Thursday, March 13, 2025

Magnificent Mystery Quilt-Along Announcement!!!

I am very excited to announce that the next mystery quilt, the Magnificent Mystery Quilt, will begin on Thursday, July 3rd! 



This is my eleventh annual mystery quilt along!  The Magnificent Mystery joins the Foothills, Midnight, Meadow, Magnolia, Mosaic, Morewood, Macron, Melodic, Malted, and Marble mysteries.  How many have you sewn along with?

The Magnificent Mystery Quilt is a free quilt-along that will run from July 2025 through April 2026 with a set of directions revealed the first Thursday of every month.  This slow pace makes for a fun and stress-free quilt along!

We will kick off the quilt-along on Thursday, July 3rd with the fabric requirements and some helpful hints to pick fabrics and colors (you will have an entire month to gather fabrics before the cutting instructions in August).  A sneak peek of the design will also be available on July 3rd.

Here are some more details about the upcoming mystery quilt...

How to Join in:

There is no cost or official signup for the mystery quilt along, each month on the first Thursday of the month a set of instructions will be posted to the blog.  To ensure you do not miss any of the posts, you can do any of the following:

  • 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.
 
1. Quilt-Along Instructions - The monthly instructions will always be posted to my blog as blog posts and on this main page. Within each instructional post, there will be a link to a free and an easy to print, downloadable version of the instructions.


2. Prizes - There are tons of great prizes for the Mystery Quilt including thread, fabric, patterns, long arm quilting, and more!  The prizes will be announced in Mid-June.

3. Quilt Kits - A quilt kit is not required for this quilt along, but some options will be provided for those that like quilt kits.


4. The Un-Mystery Quilt - There will be a sneak peek option for those that would like to see the design before deciding to join in.  The sneak peek will be available on the first official day of the quilt along, Thursday July 3rd.

The only rule is that you have to keep the design completely to yourself as to not spoil anyone else's surprise.

5. Facebook Group - We have over 13,500 active members in our Facebook Group (Meadow Mist Designs Facebook Group) sewing together! Join the group today so you can share and see everyone else's fabric, progress pictures, and finished quilts.


6. Previous Mystery Quilts - The instructions for my previous mystery quilts are located in the Mystery Quilt tab above (and are always available so you can start them at any time).


7. Questions? If you have any questions regarding my mystery quilts you can e-mail me at MMDmysteryquilts@gmail.com or leave your question in a comment below.

 




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Monday, March 10, 2025

Marble Mystery ++ Reveal Parade and Prizes



Thank you to all of the quilters that joined in on the Marble Mystery Quilt Along!  Today is the reveal parade and prizes will be awarded.

 If you would like to make a Marble Mystery Quilt, you can start at any time, the instructions will always be posted as blog posts!  Find out all about the quilt along at the Marble Mystery Main Page.  

Now that the Marble Mystery Quilt has ended, you can find a easy to print, full version of the pattern for sale in my pattern shop.  The pattern is on sale for only $11.50 for one week through 3/17.


Without further ado...here are the OVER 300 Marble Mystery Quilts...


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


Here are the prize winners (winners randomly selected from quilts submitted to the linkup).  Learn more about the sponsors here.  Winners should have received an e-mail from me.

Quilting Jetgirl: Two winners of 2 pdf patterns each
Link #226 - Holly S.
Link #46 - Cindy G.

Fat Quarter Shop: $35 gift certificate
Link #29 - Alex K.

Aurifil: 12 large spool thread collection
Link #148 - Laurel M.

Busy Hands Quilts: Three winners of $25 gift certificates each
Link #194 - Elysia A.
Link #6 - "My Christmas fabric Marble Mystery"
Link #54 - Jan R.

Backside Fabrics: $50 gift certificate
Link #260 - Anne-Marie

Quilting by Anne-Marie: $100 voucher for longarm quilting of mystery (or equivalent) quilt
Link #253 - Bridget P.

Meadow Mist Designs: Two winners of 2 pdf patterns each
Link #236 - Kate L.
Link #176 Sally D.

My Sew Quilty Life: One winner of 3 pdf patterns
Link #252 Jo B.

The Chilly Dog / Kylma Koira: Custom Table Runner
Link #289 - Paige B.

