It was a Mystery........

I have mentioned previously that I had joined the QGSA facebook page to do the Casa Felix Mystery quilt that was designed by the Guild President, Chris O'Brien, and named after the place in Spain that she had recently stayed in. There were over 500 members in this group, and included members of our state, as well as those from other Australian states, and many from Canada and the USA. It has been a lot of fun, posting photos of fabric choices, sharing recipes, sharing pics of our "happy places", (that is our quilting spaces), and lots of general banter from members. It has certainly brightened up our social isolation and perhaps I-Sew-Lation is an appropriate spelling.

 We had been given instructions over the last few weeks, and here are all my units all ready for the final reveal this last weekend. And then one block stitched together! You might note that my dark fabric is not as dark as it could have been, or more likely that my light is too busy, so the dark pattern is not as obvious. But, I wanted to make use of this fabric, and did not want to take the time to search through the dark depths, (and the not so dark,) to use the scraps, so this was it.

I had to remove the papers from all those lovely little paper pieced geese units, and as I added paper to the bin, I noticed something to the side! How did they get there, and I am surely pleased that I noticed and found them, before I had to send out the search party for my geese that had flown off course!!

First row together. I decided that I needed to sash each block, so that I did not have a great expanse of yellow all together.

I had made 5 blocks by last evening, and had thought to make all 9 before stopping for the night. The mind was willing, but the body was not, and when I stitched the wrong bits to the wrong place, I knew I needed to stop.

After "attending" 3 church services this morning, it was time to get to work.

And finally I had the centre 9 blocks together. And then had decisions to make. And I thought it really needed another sash border, so those blue squares went right out and finished instead of being left in mid air!?

Hmmm, more decisions, and perhaps it needs a dark blue border before the final feature fabric went on. Auditions..... and yes, I am happy with this.

It was then I thought I would be clever, and cut the dark and the feature and sew them together, and stitch them on as one border!! Good idea, and a 6" blue corner square and it would be too easy. Will finish this soon!! But, I forgot to take into account the corner measurement of the first blue border and only cut 6 1/2" for the corners. So back to the drawing board, and I needed to add a bit, so brought in the yellow to frame the blue, and added a blue square to finish the corner. ( Most times I have it all worked out in EQ8 and know exactly what I am doing, and don't have to work it out on the run!) Perhaps we will call that a design opportunity and luckily I had plenty of fabric!

So it was about 7pm when I finished pressing, and looked for somewhere to hang it up for a photo. Because I added block sashings, and then 3 borders, my quilt has ended up being 91" square so is rather large. But I am very happy with how it turned out, and really enjoyed my I-Sew-Lation!

A new Mystery is starting this week, and I have signed up, although not sure if I will do it, or just lurk. It is supposed to be much smaller, so we will see. I do want to get to those applique blocks for the little girls, and have some customer quilts to get done.

It must be a sign of the times when your 45 year old daughter puts a message on the family facebook page, about her excitement when she went to the supermarket, and scored the last pack of this!! 2 months ago, no one would have believed you if we said that one would be excited to purchase toilet papter!! She did offer to share with the rest of the family, but they all said they had enough for now. My, how the things we value are changing!!

Also a sign of the times, was my "drive through" flue injection last week. We just drove in our cars to the local oval, where we sat in our car, and was jabbed through the open window!! And as I said earlier,  I had "attended" 3 church services this morning. They were all great messages, from 3 different sources. There is certainly quite a few positives coming out of this isolation, and while the rest of the world is not in a good place, so far Australia is not bad.

 That "balance" that I have been striving for, and talking about in the last few years, has happened, just like that, without me doing a thing.

That's enough newsfromjude for tonight, I think I will sleep well after a most productive day.

Blessings, From Jude