En Provence, 2016 Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt, Clue 1

Triple Irish Chain for one son

 Are you participating in Bonnie Hunter's 2016 Mystery Quilt, En Provence? There is still time to join in on the fun if you are so inclined. I am behind due to wrapping up 2 king sized quilts for my sons, as well as Thanksgiving but I will catch up.

Ripple Effect of Wolves for my other son

This year Bonnie took inspiration from her visit to Aix en Provence, France. Her pictures are beautiful showing lavender fields, quaint towns and lovely buildings. I love her colors! Light lavender, dark purple, green, yellow, magenta plus neutrals.

I was able to pick up the corresponding paint chip samples at Lowe's the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. However it was Friday before I could sift thru my stash to see what fabrics I might have that would work. Clue 1 was already released! I was late! But it turns out I am almost set for fabrics!

Bonnie likes scrappy quilts and I am limited for fabrics. I only found 2 of the green and pale lavender but I'm ok with that. One bright yellow. I can always pick up more later (Clue 1 just used the neutrals). Magenta is the constant with Bonnie planning it for only one color - check, I got that. The darkish purples .... I had 2 possibilities but they don't work well together. My opinion. The butterfly fabric on the left I love but it barely clashes with the lavenders. The darker on the right would be great for balance but not enough yardage. So, sadly (bwahahahahaha) I need to shop for fabric.

My neutrals are boring but they will work. The patterned tan may not make the final cut. Or maybe I am just being too sensitive. Now to get busy cutting and stitching to complete Clue 1. What are you stitching this week?

** Updated**
What do you this of these neutrals? Will the white with colors work?

Do they contrast enough with my yellow?

Irish Chain square blocks

I've been stitching strip sets. Cutting strip sets. Stitching blocks. Press. Do it again.

I love the 40 square blocks. Lots of blues. Lots of movement. And thankfully I managed to keep all my strip sets in the right order to make the block production go smoothly. Amen,

My quilt will be 11 x 11 rows, a total of 121 blocks. 61 blocks of the 49 squares. 60 or the background squares.

I admit I worked hard to stay focused to get the right rows in the right order. I had my thinking cap on :)

And a good start to lots of blocks.

Irish Chain anyone?

I have started on my first Irish Chain quilt. Have you done one? I think they look awesome and supposedly they are fairly quick and easy to assemble. Which is good because I want to give this to my youngest son as a Christmas present. This year! LOL

I chose to do a Triple Irish Chain. Because I never do anything the easy way. I'm using some Kona cottons in blues that I bought thinking I would use them in a mystery quilt along. Then I didn't participate, LOL. I feel so blessed to find myself with 3 or so yards of each blue. I was pondering what colors and patterns or fabric lines to use when I remembered these cottons tucked in a bag, in a box, under some stuff. And they will be perfect.

Who else loses fabric under 'stuff '? I know I'm not alone. Anyone? Sighsss just me.

I spent a few hours cutting strips. Can we talk about an adventure with a dull rotary blade? Not today? OK, we will move on. Anyway if my loose math was correct, I have enough strips to piece the blocks with a zillion squares. We will see.

Aren't the strip sets pretty?

Wolf Quilt Finale

Remember the wolf quilt I started last January? It is done! I'm so happy and relieved. I had taken it in to be quilted and started a triple Irish chain quilt for my younger son while I was waiting. Well I got it into my head that I absolutely HAD to finish the new quilt before I put the label and binding on the wolf quilt. I do not know where my brain goes off track because you know I had life challenges come up while piecing the Irish chain quilt. Thankfully though I did complete it and got back to the wolf quilt. Amen!

 I trimmed off the extra batting. I often use these strips when I make burp cloths or potholders. Though I have several of this years Row by Row patterns which might work too.

I trimmed off the extra backing. I was able to cut a lot of my backing into binding strips. Bonus!

Now for the label. Which font? How big? What do I say!?!

I settled on a name for the quilt, Ripple Effect of Wolves. It pays homage to the reintroduction of grey wolves to Yellowstone Park. It had an amazing effect which you can read about here. I designed the block layout to show a natural green to blue ripple. It just fits for me.

This is laid across my king size bed.

Did I mention this quilt ended up big? It draped well over my king size bed.

