Tag: Mystery Quilt

Progress on Lupine

I have been working on and off on Lupine, especially after I finished some gifts. 

Lupine: Clue 1 Finished
Lupine: Clue 1 Finished

A week or so ago, I finished the Lupine & Laughter First Clue. I wasn’t sure how the black would look as a background, but I am pleased with the combination. It has a little bit of a 1954 vibe. I know you are thinking “WTH? How can she be so specific?” I have a book called 100 Years of Color** by Katie Greenwood. It gives a palette for each year for 100 years. While 1954 doesn’t have the black as part of the palette, it does have the feeling that occurred to me when I put the combo together.

One concern I have with the black is that the fabric seems to shred very easily. Not within patches, but as I trim shreds of fabric embed themselves in my rotary mat. As I mentioned before, I have had this fabric for a long time, so it is possible that the quality is different from current fabrics. Fortunately, I have a number of blacks with colored dots that I will use for this project, so not all will be subject to this problem.

Lupine Clue 2 and 3 Progress
Lupine Clue 2 and 3 Progress

I am simultaneously working on Clue 2 and 3. I sewed quite a bit over the weekend. It was kind of rote sewing, but it was good that I didn’t have to think too much. I also did quite a bit of trimming, though not enough. There is a lot of trimming in this quilt.

Bonnie always has different ways to make the various units. Friend Julie says that she likes to try the various methods in order to practice and to find the method she likes best. I usually just use a method with which I am familiar. For the HSTs, I am using the 8-at-a-time method you can find under tutorials. Her comment gave me something about which to think. I did use the Essential Triangle Tool** to make the QSTs, which was new-ish to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

N.B. Bonnie will remove the posts to which I have linked from her blog sometime in February 2026. Download or save the clues now if you want to make this quilt.

**Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Triumphant Stitching

Triumphant on the longarm
Triumphant on the longarm

I got a peek at Triumphant the other day when I went to pick up Chain Link. Colleen had it on the longarm and let me take a look.

I was really pleased to see it in process. I had hoped to have it back by now, but I don’t really need it so it is ok. 

Triumphant feathers
Triumphant feathers

I wanted feathers in the white space and Colleen is doing a great a job at fitting them into the odd spaces created by all of the HSTs.

Click on the photos to see more stitching detail.

Triumphant feathers and background
Triumphant feathers and background

Starting Lupine

Yes, I started another project! I know it is crazy, but here we are.

As usual Bonnie Hunter has started her winter mystery quilt. This year it is inspired by a trip to Iceland and called Lupine & Laughter. I wasn’t going to make the project this year, considering all the other quilts and bags I have on the go. I changed my mind and started piecing. 

Of course, before piecing I had to choose fabric. I thought about using one consistent background. I couldn’t find a white piece large enough so I picked out several whites to use. Still I wasn’t happy with the choices. 

I could have certainly used text motifs on white fabric again, but I didn’t want to make the same quilt again. 

Color tryouts for Lupine
Color tryouts for Lupine

Each time I go into my fabric closet, I see a bin of dots on black. I decided that I would pull some out and try them. The first black was called Color Dots by Jean Ray Laury. It has been in the fabric closet for a long time and it was a good time to bring it to the light. 

I thought it looked good with the purple and pink (again!!!) I chose, so I started cutting.

Lupine: QSTs
Lupine: QSTs

I realized pretty quickly that I had selected the wrong color for the QSTs required and pivoted to a blue-green (Carousel by Melody Miller). The combo is fantastic, if I do say so  myself.

I am still concerned that the black will be too dark, but it feels right compared to the whites I felt ‘meh’ about. I do like the pink and black combination. 

So, I am working on QSTs and, of course, am already behind. I am also cutting for Clue 2 and will need to start on Clue 3. I spent the day yesterday piecing, so I won’t get too  much farther behind. 

Triumphant Top Finished!

I got online with Latifah Saafir the other day as part of her Mystery Quilt project. I almost didn’t, but am really glad I did, because it was me, Latifah and one other person for almost the whole session. I didn’t have a Zoom background installed so the other participants could see my small design wall. Latifah asked about the Blue Improv piece hanging behind me and we talked about it for awhile. I almost swooned. Latifah admiring MY piecing. 

Finished: Triumphant top
Finished: Triumphant top

One of the things I got to do during the session was show my finished Triumphant top. Despite having continual cutting problems, I was able to finish the top. Now I need to make the binding and backing then it will be ready to go to Colleen. 

I am pleased with how it came out. I am glad it is done, but happy with the finished result. It is really different than other quilts. 

I am also not feeling as cranky about the rulers as I was. I think I will try the HuRTy PuRTy design to try and get the way those rulers work stuck in my mind. 

Triumphant Towards the Finish

I didn’t get Triumphant on the wall as early on Sunday as I would have liked. I was busy finishing the Sidewalk #2: Blue Strips so Triumphant would have some design wall space.

Triumphant blocks on the wall
Triumphant blocks on the wall

When I finally did get it on the wall, I found that I had miscounted the pieces I cut at Sew Day. I was short about a dozen units. Sigh. 

The photo doesn’t show any of the side border pieces I cut on Saturday. You’ll have to trust me when I say it wasn’t enough. 

I was actually glad to get it on the wall as I could see what I was working with. The main part of the quilt is just a giant 9 patch, so I sewed it together and then sewed the top and bottom borders on which I had finished a week or so ago. 

