Mystery Quilt-Along #2

The next set of instructions for the Mystery Quilt-Along is NOW posted on the Needles N Friends Blog......
http://.needlesandfriendsquilt.blogspot.com

Woohoo!!!! Let The Mystery Begin!!

some of my fabrics



Welcome, NEEDLES n FRIENDS, to the first month of the Mystery Quilt-along!
Last month, I handed out fabric requirements:
4 1/2 yards of background fabric and 31 strips from a Jelly Roll OR 10 fat quarters OR 2 1/2 yards of printed or solid fabric.

This month we will be cutting up our fabric.

*PLEASE READ ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE CUTTING*

From the 4 1/2 yards of background fabric, cut ONE piece 65" by wof (width of fabric).
With that piece, fold the fabric lengthwise so the selvedges are on both sides and get ready to cut into strips 2 1/2 " wide

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First, cut 8 strips of fabric. You will soon be nearing the crease of the fabric, so then you will flip the fabric around, trim off the selvedge from the other side and cut 8 more 2 and a 1/2" strips, working towards the crease of the fabric!

This leaves you with a center piece of fabric as a scrap with a crease in the middle. Creases don't always iron out so it is just easier to work around it. (See strip at far right of picture)

From the 16 strips that measure 65" x 2 1/2", cut as follows:

Cut 4 down to 64 1/2". LABEL and set aside. ~LABELING IS VERY IMPORTANT~

Cut 2 down to 56 1/2". Use the remainder to cut 2 pieces 4 1/2" x 2 1/2". LABEL and set aside.

Cut 2 down to 52 1/2". Use the remainder to cut 2 pieces 8 1/2" x 2 1/2". LABEL and set aside.

Cut 2 down to 44 1/2". Use the remainder to cut 2 pieces 16 1/2" x 2 1/2". LABEL and set aside.
Cut 2 down to 40 1/2". Use the remainder to cut 2 pieces 20 1/2" x 2 1/2". LABEL and set aside

Cut 2 down to 32 1/2". Use the remainder to cut 2 pieces 28 1/2" x 2 1/2". LABEL and set aside.

There will be 2 remaining pieces of fabric. You can set them aside as scraps, or you can substitute some of those for the next step.

Now, from the remaining piece of yardage, cut 31 pieces of fabric 2 1/2" x wof.

All of your backgroud fabrics should be cut.

Now for the main fabric!

If you are using a Jelly Roll, choose 31 strips from the roll.
If you are using yardage, cut 31 strips 2 1/2" x wof.
If you are using fat quarters: iron, trim the selvedges, be sure you have 21" of fabric to work with, then cut 62 strips 2 1/2" x 21". AND....if you are using fabric any smaller than that.....call me and you will get "special" instructions!!!

Be careful with those rotary cutters!!!

Now for part B!!!

It's not alot of fun unless you make "A Block! So lets get started.....

Take 2 different strips of colored fabric and 2 strips of your background fabric. Sew strips together in pairs: one background and one colored. 1/4 seam allowance will be use throughout this project. Sew strips right sides together and down one long side. Press the seams toward the colored fabric. You will now have 2 sets of strips sewn together.

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Take the two sets of strips and line them up on your cutting board....

trim off the unevenedges;;;;


cut segments every 2.5"...

take two segments

pin them together and sew

Press the seam to one side.......now you have a little four patch, which is the center of your quilt! You can stand back and amdire your handiwork! Isn't it cute!!!

Now using the background fabrics that you have labeled with the measurements;;;

add the 4.5"x 2.5" pieces to the sides of the 4 patch

Sew together and press;

Add the 8 .5" x 2.5" piece to the top and bottom.

Sew together and press.

We will stop here and wait for instructions after Guild day!!!!

Here is your first block!!!

Mon petit doigt me l'a dit......

A Little Bird Told Me to show you this quilt!!!

This little customer quilt was pieced using a fabric line by Moda called French General(hence, the title, A Little Bird Told Me)!!!! It's reds and greys are beautiful together!

Here is a close-up of the back so you can see the quilting.

This is the "true color" of the back using the camera flash.

And here is the back again, taken without the flash so the quilting shows up nicer.

I hope you have enjoyed looking!!

Looking Back

I am going back in time right now.....I found a baby quilt, I quilted, that's sweet! Little various colors of "chubby chicks" on white, alternated with pink pinwheels. This is one I would like to make.....someday!!! The prairie point border and green border adds more whimsy to the quilt!

I quilted this sweet thing with a leafy/heart vine in the white border, swirls in the pinwheels and picos and little heart/wings on the chicks!! I love it!!

I'll bet the chicks YOU are raising aren't as colorful as mine!!!! :)

This quilt was a joy to quilt! Let me tell you about it.....2 years ago I was in charge of the "Friendship Blocks" in our guild. For this grouping of blocks I asked that those join in, that they use red reproduction prints and white/off white shirting and they were to use this pieced pattern and keep them at an 8 " block. We had about 26-26 sign up. This one guild member had all her blocks put together with alternate red squares and she used black and white prints for the 2 inner border! It turned out fabulous!


I quilted a square feater in the red alternate blocks, a "Betty" flower in the pieced blocks, feathered along the borders. and put a small line pattern of "Betty" flowers in the black and white inner borders.....

In the black and white inner borders I put a line pattern of "Betty" flowers to echo the Betty flowers in the blocks!

It's a sweet quilt that looks like a civil war reproduction.......

I must put MINE together, soon! After, I get caught up with my QUILTING!

Princesses

For Christmas this year, seven of our Princess Granddaughters, each received a TuTu made by Grandma Holly. Yes, seven TuTu's!!! Grandpa and 12 year old Uncle also pitched in to help. We hope the girls are enjoying them as much as we had fun picking out the colors of tulle and ribbon to match the personality of each little princess! When they opened up their gifts there was alot of "twirling" going on around the room!!!