Finally Quilting my Grand Illusions Mystery Quilt

I was determined to get started quilting Grand Illusions today, so I set up my machine in my dining room - having the bulk of the quilt on the large table really helps, plus it's incentive to finish up so I can move back into my sewing room!  (Plus the added benefit of getting to watch the tv in there.)  I'm thinking this quilt will be a minimum of four bobbins worth of thread, so if I do at least two a day, I'll have it finished up in time to take to the guild meeting for show and tell on Thursday!  I will likely get it done tomorrow, though.  Usually once I get started I don't like to leave something partially quilted for too long!  I am doing hearts and loops - seems like my go-to design lately.  This quilt is so busy that it looks really good on there.  I'm using a pink Aurifil thread, so I'm sure it will be smooth sailing with no problems.

I started working on clue 5 for the Allietare mystery.  I put together a couple of blocks just to see how it is going to look.  I was slightly concerned that my gray was too light, but it is going to be just fine.  I did manage to cut the wrong color center for one block, though!  Sheesh.  I also realized that I needed to shuffle my triangles so they would be randomized.  I sewed a nice pile of them in the hour I allotted myself to work on it today.

Silly me, I used a black center by mistake!

Looks much better with the red center, I think!  All the triangles match, but I doubt it will be very noticeable in just one block.  It can be my "humility block".  As if I need to add a purposeful mistake to one of my quilts.

And the star block.  Two of my corner four patches are the same in this one, but I managed to realize it before I made them all the same!

Then, I spent a little bit of time organizing my calendar for the next couple months.  There is an Island Batik blog hop coming up next month, so am working on getting my projects done for that as well as another blog hop in March.  I'm looking forward to both of those!

My husband and I got back to our exercise routine today, and had a nice neighborhood walk this afternoon.  It felt good to get out of the house and move!  I'm glad to finally be rid of the last of that pesky cold.  At least it was a good time to rest and take it easy for a bit, but I sure don't like it when I don't feel like sewing.

Did I mention my new hand quilting project?  One of the ladies at quilt guild wanted me to finish quilting it as she has decided after it has sat for several years that neither her nor her sister are going to finish it.  I'll work for an hour or so on that in the evenings.  Then I will start mine so I can use it next fall!  I want to get it done this year for sure.  I procrastinated all summer and haven't put a stitch in it yet, so it is overdue as well.  I'm looking forward to snuggling under a project for the next few months.  So I guess I'm mixing a little slow stitching in with my speedy projects.  I enjoy both, so am glad to have the best of both worlds.

I'll try to squeeze in some work on JOY tomorrow as well.  This is going to be a beauty when I get it finished!