Tallulah Art Head: Two winners of a zipper pouch each
Link #133 Kathy M.
Link #159 - Carol Taylor

North Star Quilt Shop: One winner of $50 gift certificate
Link #301 - Jan C

Quilted Ever After: Longarming of Mystery Quilt (or equivalent)
Link #9 - Jayne

InkTorrents Graphics: 2 winners of $20 gift certificate
Link #1 - Erin
Link #277 Syreeta S.

BluePip Designs: Two winners of 2 pdf patterns each
Link #95 - Deneise
Link #119 - Cheryl G.

 Thanks again for taking part in the Marble Mystery Quilt and thank you again to all of our wonderful sponsors!


 

 




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Thursday, February 27, 2025

How I Organize and Store My Fabric - Stash Busting Tips and Tricks


We are now officially one week into the Stash Busting Quilt Along.  At this point, to stay on track to complete the quilt top within the quilt along, the cutting of the fabric should be complete and piecing should begin.  

Here are the schedules for the three quilt patterns in the quilt along again.  Remember, this is a fun and pressure-free quilt along and you are free to work at your own pace.




Stash Busting Tips & Tricks – How I Organize My Fabric

As part of the Stash-Busting Quilt Along, I promised to share helpful tips and tutorials to make sewing from your stash easier and more enjoyable.

To kick things off, I’m sharing how I organize and store my fabric. Since I have a small sewing space, staying organized is key to making the most of my stash. I use just two bookshelves to hold all my fabric, so when I run out of room, I know it’s time to use, donate, or sell some fabric before bringing any new fabric home!



The biggest benefits of keeping all my fabric visible on bookshelves is that I can easily see my options at a glance. I truly believe that if you can see your fabric, you’re more likely to use it! That’s why I’ve resisted using bins or tubs tucked away in a closet or under a bed.

How I Organize My Fabric

I organize my fabric first by size and then by color, which makes it easy to find what I need for any given project.

Fabric Size Categories:

🔹 Scraps – Anything smaller than a fat eighth
🔹 Small Pieces – Between a fat eighth and half a yard
🔹 Larger Pieces – Between half a yard and a yard
🔹 Bulk Pieces – Anything over a yard

Organizing by size helps me quickly locate the right fabric for a project. For example, if I need a ¾-yard piece, I immediately know where to look instead of digging through my entire stash.

How I Store Each Fabric Category

Scraps

I store my scraps in six clear plastic tubs—the kind that salad mix comes in from Costco. Not only do these containers give my scraps a second life, but they also make it easy to see what’s inside without opening them.  Here is a blog all about the salad bins I use.

I divide my scraps into:
🧵 Solids: Warm, cool, and neutral
🧵 Prints: Warm, cool, and neutral

How you divide your scraps depends on your fabric preferences and the fabrics you use the most.  At one point, I was using a lot of Bonnie & Camille fabrics, so I even had a bin specifically for that designer. This made it super easy to create scrappy yet cohesive quilts.


Small Pieces

I store my small fabric pieces (fat eighths to half yards) folded and stacked inside the same clear salad tubs. This system allows me to quickly pull out a tub, see all the fabrics at a glance, and grab what I need.


Larger Pieces (½ Yard – 1 Yard)

For larger cuts, I use comic book boards—plain white cardboard pieces about the size of a book. I wrap my fabric around the boards and pin it in place, then stack them vertically on my bookshelf.

This method keeps my fabric neat, visible, and easy to flip through! I organize them in rainbow order, keeping prints and solids separate.

📌 Tip: These boards are super affordable—about $25 for 150 on Amazon. Here’s a link to the ones I use.



Bulk Pieces (1+ Yards & Bolts)

For my largest fabric cuts, I fold and stack them on my bookshelf. I’ll admit—this is the trickiest section to keep organized because I sometimes have to pull out an entire stack to get to a piece near the bottom.

I also keep a few fabric bolts stacked next to my bookshelf for quilt backings and go-to background solids. While storing fabric on the bolt takes up more room, it helps prevent creases and wrinkles.


Final Thoughts

I hope this peek into my fabric organization helps you create a stash that’s organized, accessible, and ready to use for your next quilt!

How do you organize your fabric? Do you prefer shelves, bins, or a different method? Let me know in the comments! 😊




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Marble Mystery ++ One Week Left to Linkup

 Marble Mystery Quilt Along - One Week Left to Linkup




I am excited to already been seeing some fabulous Marble Mystery quilt tops!  Below are the instructions on how to be entered into the reveal parade and be eligible for prizes. 

The Marble Mystery quilt linkup deadline is Wednesday March 5, 2025 at midnight (ET).

