I am with you on your level of discomfort. I can not do mystery anything. When I do scrappy I have some inclination of what it will look like since I have a pattern and pile of scraps in front of me and at least have some vision of final possible outcome.
My advise .. approach this with no expectations.. that is the only way I could get through it.

I HEAR you, sounds confusing to me A mystery for sure. I don't mind mystery blocks if I can understand the directions.

I don't even understand the cutting directions - and I've read them a couple of times!

I'm not a mystery person either. My skills are limited and I don't want to spend time making something I don't like. That being said, I did participate in a mystery quilt last week but waited to see some of the finished projects before I started.

Hope someone has an answer for you.

There are a lot of people who can do mystery quilts. I am not one of them. I did do one. If I had known how it went together I would have chosen a different fabric for the center (it was a medallion quilt). I decided once was enough.
Scrappies I do like. The first few were controlled. The last 2 were "pull out of the bags" - one lights, one darks. They actually do not make me uncomfortable anymore.
We all need to "let go" on occasion but I like to chose when I do that. I sometimes make up my quilts "as I go".
Based on your directions I have no clue what it could be. Good luck. Hopefully it will turn out well for you.

I had to giggle a little bit at your post!!! I think that defeated the purpose of a mystery quilt! I'm with you though, all the way! I don't want to use up a fabric that I love or even like for something I don't know what the finished product will be.

Could be that dummy here wasn't clear. :D


Cut strips of fabric selvedge to selvedge. Strips must be at least 1 1/2 inches wide and at most 2 3/4 inches wide. 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 preferred. Variety is the spice of life -- at least for some people. lol

Sew strips together lengthwise in whatever order floats your boat until the strip set measures at least 22 inches top to bottom by 40-45 inches wide.

Press all seams in one direction. Make 2 strip sets.

Find some non-see-through white material, preferably a solid (mine is solid from a distance, oh well). Cut 4 squares at 12 1/2 inches square. Lightly make a mark (in the seam allowance? not told) 3 inches from each corner on each square.

Find 2 fabrics to showcase in the block(s) and cut at least 10 squares of each fabric at 4 inches square. Cut these guys on one diagonal. After doing that, carefully press the diagonal under 1/4 inch without stretching or distorting.

Note: Thanks so much for the tip on using freezer paper. Just bought a big roll and will definitely try it!! :)

Make sure to have about a yard of lightweight interfacing along with the above stuff.

Fusible interfacing has been forbidden. When I asked why I couldn't use it, I was told to not participate if it bugged me that I couldn't use fusible. Gotta admit that answer got my dander up. Anyway, will probably go just to watch if nothing else. At the moment, I cannot walk, drive or operate a sewing machine. Worse case of gout/gouty arthritis I have had in years and I cannot have the indocin et al to "kill" it due to stomach ulcers. Diet did not trigger this episode.

Anyway, if someone wants to see the pattern or samples others have done in the past, I fail to see what the big deal is. Giving step by step "homework" on various days I get. Some of us get sidetracked easily. The secrecy thing I do NOT get. JMHO

Thanks for all the suggestions & ideas. I'm rigid in some things and very much both a perfectionist and a visual learner. And suffer greatly from "foot in mouth" disease. :D

Thanks so much,
Mary

I can't wait to see what you make, but I'm glad it's you and not me...lol. Good luck.

Maybe the gout is your body's way of saying that you don't want to participate in the project???

I don't blame you! I have never tried a mystery quilt and I might would try one, but I think my first needs to be way more simple than the homework you have described. Homework would be ok I think. It would help me stay on target. I, myself, am a planner too! Unless it is scraps, I would have a hard time using my most loved fabrics in a mystery quilt. I like to know the ending, too.
Best of luck and feel better. I would love to see a pic of the finished block. I'm curious now about how it will come out.