Quiltingboard Forums - Mystery Quilt Alongs

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The idea of not knowing what I am going to end up with doesn't appeal to my "anal" nature. Having said that though, I have a BH book and plan to make a quilt or two from it. She seems to make good use of scraps, so to me that's a good thing. I did see a Mystery Linus quilt recently that some people in my sewing bee participate in and it was adorable.

Being part of a mystery and working within the planned color way is a great opportunity to learn new techniques and colors you may not ordinarily use. It can certainly get you out of your color rut! The quilt once completely may be used as a donation quilt if you really don't like it once completed. I've done several. Some I liked and some I didn't but still am happy I joined in for the mystery.

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Originally Posted by TeresaA (Post 8326806)

I don't like the tiny pieces because I think all the seams waste fabric. For that reason I've never done her mysteries before. This time I'm participating mostly with fabrics I have had for a long time and don't know what I'd do with otherwise. The other thing I'm doing is only making half or less of what she requires. Her mysteries are apparently scalable.

You can Google Bonnie Hunter mystery and see many of her mystery quilts. You can also Google them by name. I don't remember all their names off-hand but maybe some can. "On Ringo Lake," "Allietaire," "Celtic Solstice," "Good Fortune," "Orca Bay" are some.

Thanks, Teresa. I'm still on the fence. I gathered all my fabrics and may give it a go. I also have a lot of fabrics that I really don't have a use for so it won't bother me to at least start this. I like Ringo Lake a lot. Some I liked better than others.

I don't like a zillion seams either. Too hard to quilt. But if I love it I'll send it out to a longarmer.

I have done several over the years. Only one did I not like the final layout. I even designed one for the holidays many years ago. It was well received back in its day. It was fun to see how they grew into something so beautiful. It takes patience especially if they are over an extended period of time.

I usually collect BH clues, then do my own colors if I like the reveal. I can’t begin to wonder what people will say 50 years from now when they start finding a gazillion quilts that are exactly alike! Haha. And, I never have time to sew during the holidays...

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Originally Posted by Kassaundra (Post 8326717)

I have played along w/ the Bonnie Hunter one. I watched one before I joined fortunately it was the crazy pink one, the only one of her mysteries I didn't like. I looked at a lot of her quilts before joining and liked most. I also have confidence that I can (and will) change things up to what I like if it heads in a way I don't like (I've even changed up BH's when I did like what she did, I just liked my idea better). There have been a few others I've looked at and either I didn't like their previous mysteries (or general quilts) or I couldn't find past ones so wouldn't "risk" fabric. Also I won't do one I have to pay to join.

I did the crazy pink one and still do not like it. With that being said, I still continued with remaining mysteries and have loved them. It's always fun if friends are also doing them - compare and encourage. I am going to sit this one out for the first time in years. I'm on a mission to finish my 'stuff'.

I did a mystery quilt for the first time this year. It was on Deb Heatherly's Facebook group, Grids Girls. I really like Deb's patterns and rulers, so I was pretty sure I would like the quilt. And I loved it. She will be starting another one shortly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillmc (Post 8326885)

... I can’t begin to wonder what people will say 50 years from now when they start finding a gazillion quilts that are exactly alike! Haha...

I wonder that too! Probably the same thing we say when we look at all the Double Wedding Rings, Grandmother's Flower Gardens and Sunbonnet Sues from the '30-'40s.

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Originally Posted by Lena1952 (Post 8326857)

I agree. Following along BH's blog where most Mondays after the clue comes out on Friday she lets people link up their blogs or instagram to show their progress is fun. I learn a lot from this forum also as I see how others are tackling the color choices and piecing.

Bonnie's instructions are usually make 100 HSTs etc...at the end you see how it goes together. It is fun to see people guessing and looking at other ways the components can go together.

My preference when making quilts is to do a block at a time...but I make an exception for Bonnie. The quilts are usually spectacular and all the work shows. I tend to do just the mystery for my one intense piecing quilt per year and the rest of the year I focus on art quilts or more simple piecing.

This year I am only making half the components because I think I just want a smaller quilt.

http://moderndiary.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

Good compilation of the BH mysteries. It started a lot earlier than I thought.