Really big?
118" x 118" which is just short of 10 FEET! Eek.

I just love the running wolves :)

Edited to add a pic in the sunshine!

Oklahoma Row by Row - Day Three

Steelman's - Chickasha, OK

This day was not a full day. We needed cattle and horse feed, so we may as well do the grocery shopping and if there was time, stop in at our local quilt stores about 10 miles from the house. Nothing like a full afternoon together with my sweetheart.


In Chickasha, OK there are 2 lovely quilt shops, almost across the street from one another. Both are great shops with friendly people. I stopped in at Steelman's first. I took a needle turn applique class with Darcy Ashton here a million years ago when I could still hand sew for more than 15 minutes, LOL. Now my hand goes numb, so I gave up all but the necessary hand stitching. I do miss my cross stitching.


Steelman's block is classic home - apple pie. The pie is sitting in front of an open window cooling. You know the children smelled it and ran into the house begging for a slice. I love the vertical aspect which is perfect for their window setting.





Bush Family Affair - Quilts by Gail is upstairs in a series of rooms. I could spend the day in Gail's shop watching the long arm machines doing their quilty dance. She has 3 and they only stop at closing time. It amazes me that a small town could keep 3 machines in one shop busy all the time. They could run 24/7 and it would still take weeks to get a few days turnaround. Right now quilts brought in won't be done until close to Christmas. I took her one back in March? Or was it April? Anyway it is just now hitting the frame. I expected it 3 weeks ago. Gail and her ladies work really hard and do great work. I'm excited.

Bush Family Affair-Quilts by Gail - Chickasha, OK 

The Bush Family affair block is from a beloved nursery rhyme - there was an old woman who lived in a shoe ... No old woman pictured but we have 3 shoes set up for housekeeping. Isn't it adorable?!

Oklahoma Row by Row Experience - Day Two

We had to sit out the weekend of July 4th due to all the family and fun. And my husband was called in to work a 10 hour overtime shift. They are short handed and he is a good worker. Tuesday we headed to Oklahoma City to try to loop some quilt shops and gather more Row by Row patterns. I was quite surprised to find the 3 participating stores were literally within 5 miles of one another. How is that possible? And all on the north side of town where I never go due to the traffic. Ugh!! I stay southside. And these were truly gorgeous shops.

Oklahoma Quiltworks - OKC

Our first stop was at Oklahoma Quiltworks in OKC. This was another shop where I walked in and was immediately lost in color, texture and patterns. Blissful! I spent almost an hour just ogling their quilt samples. If I could choose, I would have this store across from my driveway. It seemed to have everything.

Quiltworks created a delightful, scrappy block with a home, tree, windmills and a clothesline with a quilt. My house resembles this block so much. The wind turbines are up the highway but I can see them from my clothesline in the yard. And they made the quilt 3D so you can flip it with your finger.

The Savage Quilter - OKC

Our next stop was at The Savage Quilter. They have a high ceiling, bright, open shop. It is huge! Lots of amazing cottons. So many pretty quilt samples. I could burn hours and a truck load of money in this lovely store.

Their block reminds me of my youngest son's lady - a baker. A stand mixer, ingredients, a cake on a stand, cupcakes and our happy baker. Definitely sweet and totally calorie free! I may have to change the bakers hair color to make it dark :)

Sew and Sews - OKC

The last Oklahoma City store was Sew and Sews. The sign on the door warned of a Princess inside. I went in looking for a dog or shop cat. Instead I heard a bird call out! I tried to find it but kept getting distracted by the beautiful quilt samples. Eventually I found her in a cage but I coveted several quilts first.


This block is one of my favorites for its true depiction of Oklahoma and our red dirt roads. It looks complicated but worth the effort. I bought the kit so I could have the dog and geese available.


This is another block that makes me feel homey. A house in the country. A pumpjack down the road. Hunters seeking geese. The dog running wild. Did they spy on me to create this special block?







We had some free time before dinner so we headed west to Yukon, OK and Threads of Tradition. This shop was cozy and small and still colorful with lots of quilts hanging. I was surprised that I did not see quilts repeated from one shop to another. Most had their 2016 Shop Hop (June 2016) quilt displayed - all different and all beautiful.

