Tag Archives: Bonnie Hunter

Orca Bay Mystery – Part 6

I’m in the unofficial Turtle Club of participants of the Orca Bay Mystery Quilt.  My progress is slow but steady.  You can follow my progress (including an alternate layout I made using EQ7) by looking under Quilts in the Categories in the side bar.

It is my intention to use the alternate layout when I sew the blocks together.  And I’m getting close to that point now.

For those of you who are observant…you are right…when I sew my blocks together, I will lose the star points on my center star blocks.

While I was squaring up my string flying geese, I had time to reflect on why this is so, since I am not a beginning quilter (a beginner could do better than I did here).  I still don’t know.  Perhaps I messed up my seam allowance, but I don’t think so.  More likely, I didn’t pay attention to the size I cut out to begin with and merrily cut and sewed assembly line style until I had all the blocks sewn.  Regardless, I was in oblivion until I squared the star blocks.

Is this an earth shattering event?  Does this mean I should throw out my stars in disgust and sew new ones?  Shall I cry into my tea?

No…I don’t like that I screwed up, but live and learn.  Here’s what I do like.

  • I like the the new friends I found while participating in this mystery.
  • I like the quilt design.
  • I like the colors.
  • I like the scrappiness, and I like that I learned how I don’t have to control what color goes where (so long as I didn’t mix my oranges and blues).
  • I like that I used fabric…a lot of fabric…and didn’t just pet it while it sat on the shelf. 
  • I like string blocks.

I like that, after a two year depression, I am sewing again.  And finding that joy is so much more valuable than worrying about pleasing the quilt police.

For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 1, click here.
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 2, click here.    
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 3, click here.
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 4, click here.
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 5, click here.
 

Orca Bay Mystery Quilt Part 5

Since I am not at home where I can finish sewing my version of Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay Mystery Quilt, I drew the design in EQ7This gave me much needed practice with EQ7, and a clear vision of the quilt.

In reading Yahoo Quiltville posts and link-ups, I’ve noticed that there has been some discussion on layouts.  One indeed must be careful about positioning the many blocks.  It is very easy to turn a block the wrong way.

I’ve only used color here to bring out the design of the quilt.  There are many terrific color combinations posted by Orca Bay participants.

The first layout shows Bonnie’s direction; the blue (red for Bonnie’s version) string triangle blocks all point to the light Ohio star blocks. 

In both layouts, the orange string blocks follow the diagonal lines of the layout and create a wonderful secondary design element.

The blue string blocks in Layout 2 all point to the dark Ohio stars.  This one change creates a dramatic difference in how the quilt looks.

There is no right or wrong; just personal preference.  You decide.

Addendum:
I just discovered that I forgot to turn a couple of orange blocks in Layout 1.  Like I said…it is easy to turn a block the wrong way in this quilt.  LOL!
 
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 1, click here.
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 2, click here.    
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 3, click here.
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 4, click here.
 
 

Orca Bay Mystery Quilt Part 4

For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 1, click here.
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 2, click here.      
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 3, click here.
 

Part 2 was all about warm string blocks, so I’ve chosen to sew Part 4’s string blocks in cool blues.  No planning here; I’m mixing it up.  Confederate blue, teal, light blues, dark blues, some purple thrown there, floral prints, corn, Asian prints, hand-dyes, dots, whatever I have on hand. 

Will it all work together?  The controller in me says that the teal strip does not go well with blue-gray plaid strip.  I’m turning up the music so I can’t hear her.  ‘Que sera, sera…whatever will be will be….’

All pressed and lookin’ good.

Trimmed up.  Will they play nice?

It’s a mystery.  But I’m likin’ it!