Friday, July 23, 2010

Mystery Quilt Update

If you’re working on Part 1 of the Beyond the Block Mystery Quilt (published in the September 2010 issue of American Quilter), please note that two illustrations in the Rotary Cutting box on page 62 were not correct. These are the correct diagrams for patches E and H:

We apologize for this small error, but it does not affect the yardage requirements or any other aspect of the construction in Part 1.
Pat Thompson, an experienced quilter from Mount Vernon, Washington, is using vintage linens, embroidered with directional flower baskets, for her mystery quilt focus blocks.
If you plan to use directional focus blocks (blocks with a definite top and bottom design), follow the figure 9 below rather than the one pictured on page 65. Both are correct, depending on your focus fabric.

Janet Foster, another quilter from Washington, is using Oriental-style fabrics for her focus blocks. This is her finished Star block from Part 1:

And quilter/author Joan Hanson from Seattle, Washington, has forged ahead and already finished Part 1. She used a gorgeous large-scale print as her focus fabric, combined with a variety of complementary batiks and commercial prints. I can’t wait to see her completed quilt!

If you are making a mystery quilt, be sure to enter the contest described on page 66 of the September issue. You could win quilt books, fabrics, and a subscription to American Quilter!

8 comments:

  1. I don't understand this correction. My Rotary Cutting box shows these exact same diagrams. Maybe I'm missing something?

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  2. Barbara, the diagram on page 62 of the September 2010 issue shows E cut as quarter-square triangles, not the correct half-square triangles. Same for H. Perhaps you were looking at the web version pattern at www.AmericanQuilter.com, which has the correct diagrams (same as shown in the blog posting).

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  3. I am also doing the mystery and the first three blocks went together without a hitch. But I am have a devil of a time with the 4th. I think that it is the chevron blocks. Are they supposed to measure 8 1/2" square when constructed? I am not a new quilter but my ripper and I have become fast friends. HELP!

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  4. Yes, Willie, the Chevron block in figure 7 should measure 8 1/2" by 8 1/2" from raw edge to raw edge. But there was an error in the rotary cutting box for 2 patches (E and H) used in this block. Please read the blog post above (from Friday 7/23) for the correction. Does this solve your problem?

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  5. Okay, I get it now. For some reason, my eyes only registered HST. Maybe I'm clairvoyant . . . whaddaya think?

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  6. How the heck did you ladies get done so quickly? I only received my magazine today and still need to pick out all the fabrics! :-)

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  7. I know you don't want to give away any more hints on the Mystery quilt, but I do have a question. I am using bird fabric (mostly peacocks for my focus blocks. One is much bigger than the others & if one focus block is in the middle of the quilt I would like to know which one for 2 reasons: 1. I need to know how to set this 1 block (on point or not). I want to put this one close to the middle & need to know which block goes there if the focus blocks do go in particular spots on the quilt. Would it be possible for you to divulge this info? Thanks, Katie Banister katieban@juno.com

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  8. I'll try to answer your question without giving away any secrets, Katie! The final block arrangement is non-traditional and asymmetrical, so none of the focus blocks end up exactly in the middle of the quilt. The two blocks having the most prominence in the final design (if you follow our value and color suggestions) are Star block #1 and Star Block #2. The focus fabric in both of these is set straight, not on point. I hope that helps!

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