Threads of Tradition - Yukon, OK

The Threads of Tradition block is set on Route 66 map fabric which has been discontinued. They had enough to make several kits but mentioned they may run out. I'm lucky I snatched one before it was gone. Pinwheels and a sweet home. Their kit even included the papers to paper piece the pinwheels. I admit I have never paper pieced so this will add another new technique to my repertoire.

I have enough block patterns to create a quilt for the competition - first to bring a completed quilt, bound and labeled into a store wins 25 fat quarters! One winner per store. Several shops have already had winners since the Row by Row started on June 21st. I may ask around when I finish but my goal for this year being my first time, is simply to finish. Learn new techniques and create a fun, unique quilt. And I want more patterns :)

Oklahoma Row by Row Experience - Day One

I decided to pick up some of the patterns from this year's Row by Row Experience. All of the United States plus Canada has quilt shops participating. The patterns are free and the shops sell kits if you want to make their block in the same fabric. This year's theme is "Home Sweet Home" which resonates with me. I love the comfort of home. You can find all the Oklahoma shops, blocks and license plates on Facebook at Oklahoma Row by Row.

My husband decided to drive me on my adventure on his days off. Wahoo!! I love a good drive in the country and since we are rural - there was plenty of country to cover before we got to towns or cities to collect patterns. The first day we covered 215 miles, visiting 4 lovely quilt shops.

Bernina Center - Lawton, OK

Our first stop was at the Bernina Center in Lawton, OK. It's a small shop in a strip of stores. They seem to be geared for embroidery. I walked in and immediately was in thread Heaven. As a garment or quilt stitcher, I tend to be boring with my threads. I piece in dark or light. Done. The Bernina Center has more red thread hues than I ever knew was possible. The blues? I swooned!

Quilt N Bee - Cache, OK

And their block is one of my favorites showing local highlights. It has Mt Scott - the highest point in Oklahoma. A soldier saluting - a nod to Ft. Sill Army base. A teepee. Plus 2 Bison from the Wichita Wildlife Preserve. Love it! I decided to buy the kit to be able to have the proper camo and such for the block.

Our next stop was the Quilt N Bee in Cache, OK. I admit I had never been to this tiny town, much less knew it was there. The highway skirts it. I am so glad the Row by Row sent me here. Quilt N Bee is a bright, colorful shop with more lovely quilts than I could count. I was so lost in color and pattern that when the friendly clerk greeted me I was confused - I was in colorful, quilty world.

Quilt N Bee's block is vertical with a quaint house, flowers and a picket fence with a quilt flapping in the breeze. I didn't buy the kit as it was almost $20 but they had went so far as to cut out the flower shapes - I should have bought it to save myself time. Sighssss ...








We headed south and back east to the sister Bernina Center in Duncan, OK. More fabulous threads. I really love the plethora of thread colors. I may have to expand my horizons. This block is also tied to their small city. A pair of oil field pump jacks, a couple of longhorn cows from being on the main cattle drive route and a prairie schooner for the settlers from the Land Run. I'm loving the Bernina Center's creativity and local ties.

Bernina Center - Duncan, OK

Our loop took us back north on rural highways to Beth's Quilting Quarters and Fabric Shoppe in Blanchard, OK. Beth's quilted my younger daughters quilt, so I know their shop. They have excellent cottons, so many great quilt samples plus a large classroom. They have multiple quilt guilds that hold meetings at their store which seems so right to me. I love the hometown feeling in Beth's.

Beth's Quilting Quarters - Blanchard, OK

Their patriotic block is right up my alley. A background of patriotic words under a red and white bunting swag with a perfect half circle of blue fabric with white stars. I have close to a dozen t shirts that feature flags and eagles - I am a serious Patriot. I bought this kit too for the special fabrics.

We could have stopped in at the closest 2 quilt shops to our place but time was against us. We weren't able to start out until after chores and lunch, so closing time forced us to stop. I will visit them when I next grocery shop.

I haven't started any of the blocks yet, however I do NOT want this to be a bag of UFO's. Though technically they aren't just unfinished, they are un-started. I ordered some double sided fusible webbing online to make the applique easier. In the past I have basted or glued applique and I really want to try the fancy way I see used by so many quilters.

Have you explored the Row by Row in your state?