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.

2014 Wrap-up

Quilts finished 2014.  From top Everlee, Aurora, Joey, Emmalee, Danika Lee, Tristan and brother, Naomi, Hayley, Cameron and Sister, Kerri, Donna, Son, Daughter, Lynn, Hank.

Afghans 2014.  Tabitha, Brook, Vanna, Caleb, Danika Lee, Aurora.

Misc. 2014.  Everlee, Ironing Pad, Bionic Gear Bag, 8 placemats Sandra, Litter bags and iphone holder, 12 placemats for Barbara and Judy, Bag for me, Bags for kids, Gator bags for me, etc., Initial A for Aurora, Throw for Vince, another Litter Bag, Messenger bags, Kerri and Sandra.  I missed a couple of things, some bags and a throw, but that's most of it.

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. 

Christmas Past

I made a couple of these a few years ago.  This wasn't the prettiest. 

I used to have Christmas for the family at my house, but my daughter has had it the last few years.

I loved this quilt and gave it away this summer.  It's on my to-do list to make another.

This Christmas quilt was given to one of my grandsons and his wife.

This one is on my bed until the first of the year.  I really like it.

These little mini stockings were a fun project that I made several years ago.  I made lots of them.

I have made lots of table-toppers.  Pillow covers, too.

Wall hangings too, and almost always reversible.  I figured why not a tree for fall and Thanksgiving.

A dresser cover from some blocks I got at a shop hop.

Table-toppers and wall hangings, it's a sickness.

And, one more wall hanging that almost got left out.  The scare crow is from Hobby Lobby.

I have also made countless Christmas bags.  I made this Christmas post to link up to Bonnie at Quiltville's Very Merry Happy Holiday linkup here.

Great-Granddaughter Rocker Ensemble

A couple of years ago, my daughter and I got this chair, made the cushion and a little matching blanket, for Dominic.  He has a little sister now, and since he has outgrown his chair, and she seems to like it a lot, my grandson asked if I could make a more girlie rocking chair ensemble.

I, of course, said yes and here is the front of the little rush job quilt.  I am not thrilled at all with the looks of it, but it is mostly purple, like her room.

He also asked that it have a fleece back, as she loves soft, and so it has a fleece back. 

And here are the replacement chair pads.  Again, I wish I'd taken more care to straighten things up, but in my defense, I was hurrying.  I wanted to get them done in time for a free ride to their new home a couple hundred miles from us.  I have a feeling these are my last finish for the year.  I just hope that they fit, I got dimensions from my grandson, but I was on my own with the curved top. 

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. 

Iron Tote and Pad

Oh my goodness!  I thought this was going to be a piece of cake, but in it's way, I think it was more difficult than my Bionic Gear Bag.  I tried to do some investigating before I started, and one lady suggested using old towels instead of batting.  I wonder if she ever tried it herself.  I didn't have any 100% cotton batting, and I thought to myself, I have old towels, and that will save a little money, and a trip to the fabric store.  First since it called for 2 layers of batting, I used 2 layers of towel, and I couldn't hardly even get it under the presser foot.  Before I had even gone 4 inches, I broke a needle.  I took it apart, and used 1 layer of towel.  Alas, even that was a major stretch for my Bernina presser foot, and every stitch was a fight.  Breaking of thread was routine.  Never again, if I make another one, I'll make sure that I have the batting. 

Here it is with my little travel iron inside, still in the box.  I feel sure that a full sized iron would fit in here just fine, and I'm thinking, I'll make myself a little hemmed piece of flannel to use on top of it when I iron to keep it looking nice.  That will fit in here just fine, also.  I used 4 inches of elastic, as the pattern called for, but I think that was too much.  I need to investigate what would be good to make sure that the buttons don't pop out and dump my goodies.

Not perfect, but I wasn't kidding when I said every stitch was a challenge. 

All in all, I'm happy with it, and I think that if I hadn't used the towel it would have been as easy as I expected it to be.  It might be that the firmness of the towel is more to my liking than the batting would have been.  I know, pink buttons?  They were all I had, and my Bionic Gear Bag is pink and brown, so they'll fit right in.   Oh, it is a free pattern and I got it here: http://thepaintedquilt.blogspot.com/2013/07/easy-peasy-travel-iron-caddy.html       or                        
http://tricountyquilters.weebly.com/uploads/3/0/2/4/3024945/iron_caddytote.pdf