Finish No. 2

Celtic Solstice 2, second finish for the year.

Celtic Solstice 1 and 2.  At least they're done.   Just one more basted top to quilt and finish, but it'll have to wait a bit.  My brother is very ill and my husband and I will be going to visit this week, and as much as we can. 

First Finish of 2014

Not what it's supposed to look like, but not horrible.  One basted quilt-top down, two to go.

Same but Different - Both Unfortunate

I had these sewn together as one of the smaller size of Celtic Solstice, but I don't really like square quilts, and my color choices made me not want it as a bed quilt, so I took it apart and made it into two lap-sized quilts, they'll finish at about 63 by 82 each. 

My unfortunate substitution of grey for white-creams, made my pattern very very subtle, you have to almost know that it's there.  They're basted now, and being an optimist, I still hope that quilting will improve things a bit.  I still have one more quilt to baste, but I need to get another sheet for a backing (I have twins, but need a full), and after basting these two today, my sore fingers and back need a little rest.   I hope to have 3 finishes in a few days.  Not too bad of a start for 2014, even if my color choices were unfortunate, lol.   I do hope to make this one again, maybe not scrappy, and maybe with the alternate pattern that I've seen others use of turning the chevrons around and making stars.   And lots of contrast.

Almost Ready to Quilt

Celtic Solstice tops are finished.  The green large border fabric is just in two corners, the main border is the green and orange flowered fabric. My fabric choices were a big disappointment, I hope that when they are quilted, they'll look a bit better.

Ready to Sew

All stacked up and ready to sew.  Don't know how others do it, but I sew the three left side pieces together and then pin the 3 right side pieces to the last one.  I assembly line sew them and then cut them into 3 piece sets and go from there.  May not be normal, but it works for me.  I thought that I had made extras of everything, but I've come up a piece or two short, hoping to find them as I go along, if not, I'll be making more.

Another - Hope it Works Out In The End

I chose to go with greys in place of Bonnie's whites and creams, and I think that I don't have enough contrast between the blues and greys.  I tried swapping out some with the border blocks, and it lightens things up, but I think I'm still going to stick with the original and hope for the best.  Sometimes trying to use what you have just doesn't give enough contrast, or maybe it's just that I don't use good judgement.  Last years mystery I went with some that were too light, and lost some of the pattern, but I still like it, so I hope that I'll still like this one, too.  The pattern is a bit subtle, but it's still there, 'hope it works out in the end'. 

Redo - 42 down, 58 to go

I gave the strip method a good try, and I think that it is a good way, but since I'm an old dog, I have trouble sometimes with new tricks, so I think I'm going to do the remaining 58 the old way.  The tutorial was very good, and the method sound, just not for my comfort level.

PS I cut and cut and sewed and sewed and ironed and ironed, and now I have 102 for my second go around.   They look distorted due to the pin holding groups of 10 together. 

Clue 2 - Second Time Around

Since my first batch were upside down or backwards, I opted to make another set rather than rip and resew.  I am trying this method from Stitching Circle blog, it seemed easier, and I'm hoping that is the case.  I have six done so far and enough strips cut and sewn together for a total of probably 42.   Oh well, I have almost a week until the next clue.

Celtic Solstice Clue 5, Temple Bag Interior, and Sad Family News

Celtic Solstice Clue 5 finished, but I think I'll probably try to redo Clue 2.  The original backwards ones would make a passable border, I think.

The interiors of my temple bags, light green and pink.  Ironing the interfacing was a bear, and I'm still not certain that all is stable with it.
On a sad family note my 91 year old aunt passed away yesterday.  She lived in Iowa and I live in Florida, but I saw her off and on over the years and I feel sadness.  She had a good life, but she'll be missed.   

Part 4 Celtic Solstice

I scraped together 10 greens, but could only come up with 6 oranges, so a trip to Hobby Lobby was in order.  I got 4 oranges 1/4 yard of each.  Here are my 20 combinations from my oranges and greens, I wonder if I'll get the energy and discipline to actually sew them together tonight.  Maybe not, the TV and bed are sounding better and better.   I already have 27 4-patches, and I think here I have enough for 100 more.  That's 10 wof greens and 10 wof oranges, cut in half to give me the 20 combinations.  

PS    I got a second wind and finished the 100 4 patches, for a total of 127.  A few extra never hurts.

Step 4 Celtic Solstice Out and Started

Twenty-seven little four patches, sewn, pressed and twirled, only 93 more to go.  The ruler is one of my favorites, I use it constantly.

My Quilt Diet Temple Bag Quilt Along and Celtic Solstice Part 3 Finished.

My Quilt Diet is having a temple bag or huge messenger bag quilt along and these first two pics are my exteriors. I'm making two.  They are actually 23 1/2 by 31 inches and square  

Not perfect, but Celtic Solstice step 3 is finished.   

Celtic Solstice - Part 2 - Finished

It was intensive, but it's finished.  I feel like a real wimp, I'm doing the smaller size, and some are doing the small and the large. 

I think we've used all the colors now.  I think either last mystery or the one before, I thought we'd never get to that last color.  I'm wondering if Bonnie has any string blocks in store.  I've already pretty much decided that if so, I'm looking for a fabric with the right colors and not doing the strings.  Others have done that in the past, and I've thought the results still nice.  I love the look of string blocks, but just don't enjoy the process, and I've given them a pretty good opportunity to grow on me.  Now, on to something else while we wait on step 3. 

Celtic Solstice Part 2

Slow start on step 2.  I tried these two, my only two so far, with the line on the sewing machine as a guide, but my sharpie pen is rubbing off.  I hate to say it, but I think I'm going to be turning on the TV and drawing almost 400 lines. 

I do have all the units cut out though, so finishing by Clue 3 is still a possibility.  Today, we were about 2 1/2 hours at the dentist, just a cleaning for me, but more for my husband.  His illnesses and surgeries haven't been good for his dental care.  Tomorrow and Thursday Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy for DH, but I think I can do it.  If not, I'm used to being behind.  Lots more Celtic Solstice to see at Quiltville, here.

Step One is in the Bag

Or in this case, in the box. 

Not a super amount of scrappiness, but it'll be ok.  I'm ready for Friday's clue.

Celtic Solstice Part One

I decided to go with Bonnie's colors, only for the background I'm using medium grays.  It got the husband vote over whites and creams.  All cut out here, not a super amount of variety, but it'll still be scrappy and who knows, I may pick up more fabrics as I go along.  I just realized, I went to scraps first, but I passed by my 1/4 to 1/2 yard pieces, there could be some treasures in there, lol. 

My first twenty done, I still have some work ahead of me.  The little tool is what I'm using instead of my iron.  Bonnie is finger pressing, and this is my version.  I did use an inexpensive little wallpaper tool that I got at Home Depot, and it worked, but I was amazed how much better this works.  Wish I could remember where I purchased it, but I know it was online.  Thank you to Bonnie for another fun mystery, I'm loving it so far.  
If you'd like to see what everyone is doing, visit Bonnie at Quiltville's Quips & Snips link-up party here.

Afghan, Mystery, and Bag

I asked my son if he'd like an afghan like he had in his youth, he said yes, so I finished this one in record time, and it will be in the mail tomorrow.  Hope he likes it. 

Wasn't sure if I was going to do the mystery this year from Quiltville, but I was at a fabric store the other day, and got these for half price with another 25% off, so I guess, I'm in. 

I don't have the big stacks of fabrics that many are showing, but between what yardage that I have and my scraps, I think I'll come out ok. 

I thought when I did number fourteen bag that I was finished, but I gave mine away, so here is number fifteen, so I have one, too.  I 'really' think that this was the last.