Monday, December 14, 2015

Allietare mystery link-up #3

On Mondays during the Allietare mystery quilt, there is a link-up party over at Bonnie's blog. It's fun to see people all over the world, working on the same project with their own color choices.  I usually have the previous week's clue finished and just a start on the current clue.  The above picture is where I ended up after a fair amount of stitching on Friday. I'm going for a scrappy look, but somewhat restrained on the neutrals since I need to maintain a contrast with my gray constant.  I really like that gray, but it's a bit light.
On this close-up you can see that I used a different red and neutral for each of the sets of the little houses/Santa hats. Yep, I like a scrappy quilt!
I am also trying to play catch-up and finish last year's mystery top, Grand Illusion. So I needed to make at least a start on seaming the units together once they were cut.  Saturday after I kicked out the computer gamers I claimed the family room floor and laid this out.  It was obvious the pieces would need to stay there until they were joined or stacked in a way I could remember them.  I completed all but the last two columns, and those are stacked.  So the rows are mostly webbed together, and this is what my machine looks like right now:
Um, yeah. I need to get the thing tuned up, because it's not stitching beautifully at the moment. I have to pull my fabrics through, so the timing must be off. Tough noogies, machine, you'll have to wait for your tune-up until after the mystery quilt!  I can't slow down now!
And this is how much of the current clue I have pieced, as leaders/enders between the long Grand Illusion seams. After looking at some of the other quilts on the link-up, I think I will add in some of my darker golds just to increase the variety, while keeping restrained on the neutrals.  I did make a trip to the quilt store last week and found a few new blacks and neutrals and one red. That was fun!

So, setting goals for this week, finish seaming the central part of Grand Illusion together, finish the little gold 4-patches. I can (probably!) do this!  Tis the season for finishing what we can from this year and setting goals for the new one!  Excelsior!

8 comments:

Andee said...

I agree, this is so much fun! Love seeing two of your mysteries take shape!

Sandra Kaye said...

Your steps look great!! and I love your Grand Illusion!!

Vireya said...

Had to laugh at the picture of your machine overwhelmed by Grand Illusion. We ask a lot of our poor machines.

Feathers in my Nest said...

Busy Gal..my machine has been smoking too! your units are Looking pretty wonderful.

Art by Rhoda Forbes said...

Your units for the MQ look lovely together, and the mystery continues.

otti said...

Your Grand Illusion Looks great !!
lg otti

~Deb Lindley said...

WOW - you've been busy! Keep stitchin' ;-)

~Deb

Andee said...

Both mysteries are coming along nicely!