No Peeking

I am still working on Carolina Christmas parts. The layout was posted on Monday and I vowed I would not peek. I accidentally caught a glimpse on someone's blog and my friend told me it was beautiful but I decided I would not look until Step 1 and 2 were done. Since I have been working on multiple steps at the same time I was almost done with both; I only needed 2 more large triangles to be attached but I put this off as long as I could - sometimes anticipation is a great thing. I kept working on steps 3, 4 and 5 until last night when I added those 2 large triangles. I went to bed feeling like it was Christmas because I could open the "present" in the morning.

I got up early and I looked today. It is beautiful and now I am inspired to finish the rest. Step 3 is mostly done, 4 has the most left to be done and 5 is almost half complete. I do need to get back to some gift sewing but I am having great fun with this mystery quilt.

It's a Mystery to Me

I don't know what came over me but I decided to make Bonnie Hunters Carolina Christmas Mystery Quilt. She started posting steps the day after Thanksgiving and yesterday the layout was revealed. Of course I have a lot of Christmas sewing to do and I wasn't even near a sewing machine when it started but for some reason I felt compelled to make this quilt and to make it now. We got back from our trip on a Monday and I started cutting on Tuesday.

I couldn't make myself stop for the first few days but now working on the quilt is my reward for finishing something else. So far this is working, I only have one more gift to sew unless I add another one to the list (which I probably will.)

The way a mystery quilt is supposed to work is that you are given a "clue" or step of the quilt and you make that and then you get another clue. I dutifully started clue one without knowing the rest. I made 100 and something gold and neutral 2 patches and then worked on green and neutral half square triangles. Then I got bored so I peeked at the next clue and started working on it, and then when I would get tired of the repetition I would start the next one - cheater, cheater!



I am now working on all of the clues at once and none of them are completed but I am happy. I only work a little bit each day but I can cut for a bit then sew some and then iron when I get the chance. The only problem is now the final layout has been posted and I really want to look. I am trying to be a good girl and follow the no peeking rule but I don't know how long I can last.

Oh No - Snow

We woke up to white stuff this morning. I know that for many people it is no big deal but here where I live it is not a common occurrence (thank goodness.) I am sure by the time I have to go out it will all be gone but it is fun to look at - for a while.

We got home 2 days ago from a road trip to California. The snow was right behind us in west Texas. Thirteen years ago we hit an icy patch on a trip for Thanksgiving and we totaled our van. We have not tried to leave town at this time of year since then. This year the trip was wonderful and we are very glad we did it.