# On Ringo Lake -- new mystery quilt starting



## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Bonnie Hunter's new mystery has started. This is the only mystery I do each year that has tiny enough blocks to really challenge me. Come check it out.
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2017/10/on-ringo-lake-quiltville-mystery.html


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

To give you a feel for her style, this was the one I did from last year -- it was 1/3rd as large as the full sized.


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## Gretchen Ann (Aug 30, 2010)

I always wait to see what the pattern actually looks like. There have been several of her quilts that I have really disliked and I don't want to waste my time making a quilt that I'm not going to end up liking.


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## dmm1976 (Oct 29, 2013)

This sounds so cool. I have 3 days off starting Monday. I may be fabric shopping


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Dmm -- The first time I did a Bonnie Hunter mystery I followed her colour choices and made it scrappy. I didn't like the colours and the scrappy just didn't work for me. But making the first one her way taught me a lot about her methods and working with smaller pieces than I am usually comfortable with. Now I usually tweak her colours to suit my tastes and use yardage. This is the colour scheme I'm using this year -- mainly I subbed out green for aqua and made sure at least two of the fabrics had a lot of movement in them. I would have used aqua as I like that colour but didn't have enough in my stash. I learned not to buy fabric for mysteries since if I don't like the resulting pattern, I feel like I've wasted $$.

BTW, we have an active thread on this year's mystery over at the Quilting Board. https://www.quiltingboard.com/quilt...e-hunter-mystery-quilt-2017-18-a-t292318.html That is where I get a lot of inspiration on colour changes and tips on easier ways to make some of the blocks.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

This is Easy Street, the first BH mystery I did. I ended up making only 4 blocks (1/4th the size) and putting the left over patches into a scrappy border. I didn't care for the colours, but interestingly, the person this quilt went to loved both the design and colours. Each to their own.


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## dmm1976 (Oct 29, 2013)

I love the colors on that!!!


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

I love the colors on it too Belfrybat!!! It looks so cool and comfy - but of course blues and greens are my favorite colors. LOL!!!


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Bonnie just posted the 1st step. It's an easy one -- 50 nine patches. Since I'm making a half size, that means just 25. 
Here's the link -- scroll down for the intro and the 1st. step. https://quiltville.blogspot.com/p/on-ringo-lake-mystery.html


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I've almost finished the 25 nine patches. Actually I'll end up with 27. I can't remember making nine patches this small before. I have the first six laying on the other fabric that will be used.


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

How small are they Belfry??? Do you sew them in strips and then cut to put together the 9 patches?


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## dmm1976 (Oct 29, 2013)

I opted out of this one. But only because I don't want anything to get in the way of the winter swap. 

But the information this lady has on her site is invaluable! I just read her article about cutting and it really helped me out! I think I was cutting with my line off the fabric this whole time! Also I just realized that I measure and cut backwards if that makes sense.


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## dmm1976 (Oct 29, 2013)

Belfrybat said:


> I've almost finished the 25 nine patches. Actually I'll end up with 27. I can't remember making nine patches this small before. I have the first six laying on the other fabric that will be used.
> View attachment 63456


I love your fabric choices!


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Thank you. The patches are 3-1/2", which is standard for Bonnie. Smallest nine patches I've made. Since I'm not doing scrappy, I used the strip method to make them. Macybaby who used to be on this board decided to cut 450 1-1/2" squares so her's would be super scrappy. Not me -- I go for easy!

Dmm -- download the steps from her website if you think you might want to make this in the future. She only keeps them up through February.


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## Gretchen Ann (Aug 30, 2010)

Your locks are lovely Belfry!

I love to make 3" finished 9 patches. I was tempted to jump in after I saw all these blocks but I'm going to stand firm and wait to see what the finished quilt looks like.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Step 2 is out. 200 small flying geese. I'm glad I'm making a half size!
https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2017/12/on-ringo-lake-part-2.html

I made 4 to check the size. I have a tendency to not get a 1/4" seam allowance at the "beak" of the goose. But using the no-waste 4 at a time method, I was spot on! The colour combination is growing on me.


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

How do you make 4 at a time???


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

That is about the only way I make them any more. Normally I have to slightly trim two sides a sliver. But it's so much fast than the traditional make a rectangle and sew two squares on each end and trim the triangle off. 
Here's a tute: http://www.happyquiltingmelissa.com/2011/01/flying-geese-no-waste-method.html. There are bunches of videos out also.
And since I don't like to do math, I use this nifty chart I saved ages ago:


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

Thank you so much Belfrybat!!!!!


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