My Cotton Boll is Rolling Away...

So, just as soon as I finished Step One of the Roll Roll Cotton Boll mystery quilt, Bonnie went and published Step Two! It took me some time, but when I saw that Step Three was going to be published I decided just to finish Step Two.

Fortunately I had the right die and cut out the triangles in minutes. Shortly after that I had those pesky HSTs all sewn up.

And so now we have Step Three. It's a doozy! I think my schedule is lost. I have work deadlines, personal deadlines and I really wanted to get this done quickly. But perhaps, I can just keep plugging away at it!

Cheers,

Dionne

Cotton Boll on my Mind

I've got Cotton Bolls on my mind. When I was young I lived in Arizona where there are many cotton fields. Well, perhaps many is a bit of an exageration. My mother was a nurse/teacher at a school for "Drastically Disabled Children" I don't think that term would have been allowed today. Actually that was the term the staff used and it wasn't until I was older I learned the school was actually a boarding school run by the state for severly handicapped children.

In the summers I spent many days at this school, mostly because I had no childcare and the school was air conditioned. The children were usually dumped at the school by their parents and never went home again. It wasn't a cheerful place. But that's for a different blog, not mine.

Next to the school were cotton fields as far as you could see and I spent a lot of time gathering up the Cotton and bringing it into the children in the classrooms. They didn't get recess and I was always trying to figure out ways I could get a little playtime with them. Nurse Ratchet, the head nurse (not her real name), didn't like the distractions I brought to the school and I was often kicked out -- left alone to wander the cotton fields.

My children are so excited about my quilting. I mean really, just look at the excitement on my daughters face here:

Well, maybe excitement isn't quite the right word. My youngest is a little, but my older ones are more apt to say... "Please don't give me another quilt for Christmas." In my defense they aways get other gifts as well. REALLY.

My middle child the other day said she'd like a specific quilt. I was excited. When she showed me the quilt, it was an intricately appliqued pattern called Cotton Boll. It is a beautiful pattern and looks like a lot of work. I prepared myself mentally to take on the challenge.

Then, low and behold, there on Bonnie Hunter's Blog I read about her latest mystery quilt called Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll. Oh, goodness, I could make that quilt for my daughter and it would be fun as well! I love a good Bonnie Mystery!

The last one I did is the Tobacco Road Mystery. Here's a picture of my version of it here:

For this mystery I need:

About 5 yards of neutral scraps (FQ and smaller, the more variety the better) I should be ok here, might need to visit the LQS, darn.



Ok, that is a pitiful display of neutrals. Here I thought I had so many.




About 12 to 15 varieties of green. Bonnie used avacados and yellow greens. Sorry Bonnie, can't do those. As this is for my daughter, I'll use Kelly, Lime, Bright and Deep greens. I use green alot so I'll probably be low, better head to the LQS!

Although, now that I look at what I do have, some of these are so pale they almost look like neutrals.





About 12 to 15 varieties of pink. Bonnie is using doubles, but I'll use mostly brights, raspberry shades and whatever else I can find.


Lots of pinks here. I buy pinks and sherberts all the time, I just never seem to use them...





About 16 varieties of chocolate. Yummy!

Actually, some of these look like neutrals in this photo. I think I'm beginning to see a running theme here. Maybe I'm neutral dislexic.

Also, we'll need some larger cuts. Two yards of red for the Anchor color (Bonnie is using less, but I'll add a second border and binding) I'm trying to decide between these two fabrics. Any thoughts?

And finally 1/2 yard of green for an inner border:

Mmmmm, lots of blue in that green border fabric. Do you think it will matter?

Mysteries are fun! Quilting is fun! Cricket wants a new quilt! Nice Huh! Won't my daughter be surprised. Do you think she'll notice the intricately appliqued, advanced Cotton Boll pattern she asked for is really a beautiful scrappy Cotton Boll Bonnie Hunter pattern?

Cheers,

Dionne

Pinwheel Paradise Revisited... OTR Mystery Part 2

So I am finally done with (or at least almost done with) part 2 of the Old Tobacco Road mystery quilt. 400 Half Square Triangles to make 100 Pinwheels.

So for this step you start with 2-inch squares and turn those into 1.5-inch half square triangles and sew four of those together to make 100 pinwheels.

This turned out to be a very long step for me because I had some technical difficulties with my fabric selection. (I ran out of the only fabric I decided not to "scrap-out")

Bummer! But now it's done. (almost) :-)

Mystery Update - Tragedy strikes! ... maybe

...just maybe I'm being a bit over dramatic. But it feels like a tragedy to me. I am working on the Old Tobacco Road Mystery quilt by Bonnie Hunter and even though this is a scrappy quilt, I decided to control the colors a bit.

I decided to go with a nice green and blue family for parts 1 and 2. But I am using one cream fabric throughout the entire quilt.

But about half-way through the sewing and cutting on step 2, I realized ... I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CREAM! And of course, Murphy says, I bought the last of the bolt.

