Thanks to everyone for their kind words regarding my progress in
I have made so many new friends, and have acquired many new followers on my blog. I added the e-mail feature to my blog if you would like to receive e-mail alerts for when a new post has been made by me. If you ARE new, WELCOME! I try to blog weekly about various quilty things that are going on in my life. I hope you enjoy reading it, and feel free to leave comments at any time. I try my very best to respond to ALL comments. But, I have to admit, here lately, my phone and Internet provider haven't been getting along all that well! I believe I have the issues resolved now. And, if by chance I wasn't able to respond to someone that recently commented, I SINCERELY apologize! Let's try it again?
How's every one's weather? It snowed here in East Central Missouri this past week. It kind of helped me with my Christmas Spirit!
My Christmas tree in the living room.
(Sorry the star is cut off! I can't even blame the wind for that one! LOL)
I still have 3 quilts left to bind for gifts, and then I will be done with my projects for Christmas gift giving! It's a good thing I breezed through PART 3 of Bonnie's mystery this weekend, so I can complete those gifts this week!
For the small version of Celtic Solstice, we were to make 200 2 inch unfinished half square triangles of gold (my silver), and orange (my red). Bonnie suggested to use the Easy Angle Ruler and 2" strips to make these, but, I confess, I went with another method.
Someone in the Facebook splinter group Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice mentioned a technique I have used before to make half square triangles and I decided to go with it.......
Let's take a photo journey of PART 3, shall we?
First, I cut 3 1/4" squares of my reds and silver scraps.
I then chain pieced them at random, right sides together, on all four sides using a 1/4" seam.
See the stitching on all four sides? Such EASY chain piecing.....MY FAVORITE!
Then with my rotary cutter I cut an "X" right through the middle of the square using the stitching as my guide.
Here I am cutting the other half of the "X".
Pretty nifty, eh? Four, count them, FOUR half square triangles using this method!
There are several other methods out there to make multiple half square triangles using similar techniques. Research which method works best for you, and go for it!
Some people may be concerned about bias using this particular method? I have to be honest, I didn't have one problem with it, but, then again, I am NOT a perfectionist! ;-)
These little soldiers are ready to be turned into.........
Half square triangles!
The seam is pressed toward the red (Bonnie's orange) as instructed.
And yes, I even used steam!
The quilt police are really gonna hate that one! LOL
Oh, how I LOVE variety!
Do you see the "Celtic Confetti" made from the cut off dog ears to the right of the tray of half square triangles? We were to make 25 pinwheel blocks with 100 of the half square triangles and leave the remaining ones for a future clue......hmmmmmm........I wonder what they are going to be used for????
YUMMY!
Not so bad, if I do say so myself! I personally see some highlights and low lights in these pinwheels...do you? Sparkle is what I like to see when I lay out my units in groups like this!
I hope you are enjoying whatever you are doing this blessed time of year!
And as always,
Thanks for ALL of the encouragement!
Kevin the Quilter
Kevin, your tree is stunning! I'm assuming you have no cats, or very well behaved cats, for at my house I constantly am retrieving balls from every nook and cranny. I like your colors (Ohio State) and your comments about bias and steam vs. the quilt police. I used the magic 8 method for the first time. I have used the same method as you but after spending a long weekend in Kansas City (far away from my sewing machine) the time that clue #2 was released I needed to make up some time. I look forward to seeing the rest of your work...Lisa
ReplyDeleteGreat tip on the Hst's your white dots look like snow!
ReplyDeleteYour colores are beautiful. I was thinking about your method of making them, but the bias edge hold me back.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Kevin thanks for the inspiration. I belong to the face book group for the Bonnies Mystery. We have commented back and forth. I had placed the link on the group of the method you used. It is Jenny Dorn of Missouri star quilt company's U tube video. You do wonder work, love your colors.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever been to Missouri star quilt shop? I live in Canada and would love to visit it. I have learned to quilt using U tube video's. This is my first Bonnie Hunter Mystery and the first quilt to do that Bonnie created. I came across Bonnies Web Cam back in October and have been hook since.
Thanks for sharing your progress. Look forward to following your blog .
Have a great day!
Wendy , Alliston, Ontario, Canada
Beautiful tree! I had to take mine down after my cat starting eating it and throwing up. I decided it wasn't worth the constant battle and clean up. I have to say I prefer your red and silver pinwheels to the orange and yellow ones I'm seeing. However, I expect both will end up being beautiful quilts. Looking forward to seeing how they all turn out!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Ch3ristmas tree Kevin and love the colors you are using for your mystery quilt. It really does sparkle!! We got a little snow here in Iowa too.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous gorgeous pinwheels! Great reds in there. Enjoy your holiday prep
ReplyDeletelove your colors
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your blog-great pics of your progress. Not as far along as you but I'll get there especially after Christmas. Love the Red and Grey.
ReplyDeleteLove your colors
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the tute on how you made your HSTs. I have had to send for a new TriRex and Easy Angle as I seem to have lost mine so I couldn't get started on the HSTs. Now I can get in there and get some, at least, of Step 3 done. I love your colors and can't wait to see your finished quilt.
