Marie's Optical Illusion Rule Release #14

Yippee, I finished #14.  I only have one more block and the border to do.

The rule for this block was to make a pinwheel.  My pinwheel is fairly subtle, but it is there.  I'll let you find it.

The technique was to combine a hand stitched applique with embroidery.  The little tumbling blocks are hand embroidered and then appliqued onto the quilt.  I have appliqued quite a lot, but those corners on the blocks were quite a challenge for me.  I guess I'm out of practice.  Anyway, I'm not totally thrilled with the little tumbling blocks, but I quite like the rest of the block and can't wait to add it to the quilt.

Marie's Optical Illusion Quilt, Rule Release 13

I am happy to have finished Rule Release 13.    The rule for this block is that it must have 3 tones or values of the same color.  Well, that a great rule for an optical illusion quilt.  There was no technique given.

I found the pattern for this block at 3dquilt.me.uk.  It is called a Small Stellated Dodecahedron.  The pattern is well-done--it fit together perfectly and I think it's a great addition to my quilt.

Here is the column made from blocks 11, 12 and 13 (however, not in that order.)

This is what the quilt looks like now.  It's getting harder to get a good picture of it.  It certainly is a unique quilt, as are all the other quilts in this mystery quilt challenge.  Just one more row and then it will be ready for the borders.

Marie's Optical Illusion Quilt

I am only 2 years behind schedule, but I've had to put sewing on hold for two years since other events had a higher priority, but now I'm back having fun in my sewing room and my main goal right now is to finish my Dorinda Mystery Quilt.  Today I am posting a picture of my Rule #12 Block.

The Rule was to put words in it somewhere.  I accomplished that with a little machine embroidery quilt label.  The Technique called for a Buggy Barn block.  You can see my attempt at the Buggy Barn technique in the 2 wonky red and black heart blocks at the bottom of the block.  That was a fun technique and I kept it really simple.

I've never done a Buggy Barn quilt before, but it was fun and I'd like to try it some time.  I had a hard time coming up with some way to incorporate a Buggy Barn block in an Optical Illusion theme, so I just added them to the quilt label at the bottom and made a larger optical illusion.  I like the way the optical illusion turned out.  Hopefully I'll be back in the next few days with Block #13.

Scarecrow finish

Finally!  All done.  Quilted and binding on.  It is a pretty big quilt to get a picture of.  I did qayg so I will lay the quilt out and take a picure of the back for you.  I am happy with my quilt and I am thankful that this project was offered and I had the opportunity to participate.

Betty

Lyn's final top without borders...

I am glad she saved the best for last.  This is a wonderful rendition of home.  I see Grandma's pine trees along the driveway, the corral/garden, our house, and the horse pasture.

Love it!

Pam's Woods Mystery Without Borders and Quilting

I thought I would just go ahead and post my top. It is still a mystery to my husband. I have tried to explain, but he just doesn't get it. LOL I guess only a quilter could appreciate it. Since he likes greens and browns, this will still probably be one of his favorites!

Pam's Woods Mystery - Rule 14 and 15

This one didn't turn out quite like I imagined it. With hindsight, I should have made the pinwheels with light and dark green instead of greens and blues. They are supposed to be tall trees! I appliqued the trunks with wool felt and embroidery thread.

There was only one rule for 15 and it was to use no pink. I told myself that would be easy because I am using browns and greens mostly. I was just about finished putting all the squares together when I realized that some of my browns had pink in them. I had good intentions. I actually made rules 14 and 15 alike. Below is a picture of them joined. Betty gave me one of her dimentional blocks from an earlier rule because she thought it looked like a tent. I appliqued the tent in the center of the trees where rules 14 and 15 are joined.

I really have enjoyed participating in this mystery. This was a good exercise in creativity and design and certainly took me outside my "quilting box." Everyone did a fabulous job with their mysteries. I am looking forward to seeing all of the finished designs.

Scarecrow 14 & 15

This will be the top of my quilt.  I broke the rules on this one.  I wanted to extend the tree from earlier clue so I did it the best I could.  That meant changing the size of rules 14 & 15.   I had found a vest at goodwill store so I wanted to use the scarecrows from it in the quilt somewhere but these scarecrows were pretty big.  Part of the design was knitted right into the sweater and parts of it are appliqued on, so I had to cut around the entire design to use it in the quilt.  I appliqued them each onto big pieces of flannel so that I could have one in each upper corner of the quilt.  The blackbirds were here and there on the vest so I cut them off the sweater and put them in the tree.  I had to laugh at myself because the whole time I was making the tree I was trying to think of something to put in it besides leaves.  While I was cutting up the vest , I was thinking the extra birds are cute,  I should find a place in the quilt for them.

