challenging quilt | Reflections

Bonnie Hunter Mystery Madness

5 12 2013

Yes, madness!

I mean that in a good way, though.

When I joined a local quilt guild in late February, the ladies who had participated in the 2012 Bonnie Hunter mystery were still complaining and from what I gleaned from discussions, the quilts weren’t finished. I’m sure I heard at least one declare that they would not be doing another one.

It takes awhile to learn all the lingo and get familiar with big names and brands, designers and greats. I have a long way to go still, but at the time, I remember feeling that I should know about the Bonnie Hunter mysteries. I heard the name enough in my first few weeks in the guild to know I wouldn’t forget it! Of course, I googled it right away, found Quiltville, took a look at past mysteries and said to myself (and to my hubby and kids while showing the quilt pics from the site), “This is madness! No wonder all the ladies at the guild were frustrated. What are these things made of? A million pieces?”

And then I followed it up with: “They are really pretty, though.”

It was about the end if September when one of the ladies in the guild asked if I’d be joining them for the Bonnie Hunter mystery this year. She said I should. She said, “It”ll be fun!”

Fun to watch me loose my mind? Didn’t they realize they’d already scared me away from it?

After I was asked a second time a couple of weeks later, I was tempted to go to Quiltville and check out the album of mysteries past….again.

I quizzed my family to get their two cents. I’d already decided this was a challenge I had to take up. I put the date of the first clue release on my calendar, and made a special trip to Lowe’s to get my paint swatches. I pulled fabrics from my itty bitty stash, and kept the paint cards in my purse. I added a fat quarter here and a fat quarter there. I still don’t have every inch of fabric I’ll need, but I’ll pick it up along the way. I picked up a bit more oranges today, actually.

I have 77 of the 92 orange background tri recs for clue #1 done, and none if the neutral background.

I got a late start! I forgot to have my calendar buzz me a reminder. That’s the thing about such cool technology – you have to tell it what to do! So I didn’t get started till Wednesday ….and another clue comes out tomorrow! What to do? I can’t feed my family freezer fodder again tomorrow because I’ve engaged in the madness for another day! Can I?