Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt #3 - Jealous.....or not?

Clue #3 has been out a few days now, and the link-up has gone live as well.

Every time I look at the pictures of other participants I get a bit jealous... 
You wonder why? 
Well - because I see a lot of perfect blocks in beautiful color combinations. 
Color combinations I won't be able to make.

I hardly buy any fabric for quilting. I really love to play with re-purposed materials: old clothing, table cloths, sheets and everything else that is usable for sewing. Family and friends know I can always use any kind of fabric for quilting, so every now and then my stash is extended with unexpected materials.

So, when I look at all those perfect blocs I feel a bit jealous – just a bit. 

This mystery quilt was supposed to be a scrap quilt and that is what mine will be: a very unique scrap quilt. 

As I don’t have a lot of fabric of each color I make only a few blocks of every clue. Just to see what it’s going to look like and to learn all the techniques – as mostly everything is new to me!

And you know what? My blocks may not be perfect, but I made them myself and I am proud!

Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt #2

Clue #2 is out and I want to sew!
Unfortunately I have been -and will be in the upcoming period- very busy with traveling and preparing rooms for the guests who will stay over for the holidays.

I have been traveling last weekend and will ne next weekend as well.
But.... I managed to cut some fabric for the second clue.

Sewing however will be a challenge as I don't have a designated sewing area.
It takes time to empty the dining table, get all stuff out of the bag and prepare, sew, and clean everything afterwards again.

Hmm, I definately need my own sewing space!

Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt #1

In the Netherlands - and especially in the area where I live - quilting materials are not easy to find and/or very expensive.  I don't like to go shopping for fabrics because I have to choose what color, pattern, print etc.

When I think of quilting materials, I think of re-purposed materials like used clothing, sheets, table cloths etc. I like to puzzle with the materials I have.

The Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt will be a real challenge as I don't have a lot of fabric, and certainly not all proposed colors. Also the size of Bonnie's original designed quilt is huge! As I would like to make a smaller quilt, Bonnie advised me to start making only half the amounts of all the blocks of the smaller pattern.

I made a one sheet quick reference overview and used the free templates Bonnie offers to make my own template of sandpaper. Cutting the fabric is  a very precise job but I really enjoyed doing it. Sewing went far too quick - I want more!!!

But... as I don't know where the mystery path will lead me and how all colors will be used, I had to be strong and decided to make only a few blocks first when the new clues get revealed. I can always make more later.

It doesn't look all that bad, does it?

Me and quitling #1

For a while now I have been following Benita Skinner's Victoriana Quiltdesign and Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville blog and I really liked what I saw.
Both ladies make really beautiful quilts and really inspired me.


My very first sew along quilt was Benita's Sew over the Rainbow. 
It is still in progress, as two baby quilts for my first two grandchildren had to be made first.
But I am making progress!

I got really hooked when Bonnie announced a new mystery quilt Celtic Solstice Mystery, that she's offering for free. It will be my first mystery quilt ever!

It's me!

This is me: a mam, wife, daughter, sister, and lately also a very proud grandmother. Oh yes, I almost forgot: I also have a full time job as Senior Secretary.
I re-discovered quilting about a year ago, and I got really addicted!
I'm a Dame from Drenthe, the Netherlands, Europe.

Having said that, I decided to blog in English although this is not my native language, as a lot of people browsing the web do not speak or read Dutch.
So please, don't shoot me when I make spelling or grammar mistakes!

I have thought for a long time if I ever really wanted to start blogging, but Bonnie Hunter's request to the participants of the Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt to link progress pictures to her blog pulled me cross the line (is this correct English?) so here it is: my very first blog!