Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - On the bed

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt -  On the bed

I had put my Grassy Creek away for a few weeks, but with a bright sunny day, I thought it was time to pull it out and put it on the bed.

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 7 Big Reveal - Finished

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Big Reveal

Here it is ladies and gentleman! My version of Bonnie Hunter Quiltville Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt. I have made it the full size, which is big and I am really pleased with the result.

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Big Reveal

From this more detailed photo, the vigilant of you will see that I have changed some colours around.  When I saw Bonnie's version of Grassy Creek, I thought it was a bit busy to have on a bed, so I auditioned some other colours, swapped the red for yellow and changed the outer border for yellow too. My stash is officially out of yellow now.  Also, I went for straight string borders, again, to calm it down a bit.

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Big Reveal

I put the quilt on my APQS longarm quilting machine last week and chose Nemesh Feathers for the quilting pattern.  This is one of my favourite quilting patterns. As we are in lockdown, I was stretched for backing fabric, so on this occasion I have used a Dorma King Size 300 thread count sheet, which I have used before on other projects.

'Nemesh Feathers' designed by Bethan Nemesh

Whilst it was on the longarm quilting machine I was able to apply the binding and over the past few days I have been busy hand sewing the binding, adding a quilt label and I have even added a hanging strip - it is officially DONE.

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Big Reveal

I have even cleared up my sewing room from the carnage which usually accompanies a big sewing project.  However, below you will see what I have left.  A large pile of red rectangles which were swapped to yellow, some spare half square triangles (?!?), flying geese, strip pieces and 'large' scraps in the box and 'small' scraps in the jar.  I can see three or four projects just from these scraps!

After a few years where I have had to forgo Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Quilt, I am pleased that I was able to join in this year.  A BIG thank you to Bonnie!  The parts will be on her website until mid-February 2021.

#quiltvillemsytery #grassycreekquilt

#fabadasheryquilting

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 7

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 7

I thought I would update you on my progress so far with Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 7.  I have made up the main block and with Bonnie's great instructions, which includes which way to iron the seams (I love that!), it has come together really easily.  Laid out together they make a nice little quilt, but this is just the start of the final leg.

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 7

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#fabadasheryquilting

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 6

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 6

Here is my first batch of blocks for Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 6.   I had a hunch there was going to be some foundation paper piecing in the 2020 Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt, so I have been saving suitable 'paper'.  As far as I know, in the UK, paper telephone directories are obsolete, so I have been keeping an eye out  for alternatives.  I have a couple of Christmas Radio Times saved, but on this occasion the Sunday Times Magazine was a winner.  I removed the centre staples and was able to fit five blocks down the double length.  With the smaller stitches, the paper has come out like a dream.  

Sunday Times Magazine Foundation Paper Quilting

I managed to get a few strips of grey from my scrap box, but otherwise I have been cutting strips from by grey fabric selection.  My grey stash has taken a hit with this Mystery quilt, so I can justify a few purchases at the next available opportunity - let's hope there is a quilt show sooner , rather than later in 2021!  There are usually more than six parts to these Mystery quilts, so I expect a few more parts before the BIG REVEAL - we have not used much green yet.

 #quiltvillemsytery #grassycreekquilt

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Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 6

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 5

 

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 5

The week between Christmas and New Year is usually my most productive time for doing my own sewing. As you know I am following Bonnie Hunter's 2020 Mystery Quilt - Grassy Creek, so my priority has been keeping up with the parts as they are released. 

Part 5 has used up lots of the scraps that had built up over the past few weeks, so that was very satisfactory. I had a bit of a false start with the small 9-patch blocks, getting all my colours mixed up, which required some unpicking, but otherwise OK.  Flying Geese blocks are not my favourite, but I pushed through and have even trimmed them.

I am up-to-date, besides trimming the squares from Part 2, which I am about to do now.

How is everyone else doing?

#quiltvillemsytery #grassycreekquilt

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 4

 

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 4

This is my Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 4 effort.  Bonnie gave some great tricks on how to cut and chain piece them to save loads of time, but I chose to ignore all of them and cut each piece out separately, whilst I tried to use up scraps of fabric.  I think this was a great clue.  Adding onto last week's work has given us a substantial block of pieces which will be welcome once we are putting the whole thing together.  Also, with the instructions on pressing, this block went together like a dream as all the points were easy to match.

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 4

I also had help whilst I did the blocks. Help involves Popcorn sleeping and NOT eating pins, catching the machine needle and knocking blocks off the table.

#quiltvillemsytery #grassycreekquilt

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 3

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 3

I spent most of Sunday cutting fabric for both Part 2 and Part 3 of Bonnie Hunter's 2020 Mystery Quilt Grassy Creek.  I think this is the part I love the most as I get to play with fabrics which other projects don't normally reach.  My oranges have a lot of variation in them and I dithered over some of the selection, but now I see them all together, the red and orange fabrics are looking amazing.  I have a lot of confidence in the final result of this mystery quilt as the colours are so wonderful - great choice Bonnie.

#quiltvillemsytery #grassycreekquilt

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 2

 

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 2

There's nothing like the release of Part 3 to hurry you along to finish Part 2 of Bonnie Hunter's 2020 Mystery Quilt, Grassy Creek.  Here are my quarter square triangles.  It was a struggle to get them done and they still need a trim, but it is dark and Monday morning tomorrow, so maybe another day whilst I am twiddling my thumbs  ....

#quiltvillemsytery #grassycreekquilt

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 1

 

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 1

Well it is real now, I have stitched all my sets for the first part of  Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 1.  Thoroughly enjoyed pulling fabrics from my stash which have been waiting for their moment in the spotlight, and using up scrap bits.  You will see I have moved towards the grey rather than blue option.  When I looked out of my window on a lovely October day, I saw the golden colours of the leaves with bark of a silver birch tree, so that is what I am aiming at in my colour scheme for the Mystery Quilt. 

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 1

So I have used a combination of fat quarters and scraps to get this part done.  It never ceases to amaze me how scraps lead to more scraps - this is what I had left over.  It is not hard to believe the parable of the loaves and the fishes when the scraps keep regenerating.

Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek 2020 Mystery Quilt - Part 1

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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.