Monkey Business ...

My pile of cut pieces from the last post have turned into a completed top!  This was a fun one to piece and arrange.  I used so many scraps, that it really was random.  The pattern on this one actually stands out more if you half squint or view in fading light because a lot of my fabrics are more medium-toned than dark.  It is pretty though and I'm sure one of the ladies at the care home will love it! 

I'm backing Monkey Business with brushed cotton, so it needs a hot wash to ensure any shrinking is already done BEFORE it is quilted.  In the meantime, I've cut for another quilt from Kim Brackett's book (Scrap Basket Surpises) - Bali Sea Star.  However, mine isn't batiks but a chance to use up the oranges/terracotas I pulled for Orca Bay :)

Orca Bay Mystery progress ...

My Orca Bay Mystery has become a completed centre.  I'd always planned on making a smaller version due to limitations on the size of quilt I can manage to quilt myself.  Also, you might notice, that I've swapped the position of the light/dark Ohio Stars and used green in the centres of the dark ones.  This will have a small scrappy black border then be bound with scrappy terracottas.  It will be approx 52" square and will fit nicely on the rail in my lounge where I can display quilts.

I'm putting the mystery on the back burner for a while as I ponder what to use for backing and how I'm going to quilt it.  In the meantime, I've been cutting for a new lap quilt.  One of my quilty goals for this year is to make some of the patterns in books I've bought but never used!  First up is "Monkey Business" from "Scrap Basket Surprises" by Kim Brackett.  This is a GREAT book with lots of lovely patterns for 2.5" strips :)

Slow Progress ...

I decided to go with the second layout of the Orca Bay (see previous post).  Thanks for all your inputs - of those who expressed a preference it was 7 against 2 for the second layout!!

I've been plugging away at the clue parts and now all are made, including the Ohio Stars.  Just need to find a good chunk of time to start the actual assembly :)

Orca Bay Mystery progress ...

I'm plugging away at my Orca Bay, but only making very slow progress.  Currently I'm cutting the large string squares into the triangles and applying the orca tail wings (part 7).  I'm doing them only a couple at a time because I'm very nervous about the bias edges, so am starching, pressing, sewing, etc.  So far they are coming out beautifully - phew!!  Here's one star block laid out so I can see the effect.

I always planned to make a smaller version of the quilt and had thought about putting green (Bonnie's blue) centres into the lighter Ohio stars.  However, after seeing how Julia is sutlely altering her layout, I might follow suit.

Original plan - Bonnie's layout, but with green centres to the lighter stars to help the green move more along the diagonals.

Possible new plan - Julia is planning to swap the lighter and darker Ohio Stars so the darks help the eye travel the diagonals better.

I really am rather liking this second layout. Luckily I only have one Ohio Star sewn so far, so not much ripping would be required to change tack at this stage :)  Any preferences?

Check out other mystery participants here.

New Year ... First Finish.

Happy New Year to you all!!

I have my first finish of 2012 - the Pinwheels Parade design by Pat Speth in "More Nickel Quilts".  I made with with Kaffe Fassett nickels from a long-ago online swap and a pale green tone-on-tone.  The light was so dull this morning it was tricky to get a good picture, but here it is.

In 2010 on the Stashbuster's group there was a challenge to see who would use up the most spools of thread.  I thought it would be fun to keep all my empty spools in 2011 - there are 15.  Now not all of them were full at the start of the year, but it is still fun to see them as an empty collection :)

Now, off to work some more on my Orca Bay mystery quilt ... I'm still need to do clues 6 & 7!

Year End Report.

Here we are on the last day of 2011 - boy that seemed to go by fast!!  I like to keep a tally on projects finished, fabrics used/bought, etc ... so here goes ...

I finished 8 lap quilts, 5 incubator covers (36" square), 5 incubator quilts (16" x 20").
I finished up my oldest UFO from 2008.
I taught the Disappearing Nine Patch to my Quilt Guild at their annual Quiltathon.
I finished my personal stash-busting challenge.
I finally plucked up the courage to quilt feathers!!
On a non-quilty note, I also rediscovered my love of card-making.

I bought 33.5 metres of new fabric.
I used 59 metres of fabric in my finished projects.

I carry two unfinished quilts into 2012 - the Orca Bay Mystery and Pinwheels Parade.

Despite the fact that I had a sewing 'lull' between Sept - Nov, I'm pretty pleased with what I achieved in 2011.  If you've read this far I'll reward you with a quilty picture ... still a work in progress, but I'm getting there!

Here's to a happy, healthy and quilty New Year for all :)

Progress ...

I've finished all the Clue 5 pieces for the Orca Bay Mystery.  I'm holding fire on Clue 6 until I see how it will be set, as I might change the colour of some of the centre pieces.

In the meantime, I've been working on the Pinwheels quilt.  I was basting it this morning and did a little of the quilting this afternoon.  I'm doing some feathers on the paler blocks, so have to pace myself :)