her how to use it. She made a real cute quilt when she was younger, so I think that it will come back to her when we get her up and running. There's no hurry, as she has plenty to do for now. See what I mean.

Yeah!

Yeah, I have my Google Reader down to 999 unread posts. My brothers will be here to visit any minute, and will leave tomorrow afternoon, so it will be back up over 1000, but at least for a short while I am below 1000.

Gratuitous baby picture:

First Great Grandbaby and Step 4 Carolina (Iowa) Christmas Mystery - Bonnie Hunter

Here is my first great grandbaby ever, now I really feel old, lol. She is a little cutie, born December 16th, 7 pounds 3 ounces, 19 1/2 inches long. this picture was taken on someones cell phone, and she looks much bigger and older in the picture for some reason. Mom and dad and baby are all doing well













Step 4, finally finished. Now it is time to start putting things together in step 5, and that is pretty exciting. I just hope everything goes together well, all is not perfect, there may be a few chopped points, but hopefully since it is such a busy quilt, they'll be hard to spot.

Step 3 Carolina (Iowa) Christmas Mystery - Bonnie Hunter

Many have already finished step 5, but I of course am a lagger. For me, being finished with step 3 is great (I also have step 4 cut out and ready to be sewn), but I have a couple of other things that are pulling me. One, a lady who is ill and lives alone, and I feel like quilting one of my tops for her (it's not one of the 9 that are assigned to various kids and are still waiting to be basted and quilted). The other is my basket of leftover half square triangles. I have bought dolls for our 2 smallest granddaughters and I thought that Christmas doll quilts would be really cute made from them.
I guess that I can decide while I take a break from quilting and clean the house and decorate a little for Christmas. I still have my Thanksgiving things out.

Step 2 Carolina (Iowa) Christmas Mystery - Bonnie Hunter

I can't believe it, I'm sort of keeping up and not lagging behind in the steps (yet). I am ready now for step 3, and it's a biggey.

Bonnie had miscalculated the neutrals a bit and so I made a trip to the LQS and got some Christmas lights on sale. There is still not much contrast between my lights and my gold, but I hope that the fact that the gold is not scrappy will still give it some contrast. Time will tell, that's the fun of a mystery.