Friday 30 December 2011

Orca Clue 6

I have just finished half of the blocks needed for Clue 6, hopefully that will be enough to move on to the next clue ;-)
 My cream stash is getting low

 112 cream and purple blocks cut and 56 pinks

 light block

 dark block

 I did a lot of chain stitching

 I quickly laid out the blocks in a alternate pattern

I'm really happy with them and tonight will start clue 4 
(I missed that one because we were on holidays at Fraser Island)

Happy quilting
Allison

Thursday 29 December 2011

Christmas Material all put away - well most of it :-)

I've had a very productive last two days.

Finished all the Christmas presents; packed up the Christmas material; decided to do a new one day mystery
http://planetpatchwork.com/Mystery134/chipsnstripspart1.htm
; unpacked Christmas material - LOL

Decided Christmas material would be too busy for new mystery, but by then I wanted to make a Christmas quilt - so here it is.

 Using one jelly roll and a panel, and adding a little more material, I can make two lap quilts or large wall hangings. (It's a little hot in Australia at Christmas to use lap quilts).






























My sewing table




Christmas material is now packed up - well most of it and I'm ready to find material for Merry Mayham Mystery Quilt.

Then to continue with Orca mystery before next clue comes out tomorrow.
Life is good when one is on holidays.

Happy sewing
Allison

Tuesday 27 December 2011

Merry Christmas to all

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas - we did.  This is our tree on Christmas Eve.
I went to Spotlight today - had Christmas specials, but not a lot more. BUT...... I did buy some 75% off pink and blue Christmas decorations for next year's tree :-) AND some lovely Christmas blocks at half price. Also there were some - not all - Christmas FQ for 70cents, and some 5xFQ packs for $5.60. So I'm a happy quilter.
Was thinking of doing some Orca Mystery tonight - but then I thought I should finish some Christmas projects, so that's what I'm going to do.
 Happy Quilting

Wednesday 21 December 2011

Wonderful Sewing Day

The last few days I've made some mug rugs for Christmas, and continued with the Orca Mystery Quilt.


I finished 168 of the 350 2"hst units from Part 3 and skipped Part 4 so I can add them to Part 5 LOL.
 http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2011/12/orca-bay-part-5.html


Part 5 is to cut 700 triangle to add to Part 3. Well, that too for ever - not that I'm whining - and I only got 225 cut before I had to cook dinner.


My goal this week was to get 50 units of each part complete. Well I got 168 of part 3 complete, but have pre-cut the required material to complete the 350.


I have also added the wings to Part 3 to complete 50 of Part 5. So I am pretty pleased with myself. (AND I did all this while looking after my granddaughter!





I chain stitched and cut the tabs off as I went.


Cooper - granddaughter - loved the flags and was handing me the wings to put on LOL.


So here are 50 units complete.


I'm looking forward to the next part, although I doubt I'll be able to do any more until after Christmas, and if I can do it while travelling :-).

Here are all the bits and pieces ready to go away until after Christmas.


Have a safe and Happy Holiday Season.

Tuesday 20 December 2011

Progress on Part Three

The thought of all those tiny triangles gave me cause for thought - there has to be a better way. So with some trial and error I worked out that if I lay a light on a dark 5 inch square, I can make 8 half square units.

This was plan two 4.75" and the blocks were about 1/16 too small, so I added 1/4" and the blocks are good. I do have to be careful to sew on the lines, and the lines need to be exact, but once sewing I can chain sew quickly.
Draw the two diagonals first.

 Then the two cross lines - these are the cutting lines after sewing.
I also drew the sewing lines 1/4" of each side of the diagonals.
I've check a lot of the finished units and a few need trimming to make 2"  squares, but I'm fine with that.

I've made 40 units tonight - 5 lots of 8. Will do some more tomorrow and then start

I need 350 units, so that is 44 pairs of 5" squares needed - 39 to go.

Happy Sewing




Monday 19 December 2011

Still getting use to the 'new' other pages.....

Can't work out how to add new posts to the other pages LOL ..... I'll keep going .....

Part 2 finished

Finished work Last Friday week and went off to beautiful Fraser Island for the week. Of course I took some trimming of the Part 1 units ...... 

 Don't these scraps look pretty? Can't think of what to use them for, so I'll have to bin them - but they still look pretty.


Now for Part 2.
I had only intended to do 50 of part two, but once I got started it was so much fun, I decided I might as well do the whole 72 units. I didn't have a lot of teals / turquoise, in fact what I had I had purchased most of it for a block exchange I was in, so I also added a couple of greens and blues that I hope look good together.

 


I do think I like the colours.
Now to start Part 3

Back home - but had a great holiday.

Got home on Saturday, and have been happily sewing since we got back LOL.
I finished Part 2 of the Orca Mystery - see photos under that tab - and made three mug rugs for Christmas. I still have trouble with the corners of the binding, so will have to practice that.
So my goal this coming week is to make another two mug rugs and continue with the mystery.

Happy quilting.

Sunday 4 December 2011

Sunday Summary

Finally finished all the blocks plus some, for the Orca Bay Mystery Part One. Of course, most people are already up to Part Three, but that's ok - I'll catch up :-D

This week I have sliced my finger with the rotary cutter - trying to be quick, AND the light was not so good. Won't do that again - I hope. It's been almost a week and it is still sore, but appears to be healing well. I have broken 4 needles quilting meandering stitch.

I did get some Christmas sewing done, which is good. Photos to come.
Today we are decorating the tree and hopefully will get some more sewing done - if I don't break any more needles!!!!

Happy sewing