Tag: Mystery Quilt

AM I READY FOR A MYSTERY QUILT?

"It's a mystery" clip art
Source: Bing clip art

I fully intended to do a totally different topic for this week’s post. However, I got distracted by a call to a quilting buddy and now I am looking at a mystery quilt idea. Am I ready for a mystery quilt?

Current mystery quilt thoughts:

My quilting buddy does mystery quilts on an annual basis. She was all excited about this new mystery quilt that Bonnie Hunter is doing for 2020. So of course I had to look at it as well.

I am not a big fan of mystery quilts. “Why?” you ask. Because I am very visual and I like to see what I am making. Guess that takes all the mystery out of it right? Yep, I am being a party pooper for sure.

I have done a few mystery quilts in the past. Like this one in 2009. Then there was this one in 2006.

After looking at the design and the colors I am going to give this one a try. I love autumn colors and this one is very much autumn colors: red-orange, orange, gold, green (bright?), gray, and neutrals.

Colorful fall leaves in mystery quilt suggested colors.
Source: Bing clip art

I think there is enough in my fabric stash that I won’t have to actually purchase much, if any fabrics. I am trying very hard not to buy any extra fabrics this year, but to use what is already on my sewing room shelves and in the scrap bins.

Choosing fabrics:

I set the timer for 20 minutes and picked these fabrics from the stash. If I am not careful I will overthink any given task. Surprisingly, I did not even open the scrap bins!

Green fabrics for the mystery quilt.
Gray fabrics.
Orange fabrics for the mystery quilt.
Neutral fabrics.
Yellows fabrics for the quilt.
Red-orange fabrics.

I am happy with the fabric choices. Am I ready for a mystery quilt? I feel inspired by the colors and am sure willing to try the Grassy Creek mystery quilt by Bonnie Hunter.

Mystery quilts are way out of my comfort zone. However, trying and learning new things is how to expand my (and your) horizons.

Learn and have fun:

Quilters, as 2020 finally winds down and we look forward to a brand new year, let’s try something new. Maybe it will be a mystery quilt or a new technique. Maybe how to use a new gadget. It might even be a fabric that does not match anything in your stash. Expand your quilting horizons.

And most of all – have a fun time with your quilting obsession.

Part 1 Update on 12/9/20:

All my Part 1 pieces are sewn and ironed. For details, please see the mystery quilt directions here.

Part 1 of the mystery quilt is complete.
Part 1 complete

Part 3 Update on 12/24/2020:

All the pieces for Part 3 are sewn and ironed. For details, please see the mystery quilt directions here.

I know, part 2 isn’t complete yet. That week at work was crazy and I just didn’t get it done. I will go back to it but right now I am working on part 4.

Mystery quilt part 3 complete.
Part 3 complete

Part 4 Update on 12/28/2020:

I completed the part 4 of the mystery quilt. See here for details on sizes and amount.

Mystery quilt part 4 is done.
Completed part 4 blocks

Part 5 update on 1/4/2021:

I am almost keeping up!! Here is part 5 complete. I am loving the fall colors. I have run out of gray fabric. Gray has never been a color I use much of, but this mystery quilt uses a lot of it.

Here are the directions for part 5.

Part 5 of mystery quilt.

PLEASE NOTE: 
ALL PHOTOS AND WRITTEN CONTENT ARE THE PROPERTY OF INDIANAQUILTER40 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

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MAINE MYSTERY QUILT 2009

Maine Mystery Quilt 2009

The Maine Mystery 2009 quilt was just a fun project to be part of. I have friends in a quilt guild in Maine and this was their mystery quilt project for 2009. I was able to purchase the pattern book on amazon. It is from a book named “Minnesota Hot Dish” https://www.amazon.com/Minnesota-Dish-Atkinson-Designs-ATK-902/dp/B000GKKXTM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Minnesota+hot+dish+quilt+book&qid=1571932601&s=books&sr=1-1

It’s so easy to do the same style of quilts in the same colors or fabric designs which is why I push myself out of my own comfort zone periodically and do something I have not done in the quilt realm. It’s so easy to get stagnant and I want to learn new things – even in quilting.

I rarely do mystery quilts because I am very visual and want to see how the top looks when it is finished. Which apparently takes all the fun out of it…..

I passed the pattern to another quilter when the top was finished. However, I do remember that it was all squares and rectangles which went together easily.

Fabrics…

There was a vendor for several years at the national quilt show in Paducah, KY https://www.paducah.travel/quilting/aqs-quiltweek-paducah/ that carried beautiful French fabrics. I bought small quantities each year. I had no idea what to do with them but they were so beautiful.

close up of blocks and quilting design

The background is a navy solid cotton I had on hand in my stash. The difference in how the navy feels and how the French fabric feels is very noticeable.

The paisley border fabric is also from the same vendor of French fabrics https://www.french-nc.com/shop/Fabrics/French-Fabrics/Printed-Cotton-Fabric-Provence-and-other.htm.

Another close-up of border and quilting design.


I cut out and machine pieced the top during January to May of 2009.

It was machine quilted in June of 2009 by RLM. The small vine and flower design looks wonderful and really works well with the fabrics.

The backing is a piece of blue and yellow striped cotton print from my stash that coordinates with the blue and yellow fabrics in the top.

Maine Mystery Quilt 2009 - backing of blue and yellow fabric

Here is the finished Maine Mystery Quilt 2009. The current quilt size is 44″ x 60″ which is perfect for display or snuggling under while reading or watching TV.

This quilt hanging on fence.

And for you…

I just want to encourage other quilters to try a new pattern or new color combination a quilt. Be adventurous once in a while with your quilt making.

PLEASE NOTE: 
ALL PHOTOS AND WRITTEN CONTENT ARE MY OWN UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.