Mystery Quilt - Final Corner and completion, and Link up for final quilts

With school finally out I've been able to finish up the mystery quilt and am finally getting brief directions written up for it.    The same patterns were used as in the third corner, the difference comes in your color placement for the flying geese.
The paper-pieced patterns can be found here - flying geese strips - pattern.  And the pp'd pattern for the corner unit can be found here - corner unit.

For this corner, instead of the geese being one color and the corner triangles being the background fabric,  the fabrics are alternated to achieve the look of a chevron.    With the numbered example below, pieces 2, 3, and 4 would be done in the chevron fabric.   Pieces 1, 5, 6, and 7 would be from the background fabric.   Then repeat as needed to get the length border that you need for your quilt.

Once the corner has been pieced, then layout your corner sections and measure to figure out how big to cut the strips needed to fill in the sides of the border between the pieced sections.  2 strips that are 4.5" wide by width-of-fabric should be enough to finish the borders if the pieced sections are similar to mine.

I'd love to see your completed quilts or quilt tops, so please consider linking up here so others can see your beautiful work!

An InLinkz Link-up

Mystery Quilt - Another Corner finally done

School has been crazy busy with it being the last few days before final exams and the end of the semester.  As a result I haven't gotten the final two corners made as fast as I had hoped.

The third corner was paper-pieced using a quick 2-inch by 4-inch flying geese pattern.   I used up almost all of the remaining dark green fabric that I had used in the quilt top.   And was really happy to get the directional print going in the same direction on both sides of the corner!

The pattern for the flying geese strips that I used can be found here - pattern.  And the pp'd pattern for the corner unit can be found here - corner unit.

Directions -

For each flying geese unit that you make with the pp'd pattern you will need a3" by 5" rectangle of the goose fabric, and 1 3" square cut in half diagonally one time.

To make the corner unit, cut a 5 inch square and then 2 3-incg squares of your background fabric, cut in half diagonally once.

Sew as many of each as you need, and trim to size.  Attach to quilt as desired.

Have fun!

Mystery Quilt - Second Corner and instructions

Finally figured out what I wanted to do for the second corner of the border for the mystery quilt.

I decided to do a border that had been based on an adaptation of the simple 9-patch block.  Because the width of the final border is 4.5 inches unfinished the center strip is 2.5 inches unfinished, and the outer strips are 1.5".

Or at least on paper that is what the measurements should be to add up to a 4.5" unfinished border.   Sigh...........the best laid plans of mice and quilters don't always come to fruition, and it seems that the two border sections have actually worked out to be about 4.75" unfinished.   Grrrrr................  Then of course there is the directional print that i used that didn't cooperate for me when making the second section.

Net result is that I'm going to end up remaking the strips so that they finish out at the correct size and with the print going in the correct direction on both sides of the corner.

In the meantime, here are the directions for the corner.

2nd Corner Instructions -

Cutting -
2 - 1.5" strips of the background print
2 - 1.5" strips of the focus print chosen for the border section
1 - 2.5" strip of the background print
1 - 2.5" strip of the focus print chosen for the border section

Sew a 1.5" strip of the background print to each side of the focus print as if you were making a strip set for 9-patch block.   Press seams towards the focus print.

Sew a 1.5" strip of the focus print to each side of the background print in the same way.  Press seams towards the focus print.

From the strip set that has the focus print in the center position, cut 2.5" sections.   From the strip set with the background fabric in the center position, cut 1.5" sections.   Sew them together alternating the order of them as shown above.

I used 11 sections of both strip set, but am still debating on if I need to make them a little shorter.  You will need to play with how many you make depending on how big you want that corner to be.

2015 Mystery Quilt - Border Ideas and instructions

Because the instructions for this quilt were meant to help people break out of the box and start to design, I will be sharing what I'm doing for the border on my quilt top.   I will include sizes and amounts of fabric but like all other directions please customize the border to what speaks to you!

