More Santa Blocks

Set 2 from my 5 sets of boo boo blocks.  Set 10 of all.

Set 3 from my 5 sets of boo boo blocks. Set 11 of all.

The original, and set 1,2, and 3 of my boo boo blocks.  Not too bad, still look scrappy, not too matchy matchy, I think.  But, just in case, I ordered some more sale Christmas fabric from Hancock's of Paducah to use for my last 12 of 90 blocks.  Hopefully, I'll have enough left, with what I already have and what I have ordered, to make a third Christmas quilt.  I have 3 queen sized beds, and would like one for each.  I have my Iowa Christmas, from Bonnie Hunter's Carolina Christmas mystery, so I'm getting there.

My Iowa Christmas (Carolina Christmas)

Iowa (Carolina) Christmas Finished

My "Iowa Christmas" is not a great job, but it is finished.  Finally, I can use it for Christmas after having the top almost ready through two Christmases.  It was Bonnie's end of the year mystery in 2009.  DH and I like our pillows, can you tell.  The top pillowcases are actually Christmas ones, and the unmatched ones I did that way on purpose so that DH would leave mine alone.  I don't think that it has worked though, he grabs whatever is handy.  The quilt at the bottom of the bed is another mystery.  I apologize, I don't remember who was the teacher, but I think it was either on Stashbusters or Cyberquilters and was called "Strip Road".  I messed mine up a bit by getting lazy and using some whole pieces instead of pieced pieces and so I called mine "Christmas Unstrip Road", I'm very original.  Aah Ha, I looked it up and the person who generously shared was Benita Skinner.   That was also back in October 2009, about the same time that Bonnie did "Carolina Christmas" for us.  I had a great fear of quilts over around 60 inches wide, as that was about the widest my Sharon Schamber boards would allow me to baste, but now I've managed a quilt that I think is 92" x 92", so it broadens my horizons and will allow me to make larger quilts.  The extra width was a little challenging to quilt on my Juki, but it was manageable.  One of these days, maybe I'll be able to take a machine quilting class and get better at it and be proud enough to put a picture on of my quilting, lol.  Until then, I just can't do it.   
PS  I had hoped to get my little tree up and Christmas decorations out and maybe I'll get a burst of energy and do it today.  If not, It will have to wait a few days as Clue number 4 of Orca Bay comes out tomorrow and I don't know if I'll be able to set my priorities that way.

Basting the Monster Iowa (Carolina) Christmas

I've seen some Carolina Christmas quilts on blogs lately, one being Bonnie's herself.  I have had the top done except for sewing on the borders (the blocks for the border are made and patiently waiting in a lock and lock container) for almost 2 years.   I decided that I wouldn't have time to get it done if I add the borders, and with the sashing it is already gargantuan anyway.  Bonnie's looked pretty sizable, and I think that my sashing will take up for her borders, I think it is about 92 x 92 or thereabouts, large enough for my queen sized bed.  I can use the border blocks for something else.  I have been putting this off mostly due to fear.  I usually do the Sharon Schamber board method of basting, and I quilt on my Juki with a 9 inch bed, larger than the average DSM, but it is going to be really snug.  My table is 3 feet by 6 feet, no way I can do the board basting method, so this is what I came up with.

Another view before basting.  Yes those are hair clips, and they weren't perfect but did the job, at least gave me moral support.

This is 6 or 7 hours later, and it's all basted.  It's so heavy and unwieldy that I couldn't search the back thoroughly for tucks, but I think I did pretty well, I didn't see any. 

The backing is a yummy flannel sheet from Landsend that I got on clearance a year or two ago.  If I had time I would have done things differently, I would have done the borders and fancied up the back, but it is almost Christmas and I'm in the mood to overcome my fears.   Now on to the next scary part, and I feel up to the challenge, quilting the monster.  My goal is to have it done with a simple meander in time for clue number 4 of Orca Bay on Friday.  Maybe, in my dreams I will have it on my bed and what Christmas decorations I put out and my little tree making things festive around here.  The ones I've seen lately looked so festive and lovely that I want mine done, too.

PS  I'm from Florida, but my mother who passed away a few years ago from ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) loved Iowa best and thought it to be the nicest place on earth.  Her Birthday is December 17th and it is named for her.  I wish that she were here for me to give it to.   

I just remembered that in my haste and my desire to act before inertia took over, I forgot all about a label.  I guess that I will have to add one later.  

Carolina (Iowa) Christmas Before Borders

I had to unsew about 100 inches, but I have finally gotten my Iowa Christmas top together. I have all the little blocks done for the borders, just need to sew them in a long row and sew them on. Hopefully, no fudging will be necessary.

2010 BOM BY AMY - January Block 2 and 3 - Iowa (Carolina) Christmas Fabrics

Blocks 2 and 3 of Amy's BOM are done now, whoopie I'm not lagging yet.

































My fabric came yesterday for the sashing (the black and gold in the bottom right of the last photo) and the backing of my Iowa Christmas. I love it all. I hate it when people like the backs better than the fronts of my quilts, and this one is for me, but I hope that I can resist liking the back at least as well as the front. I got a yard of each, and am going to cut them into fat quarters and sew them together for the back. I wish that I had had the gold in the top right to use as the gold in my Iowa (Carolina) Christmas. I wasn't happy with my gold to start with, and still am not, although it will be ok just doesn't show up much.

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.

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.

Step One Bonnie Hunter Carolina Christmas Mystery

I should be cleaning the house, or decorating for Christmas, maybe even finishing the 9 quilt tops with backs and bindings prepared and ready to go. I should be, but instead I have started the latest Bonnie Hunter mystery. I am not too crazy about my gold or my neutrals, but hopefully when it is all finished it will look good. I love some of my reds and greens and am excited to add them to the mix. It is mostly the same fabrics as in the Strip Unroad Christmas quilt that is a recently finished flimsy, but I think both will be mine, one is a lap size, and the other a bed size. My mystery quilt will be Iowa Christmas, in honor of my mother who thought that Iowa was the best place on earth.