Quilt Mysteries

Making the Quilt Top Sew four blocks in a row, rotating every other block so the seam just touch each other. Use pins at these intersections to encourage this behavior. Make (5) rows. Press the seams of (3) rows to the right. These rows will be the odd rows in your quilt top, rows 1,…

Making More Blocks Assemble: Sew a 3-part QST to both ends of the (40) 3-1/2″ × 6-1/2″ Background Rectangles as shown. Press to the QST. Rotating half of these units upside down, sew them to the top and bottom of the pinwheel units you made on the previous page. Take a minute to look at…

No More HSTs! Now they are QSTs! 3 Part QSTs, that is. Assemble: Draw a diagonal line on the back of the (80) 4-1/2″ Background squares. Match your HST with this square, right sides together, so the diagonal line goes through the seam of the HST. Sew 1/4″ on either side of the line. Cut…

There is a story behind this method. I taught it as part of the “No Whining” class that I did before the turn of the century. We experimented with a lot of different blocks, strips sewn together, pieced blocks sewn to solid squares and so on. Someday I will write a book on all the…

Here are even more methods of making HSTs! Pick a method or two and use it to make 24 HSTs from your scraps. One side of the HST will be scrap and the other side will be background. Square up your HSTs to 4-1/2″ unfinished. Rulers that Cut Triangles from Strips Easy Angle Ruler, Omnigrid…

I told you there would be HSTs in this mystery! Here is the 8-at-a-time method. Use this method to make 16 HSTs from your scraps or (2) 10″ squares. Square these up to 4-1/2″ unfinished. Remember A finished HST is the size that it is in a quilt. It’s dressed and ready to go to…

Let’s start by making some HSTs. Here is the first method. Use one or two of these methods to make 24 HSTs from your scraps or (3) 10″ squares. One side of the HST will be scrap and the other side will be background. Square these up to 4-1/2″ unfinished. First, a glossary A finished…

The Ten-Speed Mystery Quilt Before starting this or any other project, wash and press your fabric. If you like the behavior of crisp fabric as you cut, sew, and press your project, try a little spray sizing. Take the time to clean your machine, put in a new needle, and fill a few bobbins. Read…

This is a mystery designed to use up your scraps! It finishes 70″ x 84″ but can easily be made larger or smaller. I wrote the pattern for 10″ squares, but that doesn’t mean you have to use them. In fact, you may not want to. Several of the clues use Half-Square-Triangle Blocks (HSTs) and…

This was the New Years Day mystery in 2024. You can see pictures of the finished quilts here. Mardi Gras is a spectacular celebration that lasts from the 12th day after Christmas to the day before Ash Wednesday.  Though Mardi Gras technically refers only to Fat Tuesday (February 13,2024 this year), the season actually begins…