Here are my crazy colors all together. I think the flash washed out my purples a bit, but they are still far from the norm. I hope not too far. Not knowing what Bonnie has in mind, but wondering if she has something different in mind as to the blocks and settings, something that really showcases the orcas (she has mentioned a couple of times things that made me wonder) I'm thinking that to be in the Orca Bay mold I may need to do a small black and white inner border, or maybe some type of black and white sashing or sashing and cornerstones. Sometimes, it's fun to put a little of your own stamp on Bonnie's beautiful patterns. Sometimes, (like with my colors) it may be necessary. OOPS, I almost forgot. If you would like to see everyone's progress on Orca Bay, or at least many blogger's progress, go to Bonnie's blog here. |
Monday, December 12, 2011
Slowly, Slowly Step 4
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Slower Start to Step 4 Orca Bay
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Iowa (Carolina) Christmas Finished
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
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. |
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Orca Bay and Sunday Afternoon
DH has been under the weather with a cold and bad back. This afternoon he felt a bit better and thought it might do us both good to get out and do a little walking. In our town on Sunday mornings there is a farmer market in the main street, so we walked along looking at fruits and veggies and jewelry and furniture and such. One man was a woodworker and he had made this little bench last night. I moved the leather recliner in my sewing room closer to the TV yesterday and needed a little table to hold the remote, my cell, my kindle or whatever. He had made it yesterday and only wanted ten dollars for it and I thought it was worth a try. I think it'll work, it could be a little taller, but I can reach it. |
And, if DH isn't being good, or is getting on my nerves I can send him in there, lol. (unfortunately, it may be more of a reward than a punishment, especially if there's a ball game on.) If you'd like to see more progress on Orca Bay quilts visit Bonnie's blog here. |
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Orca Bay - Step 3
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Orca Bay Step II Start
I wish that I loved making string blocks, but not yet. I don't dislike making them as I did at first, but they aren't my favorites to make yet. These are my first 16 3 inch finished purple blocks for Orca bay, so I guess that I finally made up my mind and turquoise blues will be my main color. I feel kind of left out when people talk about how fast they are to make, it seems like I spend a lot of time trying to find a string long enough, or short enough, or thin enough or fat enough. Only 56 left to go. They are kind of cute though.
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Step One Done
Step one is done. I got it mixed up in mind somehow and was thinking at the end that I needed 244 instead of 224, so I ended up with 251 as I wanted a few extra. Oh well, I'll use them somewhere, maybe on the back. I still haven't decided on whether to use blues, mostly turquoise, or purple for my main color, I like them both and have mentioned before how wishy-washy I am. I'm not having a big Thanksgiving at my house, but I am having everyone over Friday for a ham dinner, and my DD is moving this week, so it's a busy time. I'm hoping after that is over and I do step 2 (which I'm hoping will be one of the smaller steps) to get my monster Iowa (Carolina) Christmas basted and quilted and on my bed. I'd love to use it this Christmas, it's about time. I've decided to not add the border, as it is already huge, and to use the border blocks for something else. I'll make sure they don't go to waste. I've kind of gotten attached to the crazy lady concept, I may call my quilt "Orca Bay Crazy Lady", lol. PS As I was working on these I kept picturing in my mind the Alaska gold rush. I could see the turquoise water, the purple and orange sunset, the black and white orca's, and an eccentric, maybe even homeless, "crazy lady" wandering the town (I don't know if there was a town, but in my fantasy there was). In real life, I don't think I'm really a "crazy lady", but I guess that any of us could be if life wasn't kind, so I am going to call this "Orca Bay Crazy Lady", and I guess that it is dedicated to those who really are eccentric, who have had less fortunate lives. I mean no disrespect in this, and I hope no one takes it as such. I have worked in the city and seen ladies walking the streets and talking to themselves and in no way do I think myself superior, just more fortunate. There's my deep thought for the week. If anyone feels that I have been disrespectful please let me know and I will change the name. At first when I posted about the "crazy lady" I was just thinking about myself and my crazy colors, but quilting gives you time to think and my fantasy evolved. |
Monday, November 21, 2011
Crazy Lady
113 down and 111 left to go if my math is correct. WooHoo, I'm over half way there. I was looking at all the pretty combinations on Bonnie's Linky, and have decided that I'm the Orca Bay crazy lady. My colors are surely the wildest of the bunch, orange, black, purple and blue, and my scrappy is among the scrappiest. Last mystery I went with Bonnie's colors, and I love my Roll Roll Cotton Boll, but this year I'm definitely out of the box, lol. I haven't seen an ugly Bonnie quilt, and so I have confidence. If you want to see more progress go to Bonnie's Linky here. |
Sunday, November 20, 2011
A Few Hour Glasses Done
I don't belong to Facebook, but DH does, and so I joined a group called "A Quilt Block A day" under his account. The block of the day is hour glasses, and since I'm doing Bonnie's new mystery and the first step has "a few" hour glasses I thought this will be good, I'll use them for both. I guess that hour glass blocks were on my mind, as I looked at this little strip twist (also one of Bonnie's patterns, except for the corners which I changed up a bit) and thought my goodness another type of hour glass block. |
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