Under the Wire

This year I joined two online UFO Challenge Groups.  It's the last day of the month and I'm "down to the wire" on this UFO. I did finish two UFO's this month, but only this one Christmas Lights was the "right number." I completed Nancy's challenge UFO #3, but didn't get to Judy's number. C'est la vie! I'm just thrilled to have completed two quilt tops this month. I purchased the border for Christmas Lights before  the quilt top was finished. I am really happy with how the colors are working together. Can't tell you how excited that I am to make some progress on my UFO list:)

Sneak Peak

One of the blogs that I enjoy reading is written by several of the editors of Quiltmaker Magazine. The blog is Quilty Pleasures. Recently one of the posts was about the Nov/Dec 2009 issue which will soon be in mailboxes and magazine racks. Several of my quilting friends myself included are waiting for this issue for the last directions to complete Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt, Christmas Lights. I was delighted to find that by going to the Quiltmaker website a preview of the final Christmas Lights layout can be seen. I didn't copy the photo here on my blog just in case you'd rather wait for your magazine to arrive. If you are insatiably curious like me, head to the Quiltmaker website or click here to see the design for Christmas Lights. Here's hoping that the magazine arrives soon! I'm ready to put the blocks on the design wall and see what my quilt top will look like.

Christmas Lights Part Two

Slow and steady wins the race. That's what it felt like with this step of Christmas Lights. This step was really rather easy, but I managed to complicate it, but losing some of the pieces from Step 1. I think I made all the parts in Step 1. I just didn't have 8 sections to finish the blocks. Of course, I had plenty of the needed fabric so I stopped and made the blocks that I needed. They'll probably show up the next time I'm searching for something in my sewing room. Oh well, I'm liking my blocks for this mystery quilt. In about a month, the next issue of Quiltmaker magazine should be available to see the final quilt. It feels wonderful to have something completed!!!! I also hemmed a pair of pants for DH and hemmed some fabric for our school counselor. All three of these items have been on my list for too long. Now, I can think about the next project I'd like to work on. It's a Thimbles sewing weekend in just a couple of days!!!!

Christmas Lights Part One

Done. I've finished the steps to Part One of the Christmas Lights Mystery Quilt by Bonnie Hunter in Quiltmaker Magazine. I do like the color combinations so far. I worked on some of the block parts during the Stitch-In, but had put it aside. Yesterday evening, I totally enjoyed working on this project. DH was out-of-town so I stayed up late sewing. It felt good to complete a task. This morning, I finished trimming the blocks with my new Tucker Trimmer ruler. All the pieces were put in a plastic container and put away until the next steps in the mystery are revealed. Check this one off my list!!!!!!!

Celebrating Birthdays

My quilting buddy Karin from Life in the Slow Lane also celebrated her birthday this week. Her birthday was Saturday. (Happy Birthday, Karin! ) My MIL likes to send money for birthday gifts. I like to get "a little check" for my birthday. My birthday check was burning a hole in my pocket. A trip to Sweet Home Quilt Shop seemed a perfect match to purchase my own birthday gift. I e-mailed several other quilting friends suggesting a little shopping at Sweet Home on Saturday followed by lunch. Luckily for me, this idea also appealed to Karin and Kristie, M.S. Doolittle Quilter.

All three of us are planning to join in the fun of Bonnie Hunter's lastest mystery quilt, Christmas Lights in Quiltmaker magazine. With the help of shop owner Melisa and her staff, we searched for the perfect red, gold, green and black fabrics for each of our projects. I purchased a gold fabric and a red tone-on-tone to coordinate with a green and a black already in my stash.

This week I worked on my version of last year's mystery quilt Orange Crush (more on another post) I needed border fabric. Melisa and Kristie helped me select this wonderful blue dot fabric for the outer border. The black will be the inner border and the black and white stripe will work for bias binding.

Melisa showed us a sample she had finished using a Christmas charm pack. Kristie worked on her table-runner last Thimbles get together. I have several charm packs from an old Christmas line that I would love for a holiday table runner, so this lovely little pattern followed me home, too.

We went into the historic area of Conyers for lunch. We had great sandwiches and wonderful talking time. We were hungry. I didn't remember to take pictures of our sandwiches.