Showing posts with label Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice. Show all posts

Saturday, April 2, 2016

#GIVEAWAY Striking Strip Quilts by Kate Henderson


Lots to catch up on!  Let's start it off with a GIVEAWAY! I've been tripping through the pages of Kate Henderson's book Striking Strip Quilts published by Martingale Books. Do you love working with 2.5" precut strips? This is the book for you! Fresh designs, all using 2.5" strips. Great way to clean up your scrap bin, use up some fabrics and clear the way for new yummies, all the while creating something glorious that you will love! Suitable designs for a multitude of fabric styles, from modern to traditional and everything in between.  I think you will really love this book.

Okay, to ENTER:

LIKE our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/SisterOfTheDivide/

SHARE: post this link to your friends, share on your Facebook page

COMMENT on the post for this giveaway our Facebook page

EXTRA ENTRY:  LIKE the publisher's page at https://www.facebook.com/shopmartingale/?fref=ts

EXTRA EXTRA ENTRY: LIKE the author's page at https://www.facebook.com/TwoLittleBanshees/

There we go, you are all set, Nothing to purchase ever! Drawing will be held on May 30th, 2016 and winner will be notified via Facebook post as well as private messaging via Facebook.  Good Luck Quilters!

Let's catch up...

Finished the Celtic Solstice by Bonnie Hunter.  I did not do the round for the border, it was already plenty big enough for our bed without it. 



For the binding I used a technique called Flanged Binding and I love the finish. Great tutorial for the technique is available online.


Here is a link for the tutorial by Sew Fresh Quilts, I will post this under tutorials as well so we can all refer back to it when we like.

Lots of fun quilts and inspiration have been posted on our Facebook page this month. After you tackle a quilt that has a gazillion pieces, it's fun to take on something light and quick. I am working on a quilt that combines two blocks from two different inspiration quilts. 

The first block is a simple square in a square. Highly suitable for a layer cake. There are lots of tutorials out there on this block so I'm not going into great detail here other than to give you the basics. 

Bock #1  Square in a Square.  I am using Tanya Wheelan fabrics and just mixing it up. 

Start with (2) 10" blocks.


Stacking them, cut a strip off each end measuring 2.5" each. Set those aside. (do not stack more than 4 pieces of fabric for cutting)



From the middle piece that is remaining, cut a strip off the top and the bottom that measure 2.5" each.  


Taking these to your machine, stitch a contrasting outside strip to your center block on both ends to look like this:


Now take your two long strips of your contrasting fabric and stitch them to each side as shown below. You will have some bits hanging over the end, it's okay, don't freak out, that's exactly how it should be. 

Take your ruler and trim these bits up square with your block and you are finished!  Pretty!


Have fun, mix it up, don't be afraid! Here are a few of my blocks.




Block #2 Snowball Block.  

Here is how you make the Snowball Block:


Cut a 9" square from your background fabric and (4) 2.5" squares from your accent or contrast fabric.

Using the marker of your choice, make a line diagonally across each small square, from one corner to the other, as shown above. I used a Clover chalk marker.


Pin one of the small squares in each corner as shown with your line touching the edge of the block as shown. 


Stitch directly on the line you have drawn on each corner piece of your block as shown above.


Take your ruler and rotary cutter, cut just 1/4 inch to the RIGHT of your stitching line. (save your cut bits, they make great leaders and enders)

Your block is all trimmed up and you are ready to press. Press all your seams with your iron to set them and then finger press them open to make sure your seam is open completely before you press it.  


Your finished block should look like the one above. Combine the two blocks and this will be our quilt.  Twin Size 64" x 82". for larger sizes, just add more blocks. Alternate blocks, stitching in rows from left to right. Press your seams to the square in a square blocks on each row. They alternate so when you go to stitch your rows together the seams will nest perfectly. 


Here's a little sneak peek.



Thank you to my husband who is 6'5" tall for holding up his end.


Flimsy is done and ready to quilt! This will be twin bed size and will go up for sale once it is quilted. Make sure you get over to our Facebook page and enter to win the giveaway this month! 

Monday, November 23, 2015

#GIVEAWAY 25 Fat Quarters - Update


UPDATE:  Our Winner is Terri Miller!  Congratulations Terri!

