“A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING”
PIECEMAKERS GUILD 2013/2014 MYSTERY QUILT
A mystery quilt in 5-6 installments
(6 if you do the larger quilt)
Finished small Quilt 57” sq. with borders
Small quilt without borders 45 ½” sq.
Larger quilt, 64 ½” sq. without borders)
Thank you for participating in this mystery. I hope it will be fun, easy, and educational. Beginners with intermediate abilities (knowing how to use the machine and 1/4 inch abilities.) should be comfortable working on it. Newbie’s to the world of quilting may need a little help. If you understand how to sew a quarter inch, and a scant quarter inch you should do fine.
If you have just found this clue and need the introduction to this mystery you can find it here:
CLUE # ONE
FOR
“ A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING”
The mystery will be composed of Units.
The construction techniques will be listed with each step. Each clue in the making of this quilt is not stressful. Even if you are a slow quilter this clue should not take more than 3 hours of your time to construct.
CONSTRUCTING
A SQUARE IN A SQUARE
(Also half square triangles)
From Focus fabric “A” cut:
(3) 9.5” X WOF strips; cut into (9) 9.5” squares. If you have a lot of fabric you can fussy cut these. Just make sure you have enough left for the rest of the cuts.
(6) 5” x WOF strips for the outer border, Label
and set aside. (If
you are unsure you will like the suggested border do not cut these at this
time.)
(2) 5” X WOF strips: cut into (12) 5” Sq., label “Clue 2 & 4”,
set aside
From Fabric “B” cut:
(5) 5” X WOF strips; cut into (36) 5” squares
CONSTRUCTION
CLUE #1
1. On the back of the (36) 5” Sq. Fabric “B”, draw
a line diagonally, corner to corner, with pencil (don’t use pen or marker it
may bleed through to the front). If your
fabric is very dark use a light colored pencil.
HINT:
The diagonal distance is 7 inches. It’s important to stitch in a straight line
across the diagonal. I don’t recommend skipping
the marking of the line and eyeing it.
HINT:
Fine grit sand paper
glued on cardboard makes a great board to use in the marking fabric. It keeps the fabric from stretching and
slipping.
2. Use a 9.5“sq of Fabric “A”; place a marked 5”
Sq of Fabric “B” in the upper left corner, Right sides together. Stitch on the seam side of the Diagonal line,
a scant enth off the line. Repeat this on all 9 squares.
HINT: When stitching an enth off the line I use the inside edge of
the toe of my presser foot as a guide to run along the drawn line. It places my
needle one stitch width away from the line.
Check your foot and see what helps you eye it.
3. Press the triangle to the corner
of the square. Trim ¼"
away from the seam. (Do not trim if you would like a bonus unit). When you fold back the triangle, line it up with the corner of the 9.5 inch fabric "A" square. By sewing an enth off the line you allow the fabric to be folded back easily. Also if you have made a mistake in stitching, matching the corner of the larger square keeps your triangle exact.
BONUS,
HALF-SQUARE TRIANGLES:
If you have elected to make the bonus unit and have not done Step three, you proceed with this step.
With
a little extra stitching, and
time, you’ll have a pieced unit
to use in another project, salvaging
fabric which would normally be wasted.
Stitch 1/2” away
from your previously stitched seam: then press the triangle back to the “point”
of the larger square. Pressing back to the corner is very important to do before you trim between the two seam lines. Stitching ½” away results in a bonus ½ Square
triangle. Be careful when you trim the half square triangle off that you don't cut your triangle off the front of your unit.
Press your HALF SQUARE TRIANGLE open to the dark fabric.
Voila, a bonus unit to use in
another project, Fabric rescued before it be comes trash.
4.
Repeat Steps 2 & 3 for the other
three corners. Begin with the opposite
corner, diagonally across from the corner you just completed.
NOTE: You complete opposite corners, instead of
going clockwise around the square, if there is a reason I don’t know it (I know
there probably is a construction reason).
I do it because it looks better in the finished unit.
Left, is the unit with two corners added. The right hand corner has been stitched to allow the harvesting of a HALF SQUARE TRIANGLE. Remember to press the triangle back to the corner before trimming so your "Square in a Square" will be square. If you have chosen to do the extra step you will have (36) Half square triangles, place them in a plastic bag for another Project. Don’t square them up at this time.
When finished with all four corners you will have (9) 9.5” Square in a Square Blocks, place these in a plastic bag and label “Clue One”.
As you can see by this finished unit, fussy cutting is an option.
Need further clarification on construction of a "Square in a Square", here is a tutorial:
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http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/
Where I have stories of my cats and other pets
a blog about my courtship with my husband,
and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.
A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.
http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/
blogs about the wildflowers on our farm
Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry,
blogs about Seed sprouting, insects, and garden pictures
Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle
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