Foothills Mystery - Mosaic/que Guild Highlight

Today, I would love to show you the Mosaic/que guild versions of my Foothills Mystery Quilt for their mystery quilt-along that just wrapped up (The Foothills Mystery was a quilt-along that ran from 2014-2015, free pattern here). I was so excited when Chantal contacted me about the finishes and graciously allowed me to highlight her guild here on my blog.

Here is what Chantal said about her guild, "The Mosaic/que guild is located in Brossard, a suburb near Montreal, in Québec, Canada. It has around 30 members. It's an evening guild, meeting twice a month. Half of the people are French speaking, half of the people are English speaking. Half of the people are retired, half of the people are still working. We're all women, aged between 25 and 80, average around 60. It's really a good mix of kind women sharing the same passion.

We were looking for a mystery quilt for our 2015-2016 season. Most of guild members are very traditional but I was looking for something a little bit different, but that can be achieve with any kind of fabric. It's really stressful to pick a pattern for a bunch of people. We started the Foothills Mystery Quilt in September 2015. A new step was given each month. At reveal date in May 2016, 10 persons have completed the quilt on time. And some people were missing. And some have not completed it yet. Everybody loved the pattern, despite the 144 HST to do. Since most of the members are really traditional, nearly half of them couldn't help to add a border to their finished quilt, which makes them even more interesting."

I love all of the different colorways and the different borders.  Thanks Chantal for allowing me to share your guild's finishes!

Is your guild looking for a mystery quilt?  You are welcome to join in on the new Meadow Mystery Quilt starting in July or use the Foothills Mystery Quilt or Midnight Mystery Quilt patterns.  I would love to see your guild's take on the patterns!

Foothills Mystery Quilt Parade!

Welcome to the Foothills Mystery Quilt Parade, we have 16 versions of the quilt pattern on parade today!  Thank you so much to everyone who has been taking part or following along in the Foothills Mystery Quilt! 

Just as a reminder, the mystery quilt instructions can be found in the tab above and they will never be taken down so you can start at any time.  (I also have the entire set of instructions for sale as an easy downloadable pdf).)

Without further ado...here are some of the wonderful Foothills Mystery Quilt finishes!

Yvonne @ Quilting Jet Girl

Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs

Megan @ Sew Stitching Cute

Jan @ Quilting Among the Groves

Carol Johnson

Kristin Kipper

??

Karen Schleier

Donna Kinsler

 Joyce Alexander

Joanna Yost

Betty Caudill

Johellon George

Dagmar Theodore

Darlene Stanford

Sue Burton

Lynn Parker

Foothills members - I tried to get everyone's name spelled correctly 
and placed with the correct quilt.  If I made a mistake, please let me know

There were a number of quilters in my local guild that did not make the April reveal meeting.  As people send pictures of their finished quilt tops and quilts, I will add them to this post so that all of the finishes can be in one place.

Announcement: New Mystery Quilt-a-Long Starting in July!

I had such fun with this mystery quilt that I will be hosting another mystery quilt this year!  The quilt-a-long will start in July 2015 and finish in March 2016.  There will be prizes this time, I hope that you will consider joining in!

I am linking up to Link a Finish Friday, Whoop Whoop Friday, Thank Goodness Its Finished Friday, Finish It Up Friday, Fabric Frenzy Friday, and Show Off Saturday @ Sew She Can.

Foothills Mystery Quilt - My Reveal

Thank you so much to everyone who has been taking part or following along in the Foothills Mystery Quilt!  Here is the reveal of my Foothills Mystery Quilt!

Please stop by again next Thursday (April 9th), to see the Foothills Mystery Parade showing off everyone's versions of the quilt pattern. (If you have a quilt top or quilt complete, please send me an e-mail at cheryljbrickey (at) gmail (dot) com including a picture of your quilt top/quilt and what you would like me to link to (instagram, blog, flickr, etc). 

Just as a reminder, the mystery quilt instructions can be found in the tab above and they will never be taken down so you can start at any time.  (I also have the entire set of instructions for sale as an easy downloadable pdf).

For my version, I used a bunch of the different bright prints for the Fabric Set A forming the stars and diamonds, a mixture of low volume prints for the Fabric Set B forming the background, and a Kona coal solid fabric for the Fabric Set C forming the hourglasses.

