NYE Mystery Quilt #1-Finally done!
 

This was the first Mystery Quilt I ever pieced. It was a New Year's Eve Challenge where you got one set of directions every hour for 24 hours, with the goal being to have the entire top completed in time to ring in the new year. I actually did two of them in different colors at the same timeFor different reasons, I didn't like the way they turned out, so I could never bring myself to pay to have them quilted.

After hiding in one box or another for well over ten years, last week, I finally decided my "ugly" quilts would be perfect for teaching myself to FMQ.

This is the first of the two. I like the simple backing I quickly stitched up out of my scraps, so I'll most likely use it "wrong" side up, lol. Most of all, it feels so good to finally have it out of my way!

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Good for you to get it out and get something done with it. I think it looks good but I know how it is to have something not turn out the way you envisioned.

I like it.....both sides. I bet it feels good to get it done

Turned out really nice.

both are great... the NYE Mystery challenge sure was ambitious!

That's a good looking quilt on both sides.

Your quilt is very pretty!

Your quilt turned out pretty, both back and front. I am not a big "pink" person, but little girls are. I really like the back of your quilt. That is more my style. I know you have a relief that it is finished and you didn't just waste all that material.

FYI.... I have a hard time doing mysteries. It's not easy for me to coordinate colors for a quilt when I know what it is going to look like in the end. I tend to collect all the clues, draw it up in EQ and then colorize it. That works out much better for me. BUT...I am trying to overcome that tendency and just go with the flow. I will sew paintmejudy's new mystery that will start in September. Why don't you join us?

I really like both sides of your quilt as well, and wow, you were ambitious making two that size in such a short time frame. I have only been at one Quilt till you Wilt a LQS hosted years ago, and our project was only about 40" square and I found that a challenge to get done in the time.

Congratulations for finishing this quilt. I also like the back better but the front would be loved by a pink lover. BrendaK

very nice job!!!

The "may not be to your taste but I think it's beautiful and I'm glad to see the finished product.

Thank you all for the wonderful compliments. I've been feeling a little guilty about the amount of WIPs I have, so I have made a vow to completely finish two projects for every new one I start. It feels so good to have one finished, especially one I was dreading!

Sinceresissy, SueRoss- Thank you :) Even I call it my "ugly" quilt, I know it's not that bad. I like the design, I like the fabrics, so it would stand to reason that I would like this quilt. But somehow, together, it just hurts my eyes. I don't understand it. **shrug**

Barb - I'm with you. Even though greatly admire and have done more elaborate quilts, and I've come to realize the ones I really enjoy working on and love the most when finished, are simple and scrappy. As for the Mystery Challenge, I made myself a promise not to buy one single inch of fabric until I have all of my scraps cut down, so most likely I will limit my participation to enjoying the eye candy as you and the others progress.

Thimblebug - The challenge was fun, but I couldn't imagine doing that to myself now, lol! I'm much slower these days at a lot of things, sewing included.

Beautiful quilt and lovely scrappy backing! Kudos on your wonderful finish!

It sure is pretty on both sides. Congratulations!!!

congrats on getting it done. doesn't that feel good? nice colors.

I really like both sides, and would have made individual quilts out of them with muslin backing. You could always tea dye the quilt to tone down the pink or soften the white if that's what's bothering you. What a shame to do all of that work and then not be happy with the result.

Well worth waiting for..................

Good for you! FMQ takes a lot of practice. Great job for your first try. Now you will have two quilts that if you still don't care for, will make great donation quilts. A non quilter will never notice any imperfections and you will continue to get better with practice.

Congrats on getting the quilt finished. I have two UFO's in the closet right now & don't know when I will ever finish them. I like that you have a reversible quilt to use as your mood changes.

Don't know why you considered them ugly. Both are beautiful!

Congratulations on getting it finished and teaching yourself to FMQ while doing it.! great thing to do with a UFO!

Rob

I am so surprised that you do not love you beautiful pink quilt. I sure do, but I also understand that we are all different. It is nice that you can use it either side up.

I like both sides of your quilt!

Again, thank you all for the wonderful praise and encouragement. You are all giving me warm fuzzies inside!

Pal - What a fabulous idea to use a tea dye to tone it down a bit! I had completely forgotten the great results I had years ago when I dyed a batch of fabric to get it to blend together, except I used a tan dye instead of tea. I just might try that with this one. Thank you for the idea!

Making two quilts with a muslin backing would have been nice, but I don't have any, and I am determined to not buy any more fabric, and get my scraps under control.

salederer - Excellent point! I was so excited to see that my FMQ went from horrible to just bad as I finished the FMQ on this one. I'm shooting for reaching mediocre on the next one! lol

osewme - TWO!!??!! I started to make a list of my UFO's last year and gave up when I got to 50!

Beautiful Double sided quilt.

Turned out beautiful! It feels so good doesn't it? Congratulations!