Hope on board the Mystery Quilt Train and enjoy this short ride! Welcome to all passengers, returning travelers and first time mystery riders. We had a blast the last three train rides, so settle into the club car, grab a snack and something to drink, and away we go.
In January we all seem to be in limbo or at odds with ourselves. The holidays are over, and whether good, bad or indifferent, there usually seems to be a bit of a let-down by the first of the new year. So, let’s do a quick mystery quilt to rev up our spirits and get us through January. This was designed as a child’s quilt and finishes at 40” x 56” (perfect size for Project Linus) but can easily be doubled to about 56” x 72“ for a nice sized lap quilt. Just double the fabric requirements, and I will let you know as we go along how many extra pieces to make if you are doing the larger quilt. I will put the larger directions in parentheses and in caps to make it stand out. Hope it doesn’t confuse anyone.
Today, Clue 1, you will get fabric requirements, some cutting, and assembly of a few blocks. I think this will be enjoyed by all levels of quilting experience. After all, most of the fun is trying to figure out where this train ride is headed! Clue 2 will be given next Saturday, Jan. 5th, and the final clue on the 12th and I will post by 9:00 a.m. MTS. All clues will be posted ON THIS THREAD so bookmark it for easy access, for whenever you want to check in. I know it will sometimes seem like a lot in one clue, but you can do this at your own pace. I need to get all the clues posted before I go on vacation. And nothing says you have to have it done by the time I get back online, probably on the 28th.
As in the past, I will try to help answer questions about the A and B fabrics, or you can wait until next week when you will find out how the A and B will be used.
For those of you who want to go completely scrappy, I am not going to write the directions out, but you will see what needs to be done after you read Clue 2. Color A can be substituted with scrappy if you plan your scraps right, but I would suggest Color B be kept as a single unbusy pattern, or you will lose the pattern of the quilt top. You will need the same yardage for Color B for this version, and just a lot more scrap pieces in place of the A fabric..
I am using 4-½” blocks, simply because I have a box of them. They are cut as I accumulate small pieces of fabric not big enough to bother keeping, and then use them for the scrappy flower quilts I make.
So, you will need the following --
Color A - ¾ yard - will be cut next week
Color B - ¾ yard - will be cut next week (LARGE SIZE: COLOR A AND B -- 1-½ YARDS OF EACH)
I have used 2 colors with strong contrast. I did not use any of colors A or B in my scrappy blocks.
From the picture, the gold fabric is my color A and the light is color B.
You will need 54 (LARGE: 108) assorted colors and patterns of scrap fabric cut into 4-½” squares, the more different fabrics, the more attractive your quilt will be. (I was lucky enough to have 54 different patterns.)
Cut 44 ( LARGE:60) assorted colors and patterns of scrap fabric cut into 2-½“ x 4-½“ rectangles. (Wasteful, I know, but I used my pre-cut 4-½” blocks and cut off a 2-½” strip, giving me my 2-½ x 4-½” size, and discarded the leftover.)
And you will need four 2-1/2" assorted squares for both the small and large.
If you do not have the 4-½“ squares already cut like I did, an easy thing to do would be to cut a 4-½ x 7“ piece, then cut off 2-½“ giving you a 4-½“ square and a 2-½“ x 4-½“ rectangle.
Using accurate ¼” seams, make 6 (LARGE: MAKE 12) 9-patch blocks from your 54 (108) assorted 4-½” squares, and press well. They will measure 12-½” square. Adjust your needle position if you are not getting a ¼” seam. See the second photo.
I guess that’s enough work to keep you busy for this week, see you a week from today for the next clue. Have a happy new year, and now you have something to do this weekend if you aren’t a football fan!
Approved by Patrice 12/16/2012
ETA by Moderator:
Moonwork PMd me to ask how to note a particular post in your thread so that other members can go there. Since members can have a different number of posts per page, as chosen in General Settings, it's best to link to an exact post. Members have the ability to post a link to the exact post you want to refer to. It is explained here
Question about posting links