For this quilt, I decided to try some fabric combinations that were outside of my comfort zone; it only seemed fair because I already knew the "mystery" pattern.  I think that it might be a bit too scrappy for my taste though it is growing on me.  I think that if I had done either the Fabric Set A or Fabric Set B as scrappy I might have liked it better than using scrappy prints for both the Fabric Sets A and B.

For quilting, I was originally going to quilt each section differently, but I soon found out that with such busy prints, the quilting did not really show up at all.  Therefore, I decided to go with an overall pattern that was a combination of a stipple and a paisley pattern.  You can see the design more clearly in the close up picture on the solid hourglasses.  I used a light cream colored Aurifil thread for all of the quilting.

In my effort to use up fabrics I had, I pieced the backing from some orange crosshatch fabric from Carolyn Friedlander and some green crossword puzzle fabric and used a scrappy binding to finish the quilt off.

Please come back on the 9th for the full parade, there are some absolutely beautiful versions of the Foothills Mystery Quilt!

I am linking up to Link a Finish Friday, Whoop Whoop Friday, Thank Goodness Its Finished Friday, Finish It Up Friday, Fabric Frenzy Friday, and Show Off Saturday @ Sew She Can.

Foothills Mystery Quilt - February Instructions

Welcome to February's instructions for the Foothills Mystery Quilt-a-long!

I cannot believe it is already here, but this month is the last month of instructions and the reveal of the mystery quilt top!  You will find out below how the 4 different types of blocks which have 3 different sizes all come together; I hope that you like the final design! (Remember, the instructions for previous months can be found in the Foothills Mystery Quilt tab above so you can start the quilt at anytime).

These instructions below are for piecing the blocks into a quilt top, adding a border, and finishing the quilt.  Next month we will not have any instructions, giving you two full months to piece and finish your quilt.  

We are going to have a quilt parade in April to celebrate.  Pictures of quilt tops and finished quilts will be due to me by the first Thursday of April (the 2nd) and then the quilt parade will be the second Thursday of April (the 9th).  When your quilt top/quilt is ready, you can send me a picture(s) along with your name, blog name, blog address and anything else you would like published with the picture.

Please share your in-progress pictures on our flicker group Meadow Mist Designs and on Instagram using the hastag #FoothillsMystery so that everyone can see your progress :)

Quilt Top Assembly

Assemble the quilt top using 12 diamond blocks (12½” x 12½), 6 four-patch blocks (6½” x 6½”), 7 whole hourglass blocks (6½” x 12½”), and 10 half hourglass blocks (6½” x 12½”).

Layout blocks according to the following diagram.  Sew blocks into rows, then sew rows together for the quilt top.  Press all seams open.  The quilt top (without borders) measures approximately 48½” x 66½”.

Adding Borders

Use 6 fabric set B strips (3½” x WOF) to add borders to the quilt top (3” finished borders).

1.  Form the side borders by sewing 2 full strips (3½” x WOF) end to end and trimming to the average height of the quilt, approximately 66½”, reserving the trimmed pieces.  Repeat to form 2 side border pieces. 

2.  Attach the side borders to the sides of the quilt, pressing seams open or towards the border.

3.  Form the top and bottom borders by sewing 1 full strip (3½” x WOF) with a trimmed border piece end to end and trimming to the average width of the quilt, approximately 54½”.  Repeat to form 2 top and bottom border pieces. 

4.  Attach the top and bottom border to the quilt, pressing seams open or towards the borders.

The finished quilt top with borders should measure approximately 54½” x 72½”.

Finishing the Quilt

Binding (straight grain):  ⅝ yard

Batting (with a 4” overhang): 62” x 80”

Backing (with a 4” overhang): 3½ yards

1.      Layer the quilt top, batting, and backing.

2.      Baste and quilt as desired. 

3.      Form the binding from 7 strips, each 2½” x WOF.  Bind and enjoy your quilt, thanks for joining in on this mystery quilt-a-long!

Finished size 54½” x 72½”

January Foothills Mystery Quilt - My Blocks

The January instructions for the Foothills Mystery Quilt were to make some whole hourglass blocks and half hourglass blocks using the hourglass units and the last of the HST.  (All of the instructions for previous months can be found in the tab above.)

Here is a picture of my blocks, in all of their scrappy goodness.

This is the last of the blocks, February's instructions are for putting all of the blocks together and adding borders.

Thanks for quilting along with me :)

I am linking up to Scraptastic Tuesday @ She Can Quilt.

Foothills Mystery Quilt - January Instructions

Happy New Year and welcome to January's instructions for the Foothills Mystery Quilt-a-long! The instructions for previous months can be found in the Foothills Mystery Quilt tab above.  The monthly instructions will be posted on the first Thursday of each month.

