UFO Challenge 2017

     Are you participating in the allpeoplequilt.com "UFO Challenge 2017"?  
I don't remember seeing it posted last year but one of the girls in my quilt bee mentioned it to me so I went and checked it out.  I like the idea of it....kind of like what i've done over the years with making my "Big 3" list every month, except this one, you make a list of 12 and allpeoplequilt.com picks a random number and you do that project.  

     The January number was posted the other day and it's #6......

REALLY?  I'm thrilled it's #6, and here's why

 

The Fig Tree 2016 BOM is my #6 and it's been sitting up on my design wall now for a few weeks....I need it off the wall and out for quilting PRONTO!

These are just a few of the up-close blocks.  I love them all and especially love the Fig Tree fabrics.

I do want to say though, this BOM is/was not for the faint of heart.  It was a challenge at the least and frustrating at times as well.  I swore that was the end of that but I did sign up for 2017 BOM thru them and i'm praying it's easier....or that will be the end of their BOM's.....

Swooning Along

     As if I didn't have enough projects going on, I joined another "no pressure" sew along with girls on Instagram.  I've said it before and I'll reiterate it here now....that Instagram is a dangerous place to visit!

     This one is a Bonnie & Camille "Swoon QAL 2017".   We were challenged by Mel at mel_is_a_swapaholic to pull 18 coordinating fabrics to make the 9 blocks in the pattern.

I couldn't decide between "Hello Darling" or "Vintage Picnic".  I pulled both out and then went to bed.  When I got up I looked thru both, pulling out pieces I knew I wanted in the quilt......and FYI, I wanted the quilt larger and "less square" so I pulled enough for 12 blocks....

I think a few from each line is just the ticket!

I cut out Block #1 on Tuesday night before I went to bed so when I woke up yesterday all I had to do was start sewing..... Here's block #1

AND.....since it was sunny out I held it up to the window to see how it looked with the sun coming thru...like a stained glass piece...

I love the look......

I'm on my way to Swooning Along in 2017!

Peggy

" En Provence" Part 5

     Can it already be Week 5 of our Quiltville Mystery?

     This week Bonnie went WAY easy on us..... 64 3-1/2 inch HST!  WOW....that was easy!

There are many ways to make hst but I am an old fashioned girl... I make mine oversized and trim them down.  I am grateful for my Bloc Lock Ruler....I get perfect HST!

So...here they are!

If you'd like to see all the others that are linking up, check Bonnie's blog....

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2016/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-5.html

I want to thank Bonnie for these mysteries....this is # 5 for me and I'm as excited as I was when I did #1.  I also wanted to thank Bonnie for choosing my picture to post last Monday on her blog...what a nice honor!  

Have a good week......it's almost 2017!!!

Orca Bay

       Yes, I said Orca Bay.....which was Bonnie Hunter's 2011 Mystery.  I wasn't on the "Mystery Train" at that point but one Saturday in January 2012 I had 2 friends here from out of state and both girls had done Orca Bay and brought their tops with them for the visit.  I was mesmerized with this quilt and at that point I said I'd have to join in and do the next one.  I did join in and have been doing the mysteries since 2012 and enjoying each and every one.

         My friend that did the mystery originally brought me all her steps printed off....what was to stop me from making Orca Bay?  Nothing except life, children, grand babies etc.......  But, earlier this year I pulled out the instructions and the bin of fabrics I'd collected fabrics in and voile....off I went starting it.  Here is what I have so far..........

28 neutral/red/black Ohio Stars with neutral backgrounds and 28 block with red center Ohio Stars with just a tiny bit of the neutral.   (I LOVE THEM)

I'm working out of order here so my next step completed is 64 Red String blocks.

I finished them yesterday and even sat and pulled the papers off.....

Bonnie suggests using telephone book paper for the foundation and lowering your stitch length, which I did and it worked like a charm!  

Now, the last step I have completed is blue strings.....

Aren't these awesome?   The red ones are 5-1/2 inches and then get cut on the diagonal...these are only 3-1/2 inchers and I have 72 of them....and man o man did I collect a variety of blues.  (can you tell I like polka dots? LOL)

I'm ready to move onto the next step which is 354 2 inch half square triangles............I did almost cry at the enormous # of them but I told hubby at lunch that I'll do 100 at a time till I'm done!  I made almost that many for my "Jamestown Landing" quilt so I can do it for Orca Bay!

