JustJan and Frustrated your colors will be very nice. Getting ready to have a cup of coffee while I read over the instructions for this morning, and will be posting the clue in about 15 minutes.

Dear Lynnie has a death in the family. This was a long goodbye. I'm sure she'd appreciate a pm. Dotty

week 2, first clue
 

Did you vote for your favorite fabric group? Most of you seemed to vote that I used groups B or C. Did you guess that I chose group C? After agonizing for days, and pulling even more choices, it was down to B and C, but in the end I chose C because I had a companion fabric to use for the border, and not enough of the light in the B grouping. I still like the monochromatic combinations but I kept going back to the group C fabrics. Have had the border fabric and the dark for a while and couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do with it – one of those things you are waiting for that perfect idea before cutting into the fabric. And I had enough of the companion fabric for the border. The sash is a slightly darker pink than in the flowers.

You will ALWAYS use an accurate ¼” seam throughout the quilt. Make a test seam, measure, and adjust the seam width if needed.

This week we will make 24 4-patch blocks that measure at 3-1/2” square, using the light and the dark fabrics. This is where you need to commit yourself to your fabrics – the light and dark need plenty of contrast (but still need to contrast with the medium) … but I can’t tell you why, that would just spoil everything! You can see they need to contrast within the 4-patch, but these need to also contrast elsewhere.

To start, I cut WOF strips at 2” wide, 3 strips of the light and 3 strips of the dark. Sew a light and a dark right sides together and press to the dark. These strips must measure 3-1/2” wide. Make sure there are no little tucks and folds at the seam, as it will affect the width of the strip. Adjust your seam allowance if necessary. Make a practice block to make sure it will measure at 3-1/2” square.

Cut strip set into 2” wide segments. Put two pieces together as shown. Hint: Feed the blocks into your machine with the dark strip on the top as shown in the photo. The bottom segment will have the dark closest to you. This guarantees that your bottom segment’s dark seam will be facing toward you, and feed into the feed dogs to eliminate catching the pressed seam into your new seam.

Sew into a 4-patch and press to the dark. Repeat with another WOF set of strips. Count how many you have (I got 10 4-patch blocks out of one strip set.) Use what is needed from the third set of strips to make a total of 24 4-patch blocks that measure 3-1/2” unfinished. If you sewed too much, remove seam on any leftover strip set and set aside for another day.

And off we go on another fun mystery quilt train ride! Looking forward to seeing some really pretty 4-patch blocks. I left warm apple danish in the club car. always a nice treat on a cold winter morning. I'll be back in a bit.

Thank you, Dotty, for the sad news.

Judy, have you posted the finished size of this project and I missed it? Oh well, I am off to the sewing room. Will post a picture when I get this done. I am so EXCITED!!!! Giving up control is actually very freeing.

Barb it is in the first posting last Saturday.

I am giving directions to make 36 x 48 and you can double the number of blocks for a larger lap quilt and add borders of your choice.

Thanks Judy. I was going back to read the first post again, knowing it was probably there, when I saw your answer. Now for the decision process....oh heck...I guess I'll double it. I really need a bedrunner for a friend. Double should cover that.

Got my instructions printed out...... off to see if my fabric will work????

Do we spin the seams on the four patches or just press the final seam to one side?

Angelia - no, not neccessary. Just press to one side. But no reason not to, if you wish to do so. It does make a flatter block. (Boy, did I dislike spinning them until I got that little "tug" angle correct!)