Autumn is the best time of year. I love the cooler temperatures, the warm colors in nature and the Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt. This year the mystery quilt is called Frolic. The clues for the quilt are FREE while the quilt along is in progress. So be sure to save the free PDF's to your computer each week. Yes! each week. That's why I like this mystery quilt. It moves along at a much faster pace than most. Once a month quilt alongs are a quilt killer in my world. I lose interest.
Bonnie's quilt along (in my opinion) has the largest following of quilters. Have you seen her Facebook Group of quilters? If not you really need to join, if nothing else just so you can look at beautiful quilts everyday of the year. You can join the Quiltville Open Studio here. Word of warning, you will need to answer a few questions to get in the group. If you don't know the answer just Google the question.
From now until around February the group is almost all about the mystery quilt. No two quilts are the same. Bonnie is the master of teaching quilters to quilt from their scraps. Of course not everyone has a huge stash of scraps so it's totally fine to purchase fat quarters or yardage. Many of Bonnie's followers are new quilters wanting to learn new techniques. The mystery quilt is just as beautiful in the 4 or 5 colors done in yardage.
I've completed 2 Bonnie Mystery Quilts. The first one I made was En Provence. You can purchase the pattern here. The quilt below is Bonnie's Hunters quilt.
This one is mine and is my favorite. I changed the colors to my happy and brights.
So many of my Lakehouse DryGoods prints.
Then last years mystery called Good Fortune. Bonnie's quilt below. The pattern can be purchased here.
But you know me, I can't make a quilt as written. My instinct is to make it my own even if that is only color change. Mr. Podunk loves a new quilt every so often. This is his colors that he calls "more manly".
Here's a quick run down of how the mystery quilt happens every year.
1. End of October Bonnie shares the colors and the fabric requirements. This years intro post can be found here.
2. Black Friday is the first cutting an piecing clue.
3. New clue every week until late December or early January.
That's it! Short and sweet and to the point. Of course there's rules and suggestions but she has laid all that out in the link above in #1.
Now it's time to do some fabric pulling and petting. My oldest and least used scraps are in these bins. Honestly I don't think I've looked in these since the last Bonnie mystery. I have added a few scraps to them over the year. A quick look in these and YUK.
Let's change things up a bit and look through my favorite fabric cabinet.
Here's my color plan. It's really close to Bonnie's. You'll need to hop over to her blog to see her plan.
The top shelf takes care of 3 colors.
The blues are already together as well! This has been the easiest mystery fabric pull to date.
And should I need more. Well there's plenty of fun prints hiding out in these bundles. That's that, all done. It didn't require much work but I think I still deserve a piece of chocolate for mental effort.
#quiltvillemysteryquilt #frolicmysteryquilt #mysteryquilt #bonniehunterquilt
I picked up the paint chips yesterday. I made last year's and only purchased my backing--everything came from my stash. I think I have all of these colors in my stash too--I may not keep up completely, but I will try! Thanks for the encouragement!
ReplyDeleteYour plan looks great. You have so many beautiful fabrics. I haven't even thought about taking part this year. But I know I probably will when it starts. Good luck with your quilt.
ReplyDeletelove the two quilts that you made: I always love your happy colors!! :-) Hugs, H
ReplyDeleteSo fun to get a peak into your fabric cupboards! Love your choices!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely have some chocolate for all that hard thinking work!
If your scraps are YUK! then you should bundle them up either by color or a just a variety in one box and offer them for sale to your readers! (or do a giveaway) Quilters love getting other quilters scraps! Or join the Rainbow Scrap Challenge that helps get rid of scraps of one color once a month (you choose your own blocks to make). No need having YUK in your sewing room! :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for the ideas your fabric pull inspired. I love your colors!
ReplyDeleteOmgosh we have so many fabrics the same.....I need to go look at my scraps and see what I have, but those Lakehouse prints. I have so many I may use those too!
ReplyDeleteI have never done any of her quilt alongs, but I sure do love seeing what others are making! I will be watching your progress and cheering you on!
ReplyDelete