Preparation - Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - 1 day to go

 

New Rotary Cutting Blade

Happy Thanksgiving! What does this mean - it means that there is only one sleep until Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt kicks off tomorrow.  You will have seen my previous post with all my lovely fabrics set to go and today I making some further preparations for the next few weeks.  Firstly, I have put a new rotary blade into my cutter.  There is going to be a lot of cutting in the next few weeks, so lets make it a pleasure.

New Machine Needle

Secondly, I have put a new needle into my sewing machine.  Again, there is going to be a lot of sewing in the next few weeks, so let's start off on a good foot.

Sewing Machine Bobbins

Thirdly, clean out the bobbin case of your sewing machine. It will be interesting to see what it is like after the Grassy Creek Mystery Quilt, but at least I will know it was clean to start with.  Fourthly, wind some bobbins.  We are going to get through a load of these and according to Sod's Law it is usually at the most inconvenient time.  Because this is a scrap quilt, I will probably take the opportunity to empty some half filled bobbins too.

Leaders and Enders Projects

And finally, I am making an assumption that there will be a lot of chain piecing, so if you have a 'Leaders and Enders' project to hand, it might be worth pulling that out in readiness to see what can be achieved with an additional project.
 

Pushing the boat out for Christmas

New Rotary Cutter Blade

I am actually doing some sewing today, it seems like ages since I have had the chance to sit at the machine and make quilt blocks. To celebrate I have put a new sharp blade into my rotary cutter, after all - it is Christmas!

Nearly Insane Quilt - Draw 12

Draw 11 - Nearly Insane Quilt Blocks, 6,17, 42

Here are the completed Nearly Insane blocks from Draw 11.  These three blocks, 6, 17 and 42 add up to 250 pieces in all, with one block just 21 pieces, another 120.  I think it is the variety that keeps you sane!

Draw 12, has pulled out the next blocks as

7 - 78 - 83 - 93

Nearly Insane - English Paper Piecing Travel Packs

I have been getting my house in order with regards my Nearly Insane Quilt progress.  In my 6 Month Progress Report, I mentioned a few outstanding issues with regard the outer edge cornerstones, and the zig zag border.  Well action has been taken, and as you may be able to see I have not only cut out the pieces for all these, and put them into their travel bags, but I have also already prepared the next four blocks.  At 'work' I think all this reviewing would qualify as 'professional reflective practice'.

Old Cutting Mat

All this activity with the rotary cutter has been vastly improved with the introduction of a new cutting mat.  For quite a while I have been having problems cutting my fabric.  I thought a new blade in the rotary cutter would do the trick, but no.    The reason for the trouble was that the mat has been used so much that there are vast crevasses missing from it, so blade was skipping on those sections. I had to admit to myself that my old mat had passed it best.

New Cutting Mat

So at the NEC Festival of Quilts, I invested in a new cutting mat, and everything is working like a dream.