Now I need to attach this section to the rest of the quilt and make some borders.

Bird Border

I have the border on!  I found this cute striped fabric that is made to go with my other basic fabrics.  Some of the flowers are exactly like the ones in the flower print, and the colors all match.  I simply put the border on three sides and mitered the corners.

It's hard to get a really good shot that shows what it looks like in total, and the bed we have here is a Hollywood king, so it doesn't fit properly, but you get the idea.  I will now put this quilt away until we get home in September and quilt it next winter.  Meanwhile, I brought along another one that I can work on when I have the time.  I'm hoping to see more of you come to conclusion this month!!

Lyn's Winter Mystery - almost there

Lyn has had her block finished for several weeks but has had no way to get it posted.  Isn't it beautiful?
Below is the whole block.

Here is where it goes with the entire quilt.

Final Bird Block!!

Well, here is my last block, exciting but sad too.  I will miss these monthly blocks.  Hope we are soon working on another project!

This is the final block.  I see the chickadees are hard to see in the photo, but they show up better on the real block.  Everything is needle-turn appliqued and machine embroidered.

I couldn't get a good, full shot of the last two blocks joined.  They were just too wide to get the whole thing without making the photo too small to see the detail, so I have a shot from the middle.  The full quilt is below.

Sorry, a chair is in front of the bottom left corner, but it is just a continuation of the bottom center, so you aren't missing anything.  I have the fabric and a plan for the border and hope to get that done before long.  Will post it then.  It has been such fun working on this and getting acquainted with all of you guest quilters.  What a wonderful experience!

Block #15, and complete setting.

Final Block!!

This block took a lot longer to put together than it looks. The pine tree print had 4 inch wolfs with the snow around and between them. I cut small pieces of the snow print and set them around the trees. Much of this was needle turn applique using a blind stitch. I also had to overlay and applique trees over the the top of others to cover parts of the wolves and the holes cut to remove the wolves. I enlarged the mountain from the pattern I used in block 14.

Below is 14 and 15 put together. I found the cloud print looking for something else, and it seemed a better match than what I used earlier, so I took the old clouds off and added these. I do like them better.

And here is all 15 blocks put together. It makes quite a picture.

It measures about 60 X 80. I hope to get the borders on tomorrow.

Pam's Wood Mystery rules 11,, 12 and 13

I am finally getting caught up. I only have two rules to go.

This is rule 11. I put two little heart shaped yoyo's at the bottom of two trees.

Rule 12 was the buggy barn technique and put words somewhere. I thought I would just put the name of my mystery in there.

Rule 13 was three tones of the same color. The only thing I could think of was to use the strip technique.

Rules 11 thru 13.

Rules 1 thru 13 - only 2 more to go!

Rule 14 & 15 - finished!

I ended up combining Rules 14 and 15 because of time constraints with student teaching starting soon (and the fact that I was behind on #14....lol). I haven't got a clue why the pic is sideways, but that's beside the point. The piano key border is one of my favorite things to use in bordering a quilt and there's no pink in the entire quilt. =) The hearts in the corners of the border are what remained of the teddy bear panel. I do admit to machine applique'ing them on because I didn't have time to do them otherwise. The only thing that didn't get in from Rule 14 was the pinwheel and that's because I could think of how to add one.

I'm not real happy with all the open background fabric in the bottom right, so I may end up adding something else there. But haven't decided on that.

I've had a great time working on the mystery this past year. It's been great fun to watch as everyone's quilt has unfolded. And if another one is done I'd love to take part again!

Rule Release #15 - THE LAST ONE!

Rule Release #15

Hello again everyone! 

Wow!  We are actually releasing the last rule right behind our year mark.  I really did not expect to have a queen sized top this far done one year out.  This is wonderful!

Rule: "No Pink." 

The lady who submitted this rule always uses pink and wanted  to be forced against it.  Now, doesn't that sound like a simple rule to finish off with?  It is simple for me because I don't really like pink.

Technique:  Choose any technique you favor.   Perhaps there is one you tried this year that you wish to repeat.

Size:  We are going to complete the row we began in December.  This row completion, once sewn to the TOP or BOTTOM of your quilt, will complete the quilt top -- yay!  (minus borders).  Block #15 will need to be 30 1/2" wide ( 30" finished) by 22 1/2" tall (22 finished). 

Once this row is completed in February, the quilt should measure 60 x 80 which will fit the top of a queen-sized bed.  You will have to make borders to get the quilt long enough to go over the sides of the bed.

