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Orca Bay Mystery Quilt Part 2

Posted on December 7, 2011 | 13 comments

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

Part 2 mystery instructions calls for piecing 72 string blocks. Strings? In a nutshell, string piecing is taking cut fabric strips, or scraps, and piecing them together, using a stabilizer for backing. The stabilizer can be used dryer sheets, muslin, newsprint, interfacing, etc…. In my case, I’m using old phone book pages. I had all 72 paper squares prepared in a very short time by simply tearing with the edge of my ruler.

No rotary cutter necessary. Simply tear.

I was very indecisive about what color these scrappy string blocks ought to be. Should I use orange (one of my very favorite colors)? How about yellows? Then I remembered that one of my goals for doing this mystery is to ‘lighten up’; be random. So…how about I use a warm palette? Then I can have it all.

A fabulous, feel good warm pile of unsquared string blocks!

Pressed and peeling paper! Oh, the excitement of it all! The paper practically falls off when a short stitch length is used.

And a closer look. What a funny bonus! I did not notice what this phone book page said until I was snapping this photo. I’m doing my part to go green!

Four of the string blocks, pressed, squared to 3.5″, and peeled.

These little babies are sweet!

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Tagged Bonnie Hunter, Crafts, Orca Bay mystery quilt, quilting, sewing, WIP Wednesday, works in progress

Orca Bay Mystery Quilt Part 1

Posted on November 30, 2011 | 14 comments

I have joined an online mystery quilters group. Like I needed another project, especially during holiday season. I’m nuts! But I’m having fun! And the online group of quilters are fun to be with. So what am I doing? I dunno…it’s a mystery! Here is what I can tell you:

It is my first mystery quilt.

I am generally a ‘controlled’ quilter. I hope this mystery quilt helps me to be more random. In other words, to loosen up and mix it up.

I am a fabric petter. I buy it to gaze at it lovingly and stroke it gently. Sheesh! It is time to make good use of it!

Head on over to ~~Bonnie Hunter’s Quiltville~~ to join the Orca Bay mystery quilt.

Part 1…make 448 triangle pairs for 224 hourglass (2″ finished) blocks. What! 448!? 2 inches!? Now is the time to get comfortable with Inklingo! Linda Franz makes this a breeze! In the photo above, you are looking at light fabric squares layered (right sides together) with dark fabric. These are all printed and ready to sew. The photo below is a closeup of a light fabric printed with red ink. For most of my lights, I chose to print with a yellow ink.

In general, the process involves choosing a shape (in this case quarter square triangles, also known as QST) and ink color. Cut fabric, iron it to freezer paper, and print. It is that easy. No measuring folks! The math is done for you! Linda Franz has been more than generous in offering a ton of information, how-to and ideas on her blog and Inklingo website. Anytime you need help, just ask her. She’s pretty friendly.

The above photo shows that the diagonal dash lines have been sewn. How hard is that? Just follow the lines! The photo below shows some of the rotary cutting done. Again, just follow the lines, only this time the lines are solid.

Inklingo is capable of custom sizes, so there is very little waste, if any. However, I have a dinosaur printer that is incapable of custom sizes (but it prints well…I have no jamming issues). No matter…I cut my fabric the same size as my copy paper (8-1/2 x 11) and printed anyway. I had some waste, but it is worth it to me. And I have extra QSTs.