Then I sat down and had to correlate the pieces I had with what I needed. Once I figured out what happened, the cutting went relatively quickly. 

Now on to sewing.

Triumphant Again

Triumphant blocks 4 & 5
Triumphant blocks 4 & 5

The way this piecing is going is I cut a lot wrong, then I figure it out, cut it right and piece cool units together. This is the case with Blocks 4 & 5.

However, I like this quilt, am pleased with the fabrics I chose and am learning a lot. 

Except for a couple of background strips, these blocks are done and I have the patterns for blocks 6 & 7. I plan to work on this weekend.

Not So Triumphant

After out Triumphant week off, I am back to cutting out pieces. Well, I am back to trying to cut out the pieces. There are very few this week as we are on the borders, but I am struggling with those #@%^ HRT Bs again. 

I watched the video, which is very clear, and cut several pieces wrong. I am now watching the video again,but stopping it, doing the step and then watching more. I just can’t seem to wrap my head around this ruler. I am glad she came up with the mystery quilt as it is a good way to try out the tools.

Triumphant top border
Triumphant top border

Now I have  the Color 3 (turquoise) pieces cut and am about to add some Color 6 (red-violet) pieces. Fingers crossed I can trim these  to the correct size.

Truimphant Block 3 Finished

Triumphant block 3
Triumphant block 3

I cut like a demon at Sew Day, so the pieces were ready to go when I was. Having the pieces cut, having fewer pieces and being more familiar with the process meant I was able to finish Triumphant block 3 in record time.

I am all caught up and have a break for a week until the border instructions are posted.

Yes. This top is in sight of being done. Hooray!

There are some pieces I would have cut differently, though I am sure Latifah had her reasons. I prefer large pieces for the background – as large as possible. I’ll have Colleen quilt over the intersections of the background, however, and I am sure by the time I get it back I won’t care. LOL!

Triumphant center complete
Triumphant center complete

These are large blocks: 20 inches finished. Right now this is a large Nine Patch that is 60 inches wide.

I find the shapes that I can make with the HuRTy rulers are really different from other shapes. I looked at Latifah’s other patterns and didn’t see anything appealing. I hope she has a “Design with HuRTy rulers” course.

Truimphant Block 2: Done

Triumphant: blocks 1 and 2
Triumphant: blocks 1 and 2

I finished the rest of the block 2 blocks. my design wall is full of Sidewalk, so I used the design floor (LOL!) to lay it out.

What stands out to me is that turquoise border around block 1 (center). It doesn’t stand out to me in a bad way. It definitely highlights the center block. 

I kind of wish I had used the purple from the center for the purple tips of block 2, but c’est la vie. I am not ripping out more seams. 

Working on Triumphant Block 2

Triumphant block #2
Triumphant block #2

I am trying to keep up with the Triumphant Mystery quilt. I don’t want that lingering. Since the cutting is the hardest part, I spend as much time as I can on that when I have time.

I cut all the pieces for block 2, but started out just sewing one (of four) together. It has a really different look than ‘regular’ blocks. 

Now to make the other three.

Triumphant Block 1: Done

Triumphant block 1
Triumphant block 1

After cutting a lot of pieceswrong and having to re-cut I finally finished block 1. What I figured out is that I am struggling to cut the HRT B pieces.

For the next block, I will label much better. I had a hard time figuring out which ruler to use for trimming.

I am pleased with the fabrics I chose. 

Triumphant Progress

Triumphant block 1
Triumphant block 1

It really is all about mystery quilts lately.

I finally got all the pieces I needed for the first block cut out correctly and started to sew the block together.

I am struggling with the HuRTy rulers**. I wanted to give up since my sewing time is really precious. However, cutting the background was so easy that I have it already cut out and couldn’t see wasting those strips. I’ll get there.

So far, I think it is an interesting  design, but not one I would have come up with myself. Perhaps this is a stretch for me? I am definitely using my brain with the rulers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.

Old Town Back

Old Town back
Old Town back

The back of Old Town is done. I have sewn the binding, so it is ready to be applied after the quilting is done. With all of these chores done,  the quilt is ready to go to Colleen for longarming.

I used a really nice wisteria print from Philip Jacobs. I had two pieces, which means I bought it twice, but I can’t remember where. The colors fit perfectly with the Old Town top.

The blue swirly prints were leftovers from the Half Hexie Star quilt. I wanted a little bit of that fabric on a quilt I will probably keep.

So, on to quilting. I have to arrange that, but hope to take another quilt at the same time.

Started Triumphant

Starting Triumphant
Starting Triumphant

I started Latifah Saafir’s Triumphant Mystery quilt. It is a lot of cutting and I have to re-learn how to use the HuRTy ruler. Well, there are three of them in use for this quilt, so HuRTys!

I cut a bunch of pieces wrong, because of my misunderstanding of the instructions. Fortunately, I have enough fabric to make a few mistakes. I am struggling to get the flip of the ruler(s) from A pieces to B pieces correct. I am trying to be more careful as I don’t have infinite fabric.

Old Town Top Complete

Old Town top complete
Old Town top complete

I finished the Old Town quilt top over the weekend! Hooray! I am so glad it is done.

It is pretty pink. Pretty in Pink? I don’t think it screams ‘little girl’. It does remind me of my childhood bedroom.

Now just to make the back and then I can take it to be quilted.