Never Too Late To Sew-along

Just received a question - is there still room in the mystery?  Of course - the sky is the limit for lovers of the 1930s blocks.

Here is what we have done so far:

Week 1 - Churn Dash

Week 2 - Alabama

Week 3 - Friendship Block

 


And if you do Facebook come join our group.

Today I received some new 1930s fabric ....

.... can't wait to make next week's blocks!

Join the FB Mystery Group

I have set up a Facebook group for the upcoming mystery quilt.  I know not everyone is on Facebook, but I'm a FB regular.  It is an easy way to share your progress; you can add your own photos or messages to the group page.

I'd like to join the Facebook group 

Otherwise you can email a photo to me and I'll post it here on the blog.

Simplicity pattern July 1933

Are you collecting your 1930s prints?  A friend of mine is traveling to Castlemaine, Victoria to visit Threadbear - which is sadly closing after 25 years. I've given her a wish list to add to my mystery stash.

First mystery post - 3 days to go.

Looking for Pattern Testers and Mystery Lovers

Your response has been great; the Mystery is on!

If you are new to this blog here is the latest.  I am releasing a new pattern in September 2017; while I am putting it together I will be running the pattern as a mystery.  The quilt is based on the blocks in my 1937 Malaga friendship quilt, with additional blocks from quilting books published in the 1930s.  You do not need to sign up for the mystery, the weekly instructions will be on this blog with a link to the Facebook page.  I would appreciate your feedback on the blocks and you have permission to point out any mistakes.

The first blocks will be on the blog next Friday Australian time, which will be late Thursday North America time.

• The blocks are all traditional pieced blocks. If you have been making sew along blocks over the past few months they can be included.  There are no applique blocks or difficult blocks.
• The quilt is small.  The finished size is 36 x 42 inches - if you add a six inch border then the finished size is 48 x 54 inches (a good size for bunk beds).
• 1930s prints are just right, fat quarters are good, layer cakes are fine.  You will need about 1.25 yards/metres or background material and about 1.5 yards/metres of prints and solids.  The pattern will suit a scrappy collection of fabrics. You will also need fabric for any borders and the backing.
• The mystery should run for about 10 weeks. 

These are the new fabrics that I am going to use, I am adding them to my current collection of 1930s feedsack prints.

For my background I am going to use those five solids in the photo.  The feedsack prints do not have a wide range of tonal quality ie. light to dark, so I am providing contrast with print and solid as well as colour. Another option is to use white as a background for every block.

White as background; solids as background

Please share the mystery on your social media, the more the merrier.  If you have any questions put them in the comments.  See you next week!

A Quilt Show and a Mystery

Our patchwork group has just finished our bi-annual quilt show. The new gigantic cover photo shows my Chester Criswell and Malaga 1937 which had their first public outing.

We changed venue this year. The space was new to us so the set-up time was longer, but we had twice as many visitors as our previous show.  Our group has 25 members and we only show quilts that have been finished in the last two years.  We hung a total of 173 quilts!

This is my chimney sweep swap, with reproduction blocks made by friends at Quilts in the Barn / Wonga Park.

Ryan turns three next month, this is his big bed quilt.


Now that the quilt show is done and dusted .....

Are you ready for a mystery?

The blog posts over the last few months have shown blocks inspired by the Malaga 1937 friendship quilt.  Some people have been sewing along, some have been reading the stories.  I have been trying out layouts and ideas and have finally decided what the finished quilt is going to be.

I plan to release the pattern (and stories) in September 2017. I thought it might be fun to run the blocks as a mystery from May to August.  Weekly deadlines keep me on track, and you can all be pattern testers as well as getting the instruction for free. 

If you are interested please leave a comment below.  This isn't a binding commitment, you can always make as few or as many blocks as you like.  If there is no interest I won't run the mystery ... but it might be fun.