Please share your in-progress pictures on our flicker group Meadow Mist Designs and on Instagram using the hastag #FoothillsMystery so that everyone can see your progress :)

We are getting closer to the finish of the quilt, I hope that you are as excited as I am!  Just as a little look ahead, this is the last month of block instructions.  In February the instructions will be on the quilt top assembly and border.  You will then have 2 months to finish the quilt top and finish the quilt (there will be no instructions in March).  In April we will have our reveal with a parade of Mystery Quilts.  The parade will consist of completed quilt tops and finished quilts. 
And now onto January's instructions, we will be making some whole hourglass blocks and half hourglass blocks using the hourglass units and the last of the HST.

Whole Hourglass Blocks

Using 7 hourglass units (6½” x 6½”) and 28 HST units (3½” x 3½”), form 7 whole hourglass blocks (6½” x 12½).

a.  Sew 28 HST units into 14 double HST units (3½ x 6½”).

b.  Arrange units as shown below, sew together pressing seams open.  Form a total of 7 whole hourglass blocks (6½” x 12½”).

Half Hourglass Blocks

Using 10 hourglass units (6½” x 6½”), 20 HST units (3½” x 3½”), and 10 fabric set B rectangles (3½” x 6½”), form 10 whole hourglass blocks (6½” x 12½).

a.  Sew 20 HST units into 10 double HST units (3½ x 6½”).

b.  Arrange units as shown below, sew together pressing seams open.  Form a total of 10 half hourglass blocks (6½” x 12½”).

Thanks so much for quilting along with me!

December Foothills Mystery Quilt - My Blocks

The December instructions for the Foothills Mystery Quilt were to make some Hourglass Units and 4-Patch Blocks.  (All of the instructions for previous months can be found in the tab above.)

Here is a picture of my blocks and units, in all of their scrappy goodness.

Thanks for quilting along with me :)

I am linking up to Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story, Sew Cute Tuesday @ Blossom Heart Quilts, Show and Tuesday @ Freshly Squeezed Fabrics, and Scraptastic Tuesday @ She Can Quilt.

Foothills Mystery Quilt - December Instructions

Welcome to the December instructions for the Foothills Mystery Quilt-a-long! The instructions for previous months can be found in the Foothills Mystery Quilt tab above.  The monthly instructions will be posted on the first Thursday of each month.

Please share your in-progress pictures on our flicker group Meadow Mist Designs and on Instagram using the hastag #FoothillsMystery so that everyone can see your progress :)

And now onto December's instructions, we will be making some hourglass units and 4-patch blocks.  This month's piecing should be very quick as I know that everyone's Decembers are very busy.

Hourglass Units

Using 9 fabric set C squares (7½” x 7½”) and 9 fabric set B squares (7½” x 7½”), form 17 hourglass units (6½” x 6½”).

a.  Place 1 fabric set C square (7½” x 7½”) and 1 fabric set B square (7½” x 7½”) right sides together.  Draw a diagonal line using a removable marking device on the back of the fabric set B square (shown as the solid line).

b.  Sew ¼” on either side of the solid line (shown as the dotted lines).  Cut on the solid line and press seam towards the fabric set C fabric forming 18 HST units (do not trim yet).

c.  Place 2 HST units together, right sides together such that the seams nest with each other.  Draw a diagonal line using a removable marking device on the back of one of the HST units (shown as the solid line).

Note: If you are using multiple prints or colors for fabric sets B or C, be sure to mix up the HST units within the pairs of HST units to ensure a good mix of colors and/or prints in the resultant hourglass units. 

d.  Sew ¼” on either side of the solid line (shown as the dotted lines).  Cut on the solid line and press seam open.  Repeat for a total of 18 hourglass units (the quilt uses only 17 so you will have one hourglass unit extra).

e.  Trim the hourglass blocks to 6½” x 6½”. 

Four-Patch Blocks

Using 24 fabric set A squares (3½” x 3½”), form 6 four-patch blocks (6½” x 6½”).

a.  Arrange 4 fabric set A squares (3½” x 3½”) as shown below.

b.  Sew units into rows, pressing seams open or to alternating sides.

c.  Sew rows into block, pressing seams open.  The blocks should measure 6½” x 6½”.

Repeat for a total of 6 four-patch blocks (6½” x 6½”).

Thanks so much for quilting along with me!