January 2011 - fresh start, clean slate.

Sharon Weixel

Just finished this quilt - tons and tons of quilting! 
Machine embroidery and machine applique.  "Fancy background quilting" with fern feather in border.














I can't imagine why I thought starting a mystery quilt in December was a good idea.  There were quilts to finish and orders to ship.  Lots of orders.  My busiest December ever.  Not complaining at all!!

I started step three of the Mystery quilt before Christmas - string pieced blocks.  Yes , I whined!   Really didn't want to make them, but I made 10 so far.  I think I need 60!  I was surprised - they are fun to make. 

When is the last time you have actually used your phone book?  Phone books at my house have not been used in a very long time.  Bonnie Hunter recommended string piecing your blocks on phone book pages.  I tore 60 - 70 yellow pages out of the phone book, cut them to size and started my blocks.

Tom (DH) came home later in the evening (hunting) and we decided to have take out for supper.  He picked up the phone book, started to look in the yellow pages, and got a puzzled look on his face.  He couldn't find F through R. He was a little frustrated and confused.  I tried to explain, through my giggles, why the pages were gone - There are some things he just doesn't understand!!!

I plan to work on the mystery quilt later this month.  Most of the instructions are posted, as is a picture of the almost finished quilt.  I like it!  www.quiltville.blogspot.com

My first tutorial is posted on my website -http://www.alleycatquiltworks.com/tutorials/hst/
Check it out - let me know what you think.

Barbara