Marble Mystery ++ Cutting Instructions

Is everyone ready to start cutting their fabrics?  

Welcome to the official kick off of the Marble Mystery Quilt, the tenth annual Meadow Mist Designs mystery quilt along!

The Marble Mystery Quilt is a free quilt-along that will run from July 2024 through March 2025 to make a throw sized quilt (about 65 ½" x 65 ½") with a set of instructions posted the first Thursday of every month.  The quilt pattern is at an advanced beginner level containing basic piecing techniques (no applique, Y-seams, or paper piecing).

The directions and all of the other information relate dot the mystery quilt can always be found on the Marble Mystery Home Page.   

Do I need to cut the fabric now?

The number one question I get for the cutting instructions is "do I need to cut my fabrics all now?"

The answer is definitely not, you can cut them month by month if you would like.  

Some reasons you might want to wait to cut is if you like to make certain blocks a different method, you are using different colors and want to ensure placement, or if you do not like cutting so much at once.  I am one for cutting all my fabrics at once, but you do not have to.

Easy to Print PDF Instructions

If you would like easy to print instructions for the August instructions: cutting instructions plus piece labels, they can found as a free download through my shop:  

Part 2 - August Instructions - Cutting and Piece Labels

Cutting Instructions

FABRIC A

1. Cut 1 strip 5" x WOF.

a. Cut the strip into 4 squares 5" x 5".

2. Cut 2 strips 3 ⅜" x WOF.

a. Sub-cut the strips into 20 squares 3 ⅜" x 3 ⅜" (each strip can yield 11 squares).

3. Cut 1 strip 3" x WOF.

a. Sub-cut the strip into 8 squares 3" x 3" (if you like to oversize the triangles used in square in a square blocks, cut the strip and squares to 3 ¼" x 3 ¼").

FABRIC B

1. Cut 1 strip 5 ½" x WOF.

a. Cut the strip into 4 squares 5 ½" x 5 ½" (if you like to oversize the pieces used in hourglass blocks, cut the strip and squares to 5 ¾" x 5 ¾").

2. Cut 1 strip 5" x WOF.

a. Cut the strip into 5 squares 5" x 5".

    FABRIC C

1. Cut 1 strip 5 ½" x WOF.

a. Cut the strip into 4 squares 5 ½" x 5 ½" (if you like to oversize the pieces used in hourglass blocks, cut the strips and squares to 5 ¾" x 5 ¾").

2. Cut 2 strips 5 ⅜" x WOF.

a. Cut the strips into 9 squares 5 ⅜" x 5 ⅜" (each strip can yield 7 squares).

3. Cut 1 strip 2" x WOF.

a. Sub-cut the strip into 16 squares 2" x 2".

FABRIC D

1. Cut 8 strips 4 ½" x WOF.

a. Cut the strips into 64 squares 4 ½" x 4 ½" (each strip can yield 8 squares).

BACKGROUND (bg) FABRIC

1. Cut 2 strips 5 ½" x WOF.

a. Sub-cut the strips into 8 squares 5 ½" x 5 ½" (each strip can yield 7 squares).

If you like to oversize the pieces used in hourglass blocks, cut the strips and squares to 5 ¾" x 5 ¾").

2. Cut 9 strips 4 ½" x WOF.

a. Sub-cut 3 strips into 12 rectangles 4 ½" x 8 ½" (each strip can yield 4 rectangles).

b. Sub-cut 5 strips into 36 rectangles 4 ½" x 5" (each strip can yield 8 rectangles).

c. Sub-cut 1 strip into 5 squares 4 ½" x 4 ½".

3. Cut 1 strip 3 ⅜" x WOF.

a. Sub-cut the strip into 4 squares 3 ⅜" x 3 ⅜".

4. Cut 6 strips 3" x WOF.

a. Sub-cut the strips into 76 squares 3" x 3" (each strip can yield 13 squares).

If you like to oversize the triangles used in square in a square blocks, you will instead need 3 strips 3" x WOF and 4 strips 3 ¼" x WOF.  

Use the 3" strips to cut 36 squares 3" x 3" and  the 3 ¼" strips to cut 40 squares 3 ¼" x 3 ¼".

5. Cut 22 strips 2" x WOF.

a. Sub-cut 12 strips into 24 rectangles 2" x 16 ½" (each strip can yield 2 rectangles).

b. Sub-cut 2 strips into 16 rectangles 2" x 4 ½" (each strip can yield 8 rectangles).

c. Reserve the remaining 8 strips.

BINDING

You can cut your binding into 7 strips 2 ½" x WOF now or after the quilt is finished.

HOW TO JOIN

This has been my most asked question, how to join in on the Marble Mystery quilt?  There is no official sign up, list, or cost to join in the mystery quilt along.  Each set of instructions will be posted to this blog as a post on the first Thursday of each month.

To ensure you do not miss any of the posts, you can do any of the following:

• Visit the Meadow Mist Designs blog on the day (first Thursday of each month) the instructions are posted or visit the Main Marble Mystery Page which will contain links to all of the posts.

• Join the Meadow Mist Designs Newsletter, the newsletter typically is sent out the day after the instructions are posted with a link to that month's instructions.

• Follow the Meadow Mist Designs blog via email. You will get all new blog posts (all posts, not just mystery quilt posts) at 10am via email the day they post.

• Join the Meadow Mist Designs Facebook Group. Links to the instructions are always posted in the group.

Many thanks to our generous sponsors!

Quilting Jetgirl | Busy Hands Quilts | Aurifil 

Quilting by Anne-Marie | InkTorrents | My Sew Quilty Life | Blue Pip Designs | 

Fat Quarter Shop | Tallulah Art Head | Meadow Mist Designs | Connecting Threads

Quilted Ever After |  North Star Quilt Shop | Kylma Koira by The Chilly Dog | Backside Fabrics

Any questions? Leave them in a comment below or post them to our Facebook group page. I look forward to seeing everyone's cut fabrics. The next set of instructions will be published on the first Thursday of September, the 5th.