Peggy

Mystery Monday Link-Up Week 4

      Here is my Mystery Monday Link-Up for the "En Provence" Quilt.  It's been BUSY around here this fall/winter so to say I'm happy Bonnie +Bonnie K Hunter  made our first 4 clues easy is a real understatement!

I'm not sure what to call these purple/neutral units....I call them star points, but they are easy and since I like the purples I'm working with, i'm happy with them.

If you'd like to see what everyone else is doing, here's the linkup for Bonnie's page....

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2016/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.html

Saturday after cutting the above units out and starting my sewing, hubby and I braved the icky weather and went into NYC to see this guy.........

WHAT a show!!!!!!!!!   We've seen Billy Joel 3 times now at MSG in the last 2 years and we've traveled twice to Florida to see him with friends and family.  The man never disappoints!

He did some Christmas songs as well as his regular repertoire and as you can see from the pictures, the lighting for the night was green and red.  We had a great meal beforehand at a local bar/restaurant and a great show!!!

The Gifts

     My husband retired 1 year ago this week and although I know he's tired of watching Paw Patrol and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, I KNOW he's happy he's home and enjoying our time together.
We've gone on vacations, short day trips, shows in NYC and then in October our daughter had her 2nd daughter which has added to the "chaos and busy-ness of Casa Aront" but all in all neither of us would trade this for anything......

     Gone but not forgotten though doesn't apply to his secretary at work.  When she heard we were going to be grandparents again she got the Mister to working on something special.  On Wednesday we drove the hour to his old office and here's what we brought home with us.......

This toy box is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen.....

And here's a picture of Gemma in the morning before we left to go......

She's just as beautiful as her mother and big sister Olivia....a little more vocal than we'd like LOL but all in all a beautiful baby.

OH, and speaking of Olivia....here's a really cute shot of her that morning.  What is up with that hair?

And not to leave out our other "baby".....here is my great niece Shelby sitting in Olivia's high chair helping me make soup LOL   Mama Shannon was getting her hair cut so this cutie kept me company.

She is the spitting image of her mother!

AND....as a thank you for our new toy box, I gifted Roe and Kim with this quilt

and a gift card for Kim to get some supplies for a new toy box for Shelby......but we're not expecting that till the summer for her birthday!

Off to sew on the Step 4 units of my Quiltville Mystery!

PEGGY

En Provence Mystery Part 3

   Welcome to my Part 3 update of Bonnie's 2016 mystery.

    I can't believe it's part 3 already....time is just going so fast.....but then again, don't we say that every year?

     I've long been a purple lover so I was happy to be sewing with it this week especially since I don't sew with it often.

     Our step this week is 168 4 patch blocks in a variety of purples....

I got to strip cutting pretty quickly on Friday.  Subcutting went quickly as well......

Look at these fabrics!

And here you have it....168 purple 4 patches.  I'm going to set them aside with the other steps and work on some other little things until Friday.    I'm getting excited to see what we'll be making.  I've seen some girls laying their parts out...

Here's a link up to Bonnie's Linky Party....go check it out!

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2016/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-3.html

Be back next Monday with another update.  Have a good week....

Peggy

Quiltville Mystery Linkup

     Another week, another step in "En Provance".....Bonnie Hunter's Mystery for 2016.

     So, our mission this week is 100 Magenta/neutral "triangle in a square units".

I did all the pressing and cutting on Friday.....

I sewed a few on Saturday and made a dent of about 60 of the 100 needed.  

The magenta is a "constant" in the quilt so making sure I don't cut wrong is important.

Hubby and I had a nice lunch at Panera today and then did some Christmas shopping but when I got home I buckled down and finished up the units.

Here is step 1 and step 2 side by side.......  I'm ready for Friday and Step 3.

If you're interested, you can still join in.....just head on over to Bonnie's blog and you'll be hooked up pronto..........

Here's the link up page...........http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2016/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-2.html

Happy Monday Everyone............