paintmejudy

To begin: Looking at the first picture, you will see the layout for all the 12.5” blocks, using all of the 4-patch and the dreaded QSTs. I then laid all out in rows of 4 in order to make sure I wasn’t going to end up doing the last 3 blocks with too much of one color. And I did find out that maybe there is a touch more red than I had planned. Sew the individual blocks as shown in the layout, press well and it doesn’t matter how you press your seams because they will be sewed to sashing. Check to make sure they measure 12-1/2” and trim if needed. Adjust seams if necessary. Each of the 3 rows will contain 4 scrappy blocks and 5 of the 12-12” by 2-1/2” strips of neutral. I did press the seams of the scrappy block towards the neutral strip.

Secondly: Using the rest of the 12-1/2” x 2-1/2”, gather together 20 of your 2.5” squares. Looking at the picture, you will see how I made the sashing strips that are separating the rows and one on each long side. These 4 sashing strips were made from four neutral strips and five 2-1/2” squares. Press the seams towards the neutral Sew the strips, matching the colored square with the neutral sashing. They should nestle in there perfectly. Sew the sashing strips and the rows of blocks as shown.

Now came my dilemma – how to finish this quilt. I auditioned a bunch of things, took pix of 2 of them. But in the end I used the one in the sketch, then laid some pieces of fabric down to see what it would look like, I took a picture of this, and used two additional rows for the border. The drawing shows the neutral that you sewed on the quilt top that surrounds the outer edges of the quilt. Then I added these 2 additional rows that ended up measuring 4-1/2” wide , adding 9” total to the width and to the length. My daughter’s quilt ended up being 53” x 65” if I remember correctly. I bound the quilt in purple, her favorite color.
The first strip next to the existing neutral/colored squares is made as follows: Cut width of fabric in your choice of color at 2-1/2” wide. I used a turquoise. Cut turquoise in 8-1/2” strips and 2-1/2” squares. Pick two colored 2-1/2” squares to go with this and sew in a row, to match the length and the width of the quilt top. Look at the diagram.

For the next row, use the same sizes as when you made the neutral/colored squares – 12-1/2” x 2-1/2” along with one colored 2-1/2” squares. I used a brown pin dot for this border.

The length will need 4 colored sections on each side, and the width will need 3 of the strips.

Make four 4-1/2” square blocks to fill the four corners. Maybe make 4-colored QST blocks using all different scrappy colors? Or a 4-patch of all different colors?

Sew the long sides on. Add a 4.5” square to each of the shorter units and sew to the top and bottom.
I feel terrible that I don’t have a picture to show you, I know it would be so much easier to see what I did.
I ended up taking the quilt into the long arm gal before I took a picture. It will be for my daughter’s birthday.

And then after all the agonizing, I did this. Since I didn’t take a picture, I’m including a sketch of what I used. Hope it makes sense to you.

So, we are done. Another mystery, and I hope it was a fun project for you. I know, I know, QSTs aside that is. LOL

I am planning on giving everyone a chance to finish this before starting number 19 and have a bit of a rest. That said, I am aiming for the first Saturday in April to start another mystery.