Mail Surprise and more Springtime Sky

We received a very nice gift in the mail today, from our grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Germany.  We are in for some yummy treats.

I got my Springtime Sky (Grand Illusion) washed and on the bed.  I think it is just the size we like, some have been too big, or too small, and my husband says it doesn't make his eyes go crazy, so I think I'm good.  We have yellow drapes in the room, and I had to play with Photoshop, which I'm not too good at, so I have a variety of hues.  The two above are closest to original, but I think I like this one best.

Springtime Sky (Grand Illusion) is Done Done

It took all day, but it's done, done. I'll take a better picture, on the bed probably, after it's washed, today this was about the best I could do with the energy I had left, lol.

 

And the flannel back.  I need to find my Fray Check though, I had left a safety pin in the center of the back, and only found it at the end.  I had to cut a couple threads.

Grand Illusion (Springtime Sky) and Organizing

Ok, time to baste.  I usually use Sharon Schamber's board method, but this one is much too big for that.  Going by Bonnie's finish at 88 x 88 inches, this one should finish at 94 1/2 x 94 1/2. 

It took a few hours, but it's heavy and basted.  I also have a smaller quilt top, that I made this week, to baste and quilt. 

You see these around the web, and I've been wanting one.  I hope to use it in my sewing room, and without too much trouble, also be able to empty it out quickly, and use it for serving when we have company.  As you see, I haven't really loaded it up yet. It's an Ikea Raskog, rolling cart with an Aptitlig Butcher block on top.  The Aptitlig is not a perfect fit, but it's pretty good.

This is a small Origami bookcase, from HSN.   It's sitting on the table behind my Juki, and I'll find out soon if I can leave it there and still quilt large quilts. 

And here is the other quilt top that I have to baste.  It's smaller, about 64 x 80 and for a lap quilt for a friend.  Hope she likes it.  Haven't been around her much for years, so not sure about her colors.  One thing about scrappy, mostly they have lots of colors, and can go many places.

Back to organizing, wouldn't it be nice, if I could find my scissors when I need them.  It will also be seen, if this is going to help.  I was hoping to hang my rotary cutters on it too, but the holes were too small.   My sewing room looks extra messy today, I have stuff moved around to allow the delivery men to bring in my new washer and dryer.  With the ones I have now, it's an all day thing to wash and dry 2 loads.  They are old and very inefficient, kind of like me.

Grand Illusion is a Flimsy and Pictures of a Gift in Use

Not too bad since I didn't have access to the chair. 

They said she likes it.

I decided mine was bright, but blah, so I added the print and hoped.  Guess, I just craved scrappy, and I decided on yardage this year.

Ready to start the borders.  The pink and green stripe is my binding.

It's a flimsy now, bigger even than Bonnie's started.  I decided that since I had never even heard of the Grand Hotel, and probably will never go there, mine is "Springtime Sky". 

The corner, with my extra border.  And, I  linked up to Bonnie's blog this morning.  If you'd like to see lots of progress on Grand Illusion, go here.  Thank you Bonnie, for another great mystery.

Plodding along on The Reveal on Grand Illusion

I apologize for the overload of pink, aqua, white, yellow, green and black.  It's Bonnie's mystery colors, so it's everywhere.  These are my 25 blocks stacked up ready to start sewing.  Last step and reveal time.

First step sewn together on my large fancy 9 patches.

Yay, They are 9 patches now.  (What's the correct spelling of Yay?)

Time to add sashing and cornerstones.  I deviated here, I like to do it the Gourmet Quilter's way from you tube.  She has a video about sashing 5 inch squares, but it works for anything.  First side on.

I guess since I really love scrappy best, my blocks looked kind of blah to me, even though they are bright.  I decided they needed something else, so I went to Hobby Lobby today and this black floral was the closest I could find to my vision. My print is where turquoise 3 1/2 inch squares were supposed to be.

Both sides of sashing sewn on.

Just 5 sashings to sew on here, and 5 at the top, and sashings will be complete. I really like the video from Gourmet Quilter, "How to Simply Sash 5" squares - Quilting Tips and Techniques 054".

This picture doesn't show the cornerstones as well as I'd hoped.  I'm hoping that when it's done it'll be pleasing, and give it a little less boring look.  I'm also going to put another small border on using the print.  Two reasons, to tie in the print a little more, and to make the quilt a little larger. 

Grand Illusion Step 5 Finished

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Grand Illusion Mystery Steps 1 - 4

Step 4 complete.

Steps 1 - 4, getting closer to the reveal. 

Grand Illusion Clue 3 and Sea World Skating Show

Oops, good thing I decided to double check after I did one.  It was a lot easier to rip only one.

120 plus done.  Now, I have a couple of small projects to work on while I wait for clue 4 on Friday. 

Sea World's annual ice-skating show, it's like a fairyland this time of year.

Pre-show entertainment, a very good Christmas music show.

A very nimble gymnist. 

And the show begins.

Grand Illusion Step 2 - Finished

Step2, was a challenge, but it is finished.  Anxious to work on my Bionic Bag and hopefully have it done before Friday, when Step 3 will be out.  So far, so good keeping up, but not doing scrappy is a mental challenge.

Grand Illusion Step 1 - Done

Cut out and ready for sewing.

First 6 finished and measured - pretty close.

Step 1 finished.  Step 2 I will work on on Saturday at a local quilt shop, with several other mystery quilt quilters.  It should make it more fun.  This Saturday I went, but didn't bring my machine, so just watched.  Not next time.