Some time ago I had seen a quilt that had a pieced border and all 4 corners were a different block.    I fell in love with that idea, and even though I can not find the picture I had saved of it at the present time.   For this quilt I first added a solid border of a white-on-white fabric so that the blocks will float.   And then will be added the pieced corner sections to the quilt one at a time.   There will be solid white-on-white sections between the pieced sections.   I will be using up fabrics left over from making the top of the quilt.

Instructions and fabric requirements for the floating border and first pieced section -




First border (solid border) - 

Fabric Used -11" of background fabric or similar fabric

Cut 5 - 2-inch wide strips.   Sew three of them together, end-to-end.   Use them to add the side border to the quilt.   Then use the remaining strips to the top and bottom of the quilt.  Square up the corners.

First Corner - Checkerboard

Fabric Used - 1 - 2.5" strip of background fabric and of one of the coordinating fabrics.

Sew the strips together along the length of the strips.   Press open and then cut into 2.5" sections.   Sew these sections together in a checkerboard layout.   Be sure to turn the sections at the corner so that the pattern will continue on around.    Make as long as desired on both sides.

Note: I will be removing one or more sections from both the top and the side strips of this border because it turned out longer than I wanted.   But if you choose to do this the final length is up to you!f

Mystery Quilt Step 6 Reveal and Viewer Linkup

For those that are still working on the mystery quilt, how are you doing so far?  I hope you've enjoyed this non-traditional mystery quilt.   I'd love to hear what you think of it as you've been working on it.   And  I've included a linkup at the bottom of this post and would love to see pics of your quilt.   Please consider posting to the linkup at the bottom of the page so that everyone can see what you've been doing.

The two things to be added in this step were 5 stars, and a rectangle across two blocks.   I played with the instructions for my quilt and ended up actually adding a total of 8 stars.   But I didn't want just random stars floating around on the top.  So I cut stars in multiple sizes and fabrics, and then added circles out of a yellow & gold plaid fabric.   Then made flowers from them by layering stars and circles.    All of it was fused down and then button-hole stitched.

I took more 'liberties' with my rectangle as well and didn't stick with the traditional rectangle shape - two pairs of equal sides with 90 degree angles.   Yes that is the engineer/math side of me coming out.....lol.  

Instead I made my 'rectangle' a trapezoid......both are quadrilateral figures....and for me that was good.  I then added a circle at the bottom of the figure and made an exclamation point to finish off my saying.   =)  

I have plans for a pieced border that I'll be posting in steps starting next weekend if you want to follow me as I do that.  

To link up for this mystery, add your link by clicking below:

An InLinkz Link-up

Mystery Quilt Step 4 Reveal and Linkup

From the first when I started this sample quilt, I had the phrase "You are Loved" stuck in my head.   I playing with the fabrics I added it to the middle of my quilt.

I used the same daisy fabric that was used in the bottom triangle, same green as the largest triangle, and then a bright pink zebra stripe for the words.  They are fused down and button-holed stitched around by machine.

This quilt will either end up donated to a kids charity or given as a gift so either way it will fit.  =)

What did you end up adding as your message?   I'd love to see a picture if you've got one posted online.  Add a link below to share it with everyone.

An InLinkz Link-up

2015 Mystery Quilt, Step 3 Reveal

In making my version of the mystery quilt I'm having fun playing with the shape and scale of the pieces all the while doing what the rules say.

For this step I cut the two rectangles from the same piece of fabric, so that there is one large one and one small one.

The three triangles were cut using my 60 degree triangle ruler and use three different of the coordinating fabrics that I pulled.

The open area in the middle will be used for the next step.  =)

How is your quilt looking so far?   If you'd like to share a picture of it in progress use the link-up below.   I'd love to see pics of them.



 

2015 Mystery Quilt, Step 2 Picture

Here is my assembled top with the first addition (the circle) added to it.

Looking forward to seeing yours.

Step 1 - picture

Here are how my blocks look like after the first step has been completed.