Orca Bay Mystery Quilt is finished

The Orca Bay Mystery quilt is done. I machine stippled it, bound it in blue, and washed it.

The back is a red print.

As I was making the quilt, I thought about donating it because it really wasn't like any other quilt we own. But then again, it looks nice on the blue leather furniture.

And on the red chair.

And we really do like it! So we are keeping it!

Orca Bay Mystery Solved!

On Friday, Orca Bay Mystery Clue #7 was released. I pieced all of the red string triangles from Clue #4 with wing triangles from Clue #5.

And I pieced the rest of those wing triangles with neutral triangles.

I also made these quarter square triangle units: 

Yesterday Bonnie Hunter released the Big Reveal showing the layout. I was busy half the day but then I found some time to sew. 


I put the pieces together:

Since I only made 1/2 of the pieces during the mystery, I had to figure out my layout. I decided on a square. It will finish to be about 57" by 57". 


Today I put on the neutral border which finished to 1 1/2". Then I had to figure out the pieced border. I had to make a few more wing triangle/neutral triangle squares. I used all four of the quarter square triangle units I made - one for the middle of each side.


And here it is!

This has been fun and I love using my stash! I've really enjoyed the mystery and am delighted with my quilt. Now I just need to quilt it! 

Orca Bay Mystery Clue #6 done!

I have Clue #6 of the Orca Bay Mystery Quilt done! This clue came out last Thursday, a day early, because Bonnie Hunter over at Quiltville is so nice! I found time to sew on both Thursday and Friday! This was a really fun part as we began putting pieces together and I love these units! Now I have to wait until Friday to see the next clue. ;(

This mystery has given me the perfect excuse to sew most days in the last few weeks - days that are usually too full with Christmas preparations. The sewing really made my life less stressful and I was ready for Christmas days ahead of time!


Somehow I also managed to mark and pin the last 3rd of a king-size quilt that I am hand quilting. The other two thirds are quilted.

When the three large pieces are eventually joined, I'll add a border at both ends. The side borders are already attached.

Orca Bay Mystery and Life Under Control!

Clue number 5 in the Orca Bay Mystery came out Friday (yesterday) and I am already caught up! Two triangles were added to each half square triangle made in Clue #3. 
   

Bonnie Hunter over at Quiltville is making the clues manageable. 

Probably more important to the normal people around here:

• we have a clean house - thanks, dear husband
• the Christmas cards have been mailed
• the baking is done
• the bills are paid
• most of the shopping is done
• many of the gifts are wrapped! 

We are almost ready to go on a little overnight trip - we'll visit my mom, then see Ernie Haas + Signature Sound, a gospel music group. The next day we will finish our Christmas shopping and do a couple of errands. 

When we get home, it'll be time to make candy and caramel corn. Then it will be time for Clue #6. I bet I don't have that one done quite so fast! 


On a side note - we got a couple inches of snow last night. At last, it is beginning to look like Christmas outside!

Has the Orca Bay Mystery Quilt taken over?

 We do have the house decorated - 

Ray did a great job with the tree.

 

 

But the only presents under it 

are on that new tree skirt!

 

The oven looks a little empty - no baking going on.

 

 

But the Orca Bay Mystery Quilt is in full swing! Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville released Clue #4 yesterday and I am done with it! Lots of red strings. The squares for these triangles were about 5 1/2" on a side.

 

Now, I need to finish shopping, wrap gifts, 

bake cookies, 

and get our Christmas cards made,

written, and mailed. 

We also need groceries and someone better 

pay the bills! 

Hurry, hurry - I only have until Friday because Clue #5 will be released then!

Orca Bay Mystery Update

Clue #3 came out Friday. So I have been making half-square triangles. The finished size will be 1-1/2"squares. Lots of cutting and sewing!

I forgot to get pictures of all of the cutting. I was busy! I used an Easy Angle ruler - the first time I've ever used it. And it worked great! 

Here are some of the pieces I have finished. 

In the foreground are the half square triangles. Further back are the quarter square triangles that will finish as 2" squares. And the blue strips in the back will finish as 3" squares.

Right now I am completely caught up! It is time to get some other things done around here so I'll be ready for Clue #4 on Friday.

Orca Bay Mystery Quilt

I put the Orca Bay Quiltville Mystery 2011 button
 

 
on here a couple of weeks ago. It is my first mystery quilt. (Well, I've done a couple but I already knew the outcome so they don't count!) This mystery is run by Bonnie Hunter over at Quiltville.
 
So the first week, starting November 18, I had to make quarter square triangles  - 224 of them! That's when I decided to do a smaller quilt - half the size! So I began - I dug out fabric scraps, I cut, I sewed,I pressed, I trimmed. I even learned to use the Companion Angle ruler that I didn't know I owned! Then I counted - 20 done and 92 to go. End of week 1.

 

Week two began November 25. I needed to make 36 string blocks. I got busy. I finished the string blocks yesterday!

Then I finished the quarter square triangles! Wow!

There is still hope!