     We are giving away 25 Fat Quarters!  A surprise package stuffed with fabric and some special goodies just for you!  Don't miss out, here is how to enter:

#1.  LIKE our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/SisterOfTheDivide.

#2.  SHARE our Facebook post on your page.

#3.  COMMENT, leave a comment on our Facebook post, let us know what you most want for Christmas.

That's it!  Yes, I know...EASY!  Nothing to purchase ever. Drawing will be held on December 20th, 2015.  Winner will be notified by announcement on our Facebook page also by reply to your post and by personal message.  You will need to provide your mailing address and that is all.  Your address will never be used other than to mail your gift.  No catches. Good Luck Quilters!!!
* * *
I've been working on a quilt for my husband for Christmas, it's a former Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt...Celtic Solstice.  I printed out her pattern at the time she posted it but I didn't have time to stitch along with everyone else.  If you want the pattern, you can go to her website www.Quiltville.com and in her shop there is a download link which will take you to the pattern download. Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice Pattern Link

I'm having fun. In my last post to you, I shared my selection of colors.  In this post, I will catch you up.


You may remember that these are the colors I selected with a black background.  Some of these have gone by the wayside as I wanted a jewel toned effect, so I opted for more depth of color in my selections.  As with other Bonnie Hunter Mysteries, she takes you on her personal journey, her inspiration as she develops the mystery and her design inspiration through the process of building the quilt. This is one of the things I enjoy most about her mysteries. So I jumped in! 


Pulling enough different fabrics to give it a scrappy effect without spending a lot of time digging through my scraps.  After all, Bonnie is starting a new mystery quilt Allietare on November 27th!  I have to dig through my scraps to get ready for that!  Whew, two of her mystery quilts back to back.  I will be using the Celtic Solstice pieces as leaders and enders in the hopes that I can keep up...lol!  I had been hoping to get it finished before she started but life gets in the way.  Bonnie's new mystery quilt pattern will be online and free until February 2016 at which time, it will be taken down and you will need to go to her store to purchase it.  This is your opportunity to enjoy this process!  If you are too busy, download the clues and make the quilt when your time allows!  



One of the FREE online programs I love is www.bighugelabs.com 
Using the mosaic maker program I can put my blocks in to see what the effect will be. There will be more color variety in the finished quilt but this gives me a good idea of where I am going.

Bonnie Hunter Celtic Solstice by Karen Meyer

So far I am happy with the results.  Fit for a King!


Definitely fit for my sweet husband!


Saturday, October 24, 2015

Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice - Yes I know I'm a bit late!


When Bonnie Hunter started her Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt in 2013, I made sure I printed out all of her directions.  Her mystery quilts are always fun.  No time that year to undertake another project so this has been in my "Que".  So this year, before Ms. Bonnie gets started on her next mystery quilt, I am going to knock this one out for my husband for Christmas.  

I've made two of Bonnie's mystery quilts so far, Easy Street and Grand Illusion.  I totally love Easy Street!  It lives on my bed and it will be quite a while before it is replaced with another.

Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt Easy Street by Karen Meyer

Last year's quilt, Grand Illusion, was not my favorite.  The color palette didn't sing to me but it was fun to put together and after it was all said and done, I was satisfied with my work.

Bonnie Hunter's Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt by Karen Meyer

What I love about a Bonnie Hunter quilt designs is her scrappy approach and the ability to use up some fabrics that I might otherwise not be quite so enamoured with.  It's a great way to clear out some of your older stash, you know, stuff you may have purchased and then decided that it wasn't quite right for that particular quilt you were working on.  So you put it in your stash and it's been there for a thousand years, staring at you, taunting you.  This is an opportunity to clear it out and make room for something you love!


My husband has been consulting with me on the color selections for "his" quilt.  He loves purple and black so I am pulling fabrics that will give me that black read for the background and swapping out royal jewel colors for the ones in the original color palette.  I'm thinking the wild purples of the English heather...


The emerald greens of the bracken...


Of course there will be sapphire blue...



red garnet...

And gold...


Here is my initial pull, there will be tons of scraps that get worked in.


On to the cutting board we go for round 1.