Castle Secrets Block of the Week Quilt Mystery – Last Clue

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This is a Quilt-Block-of-the-Month Mystery series. It starts today! Clues will be presented every Sunday from 6/4/23 until Labor Day. It is a two color (plus background) quilt that finishes about 90″ x 90″. Look for a list of clues at the bottom of this page. To print this clue, use the green Print Friendly button below those clues.

Just a reminder: Anyone who send me a picture of their quilt in progress or finished, gets a free copy of the professional pattern after the mystery is over. Offer expires 10/1/23. Send your pictures to moc.liamgobfsctd-76f764@sngisednoomebeohp.

A Secret is Revealed

Adding the Moats

Assemble:

• (9) 3-1/2″ wide Pink strips for the first border moat
• (9) 6-1/2″ wide Chocolate Brown strips for the second border moat
• (10) 2-1/2″ wide Fudge strips for the binding path around the moat

Create (3) groups of LONG strips by sewing each set of strips end to end. Miter the joins if you prefer by sewing the two strips right sides together at an angle as shown to the left. Trim the seams to 1/4″ and press open.

Adding the Pink Moat

It’s always a temptation to simply sew on a strip and then cut off the excess but don’t do that here. There are too many seams that can change the size of your quilt. Forcing your quilt to match identically cut borders will force it to remain flat.

If one side of the quilt is just the tiniest bit larger than the border, place the quilt top down on the bed of your sewing machine when sewing the border on. The feed dogs will help take up the slack. Reverse the process if it is your border that is bigger.

Step One: Cut (2) rectangles from the LONG
3-1/2″ wide pink strip that are 72-1/2″ long. Using a walking foot, and matching the center of the strip to the center of the quilt top, sew a strip to each side of the quilt top. Ease to fit if necessary. Press to the border.
Step Two: Cut (2) rectangles from the LONG
3-1/2″ wide pink strip that are 78-1/2″ long. Again using a walking foot and matching centers, sew the strips to the top and bottom of the quilt top. Ease to fit if necessary. Press to the border.

Adding the Chocolate Brown Moat

Cut (2) rectangles from the 6-1/2″ wide LONG Chocolate Brown strip that are 78-1/2″ long. These will be your side borders. Following the directions from Step One above, sew them to both sides of your new quilt top. Press to the border.

Cut (2) rectangles from the 6-1/2″ wide LONG Chocolate Brown strip that are 90-1/2″ long. These will be your top and bottom borders. Following the directions from Step Two above, sew them to the top and bottom of your new quilt top. Press to the border.

Finding the Secret to the Castle

You are done! Pin the quilt top to your wall for a few days so you can admire your work and your family can praise you. Decide on a quilting pattern and then do it. This secret must not remain unspoken.

Don’t forget to add a label. A label will tell generations to come the story of this quilt: Who, What, When, Where and Why. It will help identify the quilt should it become lost or stolen, and will increase the value of the quilt at appraisal time.

A quilt label can be as simple as a signature on the back or as elaborate as a heavily decorated two page story. If you only have time for a quick label, just sign and date the back of the quilt with an archival ink (acid free) quality pen . Or you could embroider, cross stitch or stamp your name and date on the front of the quilt as part of the design.

Preserve your place in history. Sign and date your quilts!

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Clues: