Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt Link-up

For the first time ever, I'm doing a mystery quilt and it's also my first Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt.

It's a virtual sew-along, in which we (all quilters everywhere) can join, for free and for fun.  All the chatter is invigorating, the fabric selections that people show nearly intoxicating.  The link is here to visit other Grand Illusion quilt bloggers.

Bonnie's inspiration came from her visit to the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan.  Please treat yourself to her pictures of this beautiful place. They make me yearn to go there myself--not this winter, of course, but on a gorgeous day in July. 

She was inspired by the yellow awnings, the diamond shaped black and white tile floors, the cool aqua ceilings, the velvety green sofa, and the pink geraniums that are the classic hallmark --or should I say "hall marks" (since the geranium-abundant carpet really does mark the halls of the hotel)? 

Bonnie Hunter has designed a quilt for  which she will give us one clue each week for many weeks. To plan,she gave us the colors  about a month ago. I made a fun trip to Lowe's for the color cards, and I just LOVE the colors. They are the ones you'll find in my sewing room!

(I'm holding up  100 some-odd HSTs I sewed together before realizing I had mismeasured.   After all the warnings!  The grand illusion going on here is that I am good at following directions.)

I had to buy pinks and more turquoises. Oh,the drudgery of fabric shopping (she says, tongue firmly planted in cheek)!   I measured, washed the fabric, ironed it all, and labeled it all with sticky dots telling me the amount needed and amount of each piece. Then I waited.  Waited for the first clue the morning after Thanksgiving.

Bright and early, 6:30 on a Friday, I read all about it and charged forward. Just wish I'd kept a printed copy or the computer in front of me. I should know better than to go from memory.

Anyway, the triangles have to be redone, but at least I cut the black and yellow fabrics correctly.

We will try not to notice that black and yellow together live dangerously in this house. We are Ravens fan, not Steelers fans!

I ordered the Easy Angle ruler AFTER my big mess-up.  I hope it gets here by Friday.
I can only wait.  Meanwhile, I'll go check out a whole bunch of other blogs to see progress made, dreams dreamed, mistakes made (to comfort myself) and to be inspired all over again.