Of course, it's not a flat cream easy to replace, no it's a tea-stained and ivory print. I can't do one color for more than half of the cream and then all creamy scraps for the second half. I might have gotten away with it if I hadn't finished part 1 already!

Ok, so my sewing is taking a hiatus and now I am on a fabric hunt. I'm trolling the LQSs and even the Pacific Fabrics in the area!

Wish me luck!

Old Tobacco Road - Step 2: Pinwheel Paradise!

Well, even with the Teacher's Strike and the summer that never ends, I am managing to move forward with my Big End of the Summer Mystery Bash!!


Now that part 1 is finished, I have several leftover 2" (inch) strips in blues and greens, and in cream. I actually have many leftover 2" chunks of blue/cream 2-patches so I am a bit worried that I've mis-calculated my sewing for part 1 and won't have enough fabric for the next step. But because it's scrappy, I can always find more greens or blues. (If it's creams I'm up a creek... but we won't think about that because it isn't going to happen!)

• For this step you need a million half square triangles. Oh, sorry, I meant to say 388 2" (1.5" finished) Half Square Triangles! Now, that is enough to drive me batty, except that I often forget just how much that really is. Anyhow, I decided to use my beloved 'Thangles'


• First put your 2" strips right sides together, one light and one dark. Then put your Thangle 1.5 sheet over the strip-pair. Just stitch on the broken line and cut on the solid line. Perfect triangles every time. No rulers, no thinking, no muss, no fuss!

• Thangle TIPS: You don't have to shorten your stitch to use Thangles, but I do. Why? Because it makes it just that much easier, and I'm all for easy! Also, it's helpful to keep your fabric borders and your Thangle sheet aligned nicely.

• Last step for Pinwheel Paradise (my own name for this step, Bonnie would have come up with something nicer, but instead gave us a lovely theme song by Dusty Springfield). Stitch up those pinwheels! 388 half-square triangles make 97 pinwheels!

FYI - I am actually going to sew until I get to 100 pinwheels (instead of 97) because once again we are going to need a few half pinwheels... and there is no way I'm going to make a half-pinwheel. I'll just sew it up and take the rejects and cut'em in half!

If the whole Thangles thing isn't for you, and you are interested, there is a nice little half-square tutorial at Mama Crafty's Blog

Old Tobacco Road - Step 1, 4-patchs Forever

So I've been so busy with the Teacher's strike (Still no school for us!) and with my sewing that I almost forgot to post!

Well, Step one is to sew a whole bunch of 4-patches. And I mean a WHOLE LOT!

Bonnie always gives everyone the opportunity to pull from your stash to create her quilts and gives directions that are very friendly for 'Sew-Betweens' (what you make with your Leaders & Enders)

Anyhow, I don't have a big basket of pre-made 4-patches ready to go. So to achieve my 182 4-patches, I had to begin from scratch! So here are my steps:

• Cut my cream fabric into 2 inch (2") strips, and my fabric family of blues and greens also into 2" strips.


• Sew one cream strip to one dark stip.

• Cut these strips into 2" chunks -- enough for 182 4-patches (I know I need some of this fabric leftover for the next step, so I had to really keep track.)

• Last step is to sew your chunks into 4 patches! 182 four patches, but I did 190 because we need a few half-4 patches and I figured I'd take the 'runts' or the "baddies" and cut 'em in half.

I'm really excited to see how this quilt will turn out. I love Bonnie's quilts and everyone who is working on this one is doing some really different color combinations. When we are all done, I will try to post links to everyone's pics. Of course, Bonnie also puts a lot of links on her website of the finished quilts as well.

I really think that might be my favorite part. Seeing how everyone used fabric and color selections to make beautiful and unique quilts from the same wonderful pattern.

Well, Keep Quilting!

Dionne

Old Tobacco Road - Day One, Fabric Selection

I am doing Bonnie's latest Mystery Quilt called 'Old Tobacco Road'. I got a bit of a late start on this one, so I am not answering (or reading my email) in a timely manner in an effort not to spoil the surprise!

If you haven't done any of Bonnie's mysteries, they are fabulous and a lot of fun. I will be posting all of my OTR (Old Tobacco Road) related activities and pictures here.

The Basics: This will be 56" x 78" - which is bigger than a throw size. I might add the optional borders segment, and then I'll end up with a full size quilt that measures approximately 81-inches X 104-inches!

Bonnie's directions allow for both a complete scrappy look, or a more controlled scrappy look. I tend towards the controlled colors and bearing that in mind here is what I've done:

Choose two color families:

• First in deep rusts and browns - Bonnie threw in some black for contrast, I replaced that with deep garnet.


• Next, a color family that will not clash with your rusts. I chose greens and blues.


• Lastly you need a selection of lights or creams. I chose not to go scrappy at all here but have one cream print that I will use throughout.

The black you see is for one of the borders. I don't know if I will only do one border or all three that she has fabric selections for.