Ready, Set, Sew! Winter Mystery quilt along!

The time has arrived to reveal the first clue!  Hope you are ready!  If you missed the first blog post with the requirements you can find it here.

Ready? Set? GO!

For this weeks clue you will need just your background and your dark fabrics which you have chosen.  So let's begin!

My colour selection - answered

I decided I wanted a bit of variety in my quilt and not just three colours.  So I have chosen green and blue as my darks so to speak.  These are both next to each other on the colour wheel so they will blend well.  I haven't worried that they are lights or darks just that they show blue and green or a mix.  

For my medium I decided to use pinks and yellows, these have two colours between them on the colour wheel and go together well plus they are two colours away from the green.  You could work the opposite way or chose and fabrics like this in a combination you like.

my fabrics from stash

Cutting Instructions

Ok you will need to cut 2" strips from your background fabrics,  I have actually used partial strips as I am busting my stash for this little quilt and I want variety to create movement in my quilt

You will require 288" in length overall

From your dark fabrics cut the same amount of 2" strips plus an extra 36, 2" squares and put these squares aside for next week.

colour wheel

Cutting Instructions

Ok you will need to cut 2" strips from your background fabrics,  I have actually used partial strips as I am busting my stash for this little quilt and I want variety to create movement in my quilt

You will require 288" in length overall

From your dark fabrics cut the same amount of 2" strips plus an extra 36, 2" squares and put these squares aside for next week.

strips ready for piecing

Strips cut and waiting to be paired and sewn.  I lay might out like this, I take a background strip and then I put another coloured strip on top and sew together.  If the fabrics are different sizes I just sew to one is complete and add another as the photos below show you.

let the piecing begin

sewing a 1/4"

Once these are all sewn, take to the pressing board and press with the seams towards the dark fabric. 

Then off to the cutting mat where we sub cut these strips into 2" just like the photo below.  We require a total of 72 (2" X 3.5" strips) of each colour 

Subcutting strips

subcut pairs

Strips all subcut ready for pairing and piecing into four patch blocks.  Don't worry if you have a few extras you may like to use your favourite combination and swap some around later.

ready to make four patches

Now off to the machine to sew these babies together!

final seams happening for this week!

Sew the four patches together using the 1/4" seam.  Remember to make sure you butt your seams to each other so your centre of the block, this will ensure they match nicely.   Just like below. 

unpressed block straight from the machine

After you have sewn your units please go and press them all. They should measure 3.5" now
And you should have a total of 72 four patches. 

Patches to be put away ready for next clue

Clue 1 complete! Yay!

Above you will see the extra squares with the four patches all complete.  Now I would love to see all of your creations.  So remember you can come over toWehago Designs Quilting Community Group on Facebook the or hashtag your photos on Instagram with #wintermystery2016 and follow me on Instagram @wehago.  I also have a Facebook page Wehago Designs and I plan on putting this pattern on my website once we complete the quilt and it will be a free downloadable pattern.

So off you head to the cutting board or the fabric stash and start your creation.

So looking forward to seeing this come together all over the world, and many thanks for coming with me on my quilting journey. 

Have Fun

Wendy

Gathering the fabrics and Tools for BOM 2016

Are you ready?  Did I hear a yes?

Well today I gathered my fabrics and tools ready for the BOM post on Friday th 8th.

Notes firstly for machine piecing:-

Firstly I would recommend that you put a new needle in your machine and ready your bobbin, oil and clean the machine if you haven't done it lately.  For piecing I love to use a 70/10 needle in my machine and I love to use 50 wt Aurifil. I mainly use grey thread to piece with as it blends with every fabric. 

Next I would like you to raid your stash and take 3 X 2.5" squares and sew them together to check your 1/4" seam allowance.  After sewing please place it under the ruler like I have done here.

It should measure 2.5" X 6.5".  If it does your 1/4" seam is correct, if not please turn over and check your seams and adjust your sewing line on your machine to achieve this measurement.  This is important so that you achieve the correct sizing of all your blocks.  In a block with a lot of seams if this is out then your block size will be different size by the time you finish and then none of your quilt will go together very well and you will be tearing your hair out.  So preparation to make a quilt can be more important than anything else we do. 

Checking of the quarter inch seam

Notes for hand piecing if you choose to use this method:-

Gather your tools, I still cut my pieces by rotary cutter and use this little guide by Jinny 

Beyer called the Perfect Piecer but I have also included a 1/4" ruler which can be used also to mark your sewing line.  I like to use grey thread as I stated earlier and I like to use Aurifil 28wt to do my piecing with plus I like to use my John James quilting no 11 needles but I don't want you to just go and copy me, please use what you are normally using. 

Lastly gather 3 or 4 fabrics for this months block and press them if they need it ready for the cutting.

Notes on the fabrics:-

I have gathered 17 fat quarters for my quilt, I may end up added more and it will mainly be from my stash so most probably be solids etc.   I do not ask that you buy this amount of fabric either. Some will be using their stash and that is great.  Now a little hint on your fabrics, I have selected quilte a few with neutrals and a few little wows. Try and have a bit of a balance, don't use all the same value as it is good for the eyes to have lights and darks and mediums. Also I have got fat quarters so using jelly rolls etc may be possible but you won't be able to use for all blocks as some will be bigger than what you can cut from a jelly roll. But you will be able to use smaller pieces than a fat quarter.  

Now for the exciting hint:-

On Friday our journey will begin! Are you excited? Are you ready?

I hope so as I am.  What I plan to do is take you on a journey.  Most of this will be about fabric selection, and notes on cutting and piecing and why I like to do things.  I plan to take a block and really explore that block.  I am hoping that you all partake at some stage.

I hear some of you asking why I said at some stage?  Well let me explain, some people are extremely busy and may not want to do a whole quilt but might like one of my blocks and decide to do the block and not the whole quilt, some of you may decide to make a few of each block and make them into table runners or bags or lots of placemats.  See you don't have to present what I give you into what I am doing, I would like you to take what I am doing and use it as inspiration!  

So I hope you are all ready to take on this challenge and catch the journey train with me!

So I hope you all can come on board with me on Friday and don't forget to share either in Wehago designs quilting community, or on IG under hashtag #WDBOM2016 plus if you would like to do it and only want to share on Pinterest please comment here and I will add you to the board for posting purposes. 

So until Friday the 8th, have a wonderful preparation for our BOM!

Lots of quilting fun

Wendy