2012 Mystery Quilt
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 1:18PM I don’t like mystery quilts… I really don’t! I think I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that my local quilt group is doing one for next year, beginning in December.
The theme is, design a center medallion block, divisible by 6, preferably 18 to 24 inches. The remainder of the quilt will be made up entirely of borders. Each month, we’ll draw two border patterns from a hat, and you can pick one or both, and add them to your block.
It’s really hard to try and plan ahead when you’ve no idea of where you’re going! Being a bit (ahem!) of a control freak, this is not my cup of tea! But for some reason I’m intrigued, and participating… and the center medallion block has been driving me right of my mind! I keep coming up with and discarding one idea after another.
I think I’m going with this… but I could and probably will change my mind… I have an entire month to get it right! I’m going to sew at least two sides of this out, since they’re opposing colors, and see what I think.
;)
These are Sarah Vedeler’s “Heather Feather” dies, and they get rather heavily embroidered. It’s a shame to have to waste such a large amount of materials to test this, but I’ll probably have to sew out all four sections in different threads to get the look I want.
What do you think? A possibility, or ditch it and start over?
Reader Comments (12)
I really like this! Can't you print out the design from our embroidery software with the fabric and stitches in different colors to test and see what you like?? I thought this was something we were able to do now....maybe my mind is going.
I like it!
I, like you, do waste fabric on "trials", but it's all worth it in the end - knowing what ya like and don't like.
I think it's very pretty! Who or what is Sarah Vedeler Designs. Is this a die cutting type design---how does it incorporate machine embroidery? Just curious. I don't do well with mysteries or challenge type projects either. But, I really like what you are doing. I hope you continue.
Another of life's challenges (I almost said "life's little challenges" but don't think this is "little" to us 'control freaks'! LOL!). You will pull this off beautifully but not before exploring it thoroughly......much grinning!!!
Better to try it out as a medallion than to make the entire quilt and decide that you don't like it. Sarah Vedeler's designs are unique and so is your medallion block. The colors you've selected will really show of the embroidery. In the end, you will have a one of a kind project you will love..and so will we! We will be in awe, I'm sure. :)
I do not much like mystery quilts either --I need to see a "whole" picture.
On that project, I would have stopped at the first word..."design"... :)
I like Sarah Vedeler's designs and I like what you have started so far. I think its a possibility for a beautiful center medallion!
Karen in GA
I am intrigued by the applique with embroidery over it. Can you give me a sight to go to for more information on this. I love the Christmas quilt you are making.
I think this is a really pretty block. You should do it.
I like your project very much and your final layout will be great for sure. You are not using you cutwork software? Sarah has the Feather designs (version 2) with cutwork files.
Please keep us posted on your very interesting quilt.
I really like what you have so far, but I would wonder why you are participating if you don't care for Mystery Quilts. You are so talented that I think that you could be using the energy to produce quilts that you really like.
I think the green confuses me only because it's not on the other sides yet to make a comparison. Having a contrasting color that ties both sides/designs together is a great idea though. The block is gorgeous. Keep playing until you know it's what you want.
If you want, don't do all the hard work until you get the a couple of months of the quilt pattern. You'd hate to put all the hard work into the center block only to struggle with the next parts because they don't fit right for a reason.
The BOM I'm working on took at least 3 blocks to finally settle on what I wanted for colors/fabrics. I'm glad I didn't do all the satin stitching and hard work for the center panel as I changed fabric choices several times.