Quilters Day Camp Mystery Quilt
If you plan to come to Day Camp in February for our “Cure for the Blues” and you do not have a pressing project you plan to work on, we invite you to join us in our Mystery Quilt project. This project is designed to be completed or mostly completed in the 3 days we will have together. And, with any luck, it will utilize fabrics you may already have in your stash.
If you are like a lot of us, you never pass up a beautiful fabric even if you don’t have a plan for it. Sometimes when we get home it’s hard to cut something really beautiful and I find that is usually because the design or print is bigger than the piecing I am used to doing. Sometimes you stare at it and just want to make something that will showcase that fabric without cutting it into tiny pieces. Our Mystery Quilt may solve that problem. It features large blocks of your fabulous fabric with alternating blocks of patchwork in complimentary colors or tones to display those fabrics to their best advantage.
Depending on the size and repeat of the print on your large print fabric, you may want to make 12” blocks, 10” blocks or 8” blocks. Audition the best size by placing clear rulers over the fabric or make paper frames of various sizes to decide your best size. Remember, if you pick an odd size like 9 ½ “ it will be hard to convert your patchwork blocks to correct cutting sizes. If your large blocks are printed panels, the size is determined for you. Divide the size of your desired finished top by the size of your block and get the number of blocks you will need.
NOTE: I am working on a second pattern that would be suitable for tall vertical repeats and will work especially well for a crib or youth size throw. Those blocks will be a slightly different size and will have different yardage requirements. I will post those HERE when they are ready.
For the 12” Mystery Quilt blocks we are using a very large print that repeats about every 10-11 inches so the blocks will be cut at 12 1/2” and finish at 12 “. The alternating blocks will also finish at 12” so 4 blocks across will give you a 48” wide top without borders. Add additional fabric if you want borders.
The list below has the large print fabric as #4, the lightest complimentary fabric as #1, the meduim fabric as #2 and the darker complimentary fabric as #3. I suggest you pick solids, blenders or very tiny prints for fabrics 1-3 so as not to distract from the large print you want to feature.
For 12 inch blocks you will need the following:
Fabric 4 Add additional Fabric #4 if you plan to Fussy Cut.
Throw Full* Queen
1 3/4 yd 3 1/2 yd
Fabric 1 Throw Full* Queen
2/3 yd 1 1/2 yd
Fabric 2 Throw Full* Queen
3/4 yd 1 1/2 yd
Fabric 3 Throw Full* Queen
3/4 yd 1 1/4 yd
Throw size is 4 blocks in 5 rows, 48" x 60" without borders. Queen size is 7 blocks in 8 rows, 84" x 96" w/o borders.
Purchase additional fabric if you want borders to make it bigger.
*For full or other sizes contact me and I will do the calculations.
If you want to wait until the Day Camp to decide on the Mystery Quilt and/or the alternative crib/youth quilt that is not a problem. If you are totally committed and ready to cut, email me and I will send you the cutting specs. Final assembly instructions will be passed out at Camp and both samples will be revealed. Have Fun!