ReplyDeleteI definitely see SPARKLE Kevin!!! I could just hug all those sweet little half-square-triangles - they are just so darn cute!!!!
ReplyDeleteYour tree is beautiful! We actually got ours up and decorated yesterday - things are finally moving forward around here LOL!!!
Thank you for the photo-demo on the HST. I may use this method when I get to making Step 3. Kind of stuck on Step 1 due to time restraints for the season.
ReplyDeleteWow - I really love the way your fabrics play together. This is going to be NEATO!!
ReplyDeleteKevin, You did it again! Fantastic job!
ReplyDeleteLove the red and silver combo, Kevin! That is going to be beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThe red and silver realky do sparkle! Your pinwheels are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteNice job Kevin. I would love to join the FB group for the mystery that you mentioned but apparently it went to "secret" and as a result your link won't work for me. Any idea if there is anyway I can join now? Anyway, I am enjoying your blog.
ReplyDeleteYou can still join. email me at kdunnigan at sign gmail dot com and tell me your facebook name
DeleteKathleen
Tree is lovely. It will be my virtual tree this year as I am not putting one up. New cat. You know what that means. Love the red and silver.
ReplyDeleteLooking good Kevin! Love the red and grey...can't wait to see it! How about my Packers yesterday? WHOOT WHOOT!
ReplyDeleteLove your colors! Those pinwheels do sparkle. Now I want to go check my fabrics to see if I will get the same effect.
ReplyDeleteLookin' good ~ love your colors! They sparkle like your beautiful tree! ☺
ReplyDeleteYou definitely have the sparkle going on, both in your pinwheels and your pretty tree! Well, that's just a pretty amazing method for HSTs, Kevin. What's the math on that? How did you know how big to cut your squares to equal the right size HST? Bias edges AND steam iron? You like to play with fire, don't you? LOL Good thing I'm an outlaw from the quilt police too, so your secret is safe with me.
ReplyDeleteWow Kevin you have been busy. I used to be afraid of pin wheels until I saw this method on Craftsy. Your tree is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteCheers Pauline
I have plans for a red and silvery-gray wall hanging for next Christmas, so I am inspired by what you have done. Can't wait to see the finished project.
ReplyDeleteI love what you are doing and have signed up for your email. I have continued work on my grandson's quilt, not for Christmas, thank goodness. I ran out of a specific fabric that I wanted to use so I have been using the time to gather and sort some fabric I was privileged to receive gratis. Much of that needs to be cut into strips and squared for future quilts. Some are lovely, some plain, all usable.
ReplyDeleteWow - Kevin, those red and silver HST's are beautiful! I really love them all laid out in your pinwheel groupings. Great job on the Christmas tree, too!
ReplyDeleteKevin, your tree is stunning! We quit putting up a tree when we adopted our two cat about 4 years ago. I just LOVE your red and silver HST's. If I hadn't been on a fabric diet, I might very well have gone with Christmas colors myself.
ReplyDeleteKevin, I just found you on the CS linkup. Love your choice of colors for the mystery quilt. I read back and saw that you are piecing entirely on a fine old Spartan machine. Have to love those vintage machines - they rarely let us down. I should have used my FW for this but I didn't. :( Can't wait to see your finish. The sparkle is like new fallen snow in the sunlight. Great tree!
ReplyDeleteNice colors and fabrics in the Quiltville mystery. Beautiful Christmas Tree! ... :) Pat
ReplyDeleteLove your colors! I would be worried about the bias edges, been there. I love using the EZ Angle, so no problem for me, except I am still working on Clue 2 and now I am officially behind! Oh well, been working on some Christmas presents instead.
ReplyDeleteThese blocks really do look fantastic... and festive!
ReplyDeleteWasn't Gretchen great in sharing that tutorial on half square triangles?! I have skipped along to Step 3 and will get caught up sometime before the New Year hopefully. Loving your colors! BTW 4.0!!!
ReplyDeleteOk, you're my inspiration to get this done, or at least work on it!
ReplyDeleteOh my Gosh Kevin, that is a Gorgeous Christmas Tree..I Love it..You are so talented....Love reading your Blog posts too... ;-)
ReplyDeleteI started reading your blog last year when Easy Street started. If I remember correctly, you created the blog so you could participate in the Monday Link Up. I read faithfully up through your parent's quilt, which is beautiful. Somehow, I lost your blog and was buried in my own life. I was really impressed with the progress you've made quilting in this past year. What an adventure you live. I'm saving all of the Bonnie mystery steps and will make the quilt after the reveal this time. Easy street was my first mystery and I'm excited to do this one too, but was not crazy with her colors. I really like your color choices and will watching from the sidelines before I jump in. Yes, it's kinda like cheating, but not really bad. Congrats to you will all your progress. I'm jealous that you've been able to try out the long arm!
ReplyDeleteLOVE THE COLOURS!!!!
ReplyDeleteKevin, I really liked the way you did your HST and would have preferred it too had I read your post BEFORE I started with Bonnie's method. Maybe I'd be finished with step 3 if I had. Your colors do sparkle. So what trick do you have for step 4?
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Kevin. I am just starting clue 3 and am thrilled to have read your helpful hint! I had forgotten about this technique!
ReplyDeleteLOVE these colors!
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