Due Date: I think the "quilt top" without borders should be due Feb 29, 2012 -- LEAP DAY.  I mean, we only have a due date such as this every four years, right.   It will also allow us catcher-uppers to catch up.

Thank you and enjoy.

Scarecrow, rule 13

I Used 3 shades of blue to frame a theme pieced of fabric.

Added  the crow fabric under it so the block would be the right size.  

Scarecrow rule 12

For the "buggy barn" technique I made the trees.  Those were fun.  So fun in fact that I decided to make a scarecrow Santa.  That may have been easier if I were making a BIGGER one.  But once I had a good start on this I continued even though the pieces were tiny to work with.   His face is pink and hard to see with the white bg.  I am going to put more details on the face and a pompom or button on the tip of his cap.

For the "words" part of the clue, as you can see,  I used fabrics with words.  The crow fabric has a sign that says, "When this you see, remember me" .  I have been putting words here and there throughout the quilt already.   So I thought fabrics with words would be fine here.  

I really do love this project and I am sorry to have fallen behind.  I hope to get up to date here pretty soon.

9 and 10 done - The Quilted Barn

I am finding some time to catch up -- yippee!  I am only three behind now.

The first row was added to the bottom of the quilt.  Different sized blocks that fit together are in the barn section while the orange flowers are 3D.

The very bottom row has the folded insert technique.  I did it very simple by folding the green strip of fabric on the bottom right and catching the edges in the seam.  I appliqued the fold down.  The disappearing 9 patch is in the front of the lower red barn.  I sewed the disappearing pieces together at random with no specific rhyme or reason.

Now I am off to making a bridge and horse/buggy to begin my column.

Oh, I finally got all of my itty bitty flowers attached to the fence between the two big trees.  They are a bit busy, but I like it.

I also added three small trees below the "falling apart" old barn on the left.

Below is a close up of the two newest rows.

Below are closeups of the flowers.  The whole flower section was made by putting fusible webbing on the back side of the fabric, fusing it to itself, and then cutting out the flowers.  The front and back of the flowers are the same fabric.  Most were attached with a French knot, but some I used invisible thread.

Lyn's Small Town Winter is current to Rule 14.

Here is Lyn's Rule #14.  She is busily working on rule 15 and will have it done on time on January 15th as scheduled.

Additon to Bird Rule 14

I decided I liked Moira's suggestion of adding more branches, so here is the updated block.

I like it better.

Granny Annie's Garden Rule 13

As you know I'm not doing the quilt but still following the rules. I've made quite a few wall quilts so decided to do a tablerunner this time. The binding is my third green tone.

Autumn Courntry Rule 14 Release

Since this is the top, what better thing to add than the sky and the sun. Mountains in the background and of course, pine trees.

For the rule and technique, the sun is my pinwheel and it is needle turn appliqued behind the sky. I cut the circle and appliqued it by hand. From each seam of the pinwheel, I hand embroidered a sun ray. The mountains were fun to do. I have a pattern with one mountain with the snowcap, but it looked pretty lonely, so I added a couple more. For a block this size, it was a challenge to fill it in, and I may still add some more clouds.

Bird Mystery Rule 14 Reveal

Here is my Rule 14.  I'm not sure I like it, but I need to let it sit for a while before I decide for sure.  I may add something, perhaps a swallow with a third pinwheel in it's beak.  I'm a little uncomfortable with all the open space, but I may decide I want to keep it and quilt a design in it.  Any suggestions?

Rule Release #14

Rule Release #14


Hello again everyone!  How is your Christmas readiness coming along?  I am certain we all have our days and evenings filled with all sorts of goings-on.


As for the Dorinda Mystery, we are very close. The last rule release will come out in January and then we will have a top completed minus borders -- yeah!!

Rule:  Make a pinwheel


Technique:  combine a hand stitched applique with embroidery

Size:  We are going to make half of a row this month and next month we'll make the other half to complete the quilt top (minus borders).  This row will go on either the TOP or BOTTOM of the quilt.  Block #14 will need to be 30 1/2" wide ( 30" finished) by 22 1/2" tall (22 finished). 

Once the row is completed in early February, the quilt should measure 60 x 80 which will fit the top of a queen-sized bed.  You will have to make borders to get the quilt long enough to go over the sides of the bed.
Due Dates: The next and FINAL rule will release January 15th.  You can begin showing a full release of #14 any time it is completed. 

Granny Annie's Garden, Rule 12

Well here I am with Rule 12. It's another wall quilt. I searched out a real Buggy Barn pattern of butterflies. I wanted the top & bottom background to be the same color in all 3 blocks, though, so I altered it a bit. I love how it turned out.