Remember, you can always find all of the information and posts about the quilt along on the Main Marble Mystery Quilt Page.

The Reveal parade (and prizes) post will be posted on Monday, March 10th.  

On March 5th, the pdf links from the posts will be removed.  You will not be able to "purchase" (for free) the instructions in the shop after this date, but you will be able to download previously purchased instructions.

The instructions will always be available in the blog posts and a full, easily printable version of the pattern will be available in my pattern shop.



LINKUP YOUR QUILT BY Weds March 5th midnight ET

Two Ways to Link Up



1.  E-mail a picture of your quilt top / quilt to  MMDmysteryquilts@gmail.com.  I am happy to load your picture into the party.  

2.  Link up into the linky party directly using the link here.  
If you have any problems with the linkup (can't get it to work, your image is sideways, etc.), just email me the picture (option 1).

Please let me know if you are outside of the United States.  Almost all of the prizes are available for everyone around the world, only a few are US only.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Do I need to finish my quilt (quilted and bound) to take part in the parade and be eligible for prizes? 
    • No, you can enter pictures of completed quilt tops or finished quilts.
  • I posted my quilt picture to Facebook / Instagram / my blog, am I entered into the parade? 
    • No, you must link up your picture to be eligible. I will help you if you have any problems (MMDmysteryquilts@gmail.com).
  • How are the prizes given out? 
    •  All prizes are given out randomly to quilters who participate in the reveal parade.
  • I loved the mystery quilt so much I made two (or more) versions, can I link up both of them? 
    •  Yes! You can link up all of the quilt tops and/or finished quilts you made from the Marble Mystery quilt and each quilt gets an entry into the prize drawing.
  • I changed up the design (added borders, arranged blocks differently, changed size, etc), can I still enter the reveal parade for prizes?
    • Yes!  Any and all Marble Mystery variations are eligible for prizes.





Many thanks to our generous sponsors!

 

 




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Thursday, February 20, 2025

Get ready, get set, let's sew!

 

It’s Official—The Stash-Busting Quilt Along Has Begun!

Welcome to the kickoff of the Stash-Busting Quilt Along! Over the next six weeks, we’re going to have a fun, easy, and stress-free time sewing together from our stashes.

Below, you’ll find a basic schedule for each of the three patterns: Peanut Butter Pinwheels, Wharf Street, and Flagstone Path. These are just general guidelines—feel free to sew at your own pace, whether that’s faster or slower than the schedule.

Let’s dive in and start sewing from our stash! 🧵


How the quilt along will work:

🗓 Kickoff Date: Thursday, February 20th.

⏳ Duration: 6 weeks, wrapping up on April 3rd. I'll post schedules for each of the three designs to keep you on track.

🎉 Final Parade: Share your quilt top or finished quilt at the end.

🚫 No Prizes—Just Fun: This is all about using what we have & enjoying the process.

📝 Weekly Posts: I'll be posting tips on fabric organization, scrap-busting ideas, and sewing techniques each week.

🔹 The Challenge: Try to create your entire quilt—top, binding, and backing—using only fabric from your stash! No new fabric purchases needed.

This is going to be a fun, low-pressure quilt along, and I’d love to have you join in!






Patterns and Sale:

To join the quilt along, you’ll need a copy of Peanut Butter Pinwheels, Wharf Street, or Flagstone Path—whichever pattern best suits your stash!

In case you still need to grab a pattern...

🎉 Quilt Along Special: The three patterns are $2.20 off each pattern through tomorrow night (Friday night). No coupon code needed—the discount will automatically apply at checkout.

Want more than one? No problem! If you grab two, it’s $4.40 off your order total, and all three would be $6.60 off your order total.

Snag your patterns now and get ready to sew from your stash! 🧵✨



Peanut Butter Pinwheels


Peanut Butter Pinwheels has three sizes: baby, throw, and twin and is perfect for 4 ½" x 4 ½" and 2 ½" x 2 ½" squares.

Wharf Street is a throw sized quilt and uses 2 ½" x either width of fabric or width of a fat quarter or 2 ½" x 6 ½" pieces.



Flagstone Path

Flagstone Path contains instructions for baby, lap, large lap, and twin sizes and is perfect for 2 ½" x 2 ½" and 2 ½" x 4 ½" pieces.


Questions?  You can leave them in a comment below or reach me at cheryl@meadowmistdesigns.com.  I look forward to quilting along with you!!!




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