Orca Bay Quilted

All that's left is the binding.........................

off to work I go

Orca Bay Top COMPLETE!!!

Yeah, I have finished my Orca Bay top, I decided to make it slightly smaller than intended but I'm happy with the result. I left off one row on the side and one row on the bottom and then added a 2 1/2" border. Although I am really happy with my colors I could not picture it queen size on a bed as it is very busy and I have decided to gift it to my Mom who just turned 82 this week. She was visiting at Christmas and helped snipping pieces apart to press etc. She was asking me the other day if I had it finished yet and I told her I would send a picture when I got it done. She wants to show her friends what she helped with. Then I had a lightbulb moment and decided I will send her the quilt instead of a picture.
I'm going to try and keep the momentum going today and pin it on my machine and quilt it, so off to get a back prepared.

Here is my sister(one of them-there are 2 more), my Mom and me at Christmas this year..........

Orca Bay - loving my colors

Here is the first block and then with the light block(mine is darker as I used blacks as my neutral)  laying beside. I don't have my design wall up at the moment for better display. I did some more assorted pieces today and realized I had enough to do one block as someone suggested on the chat group. I like that better than long rows so will give it a try. I have enough for probably half of the blocks but time for sewing today has run out, so far I am loving my colors....very bright.

Here is the linky back to Bonnie Hunters Blog where you can see more progress on a lot of other Orca Bay quilts - http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2012/01/mystery-monday-link-up-part-7-8.html

Orca Bay Update

We now have seen the beautiful finished quilt and it is once again an awesome quilt by Bonnie Hunter; I can't wait to see what mine will look like as my colors are completely different. So far I am really liking how it is turning out.
It will be awhile but I am pleased with the progress:
Step 1 - QST - completed today

Step 2 - 3 1/2 " string blocks - only need 13 more

Step 3 - HST - completed today  WOOHOO!!! 

Step 4 - orange string blocks combined with HST with wings  Step 5 added - only 4 made so far. 

Step 6 - Ohio Stars - I am loving these - 4 made so far. as black is my neutral they are black or purple rather than black or white so my quilt will be quite different but I think I  like it.

Anyway tomorrow is one more day off so hopefully I can get quite a bit of sewing time in.

2012 Here we are........are you ready

Happy New Year
Wishing everyone a fabulous year, be happy.....share your smile and have a great day every day!!!!

The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.  ~Mark Twain                   


If you want to be happy, be.  ~Leo Tolstoy

Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.  ~Nathaniel Hawthorne


We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.  ~Frederick Keonigways 

Mystery Quilt.....Christmas is coming

I should be Christmas baking & decorating but all I want to do is sew. Did some more aqua/teal string blocks this week and started clue 4 which in my colors is orange strings, they are turning out awesome. I can't wait to see how this is going to go together. Tomorrow morning Christmas decorating although we won't put up the tree until next weekend. Then some baking and maybe I can sew while things cook LOL. I did finally do some shopping today and don't have too much to do but I am excited to have a large part of my family together for Christmas. My Mom is coming and we haven't spent Christmas together in a number of years and she hasn't seen her grandkids(they are 27 & 30) for probably 10 years. She will also meet her grand son in law who happens to be from the same hometown(the world is such a small place really). I can't believe it is only 2 weeks away.........................

Pleasure is spread through the earth
In stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find.
~William Wordsworth, 1806

Mystery quilt update

Orca Bay continues; so far I have 62 quarter square triangles completed. I have all  the triangles cut( I think) a lot of halves sewn so it should come together quite quickly if I could stop making step 2. I am totally addicted to string blocks and loving these little guys; I have 49 of them done. My HST will not take long either as I have all the strips cut and using a ruler similar to Bonnie Hunter's suggested Easy Angle makes them go very quickly. I have always loved using Thangles and never thought I would switch but this ruler makes them very accurate. You still use the same size strip as with Thangles and no paper to rip off. I have 48 completed. 2 more evenings until next clue I should be close to caught up but if not.......oh well......
Now off to bed so I can get up for work tomorrow.