KQ 2026 Mystery Quilt - Parts 1 & 2

This year I have decided to take part in the local quilt group mystery quilt-a-long.  As an added challenge to myself, I have decided to only use stash fabrics - you know, those bits'n'pieces that are left over from previously completed projects that we all have.

There are no fabric requirements being given out, only a finished size and what the element needs to be.  The instructions are very minimal, which I am loving because my creative muse can come out to play.

Month 1 had to include red.  Bring out a Baltimore Applique book and look at the papercuts.  I love this frame on the animal print fabric.

Animal print fabric is circa 2025 and the red is from 1998.

In the two photos below, I really love the monkey and the tiger peeking out from behind the applique.

Month 2 is curves with repeated elements.  I had ideas of circus tent stripes when I first read the prompt in the group newsletter.  It has taken me most of the month to figure out the fabrics and design while I went about my normal life.  In the end, a piece of leftover 'quilting made easy' border roll was the answer.  I cut it out along one side and then traced the pattern onto the cheddar fabric.  An afternoon of quiet hand-applique and it was done.

The green and yellow fabrics are circa 2012 or thereabouts.  It's "all the things" in this quilt.

I am excited to see what the upcoming June prompt will be.  While I wait for the next prompt, I am contemplating how to make this 'quilt as you go'.  I am not sure if it will work or not, it all depends on what I think up for the next prompt design.  Right now, my brain has plenty of ideas for quilting in and around the applique.  I will ponder this before I jump in with both feet.

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler - Post 2

And... here she is, in all of her wonderful glory!  Yes, I did have a celebratory glass of bubbles last night with Hubby to mark the completion of all 140 blocks, the paper-cut applique centre blocks and finishing the quilt top for my version of Sylvia's Bridal Sampler.

Whole quilt top.  Indoor photo on a rainy day!

I have to admit, I am a little awe-struck that I managed to make all of those blocks.  Some of the blocks were easy, some were very challenging, however I did enjoy the technical challenges, going back to basics, taking time and not rushing.

I am surprised by how much she weighs!  All those seams and little pieces add up to a lot of quilty patchwork goodness.

She still needs her final pressing as does her backing.  Her binding is made and coiled.  Her wadding is waiting.  It's now time to pick out the quilting thread and plan the quilting.  I'll let those quilt plan thoughts percolate over the next week or so.  Right now, I'm celebrating and enjoying her as a whole.

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler - post 1

I had very high hopes of making lots of blog posts this year and then was cursed with 'writer's block'.  I became super organised with my photos along with a schedule for posting and then each time I sat down to complete a post, I went blank.  I am hoping that I am over that now, because today I am so excited with what I am sharing! 😍

Yesterday, I completed a mammoth task - I finished the very last block for my version of Sylvia's Bridal Sampler from the book by Jennifer Chiaverini.  140 x 6in blocks total. 

There's a LOT of work in that block stack!!

Such a huge pile of blocks when stacked together!

And.... below is a photo of them all laid out.  There was no rhyme or reason to my layout, I simply plonked them down on the floor in the order that I took them off the stack.

The whole quilt so far

 I am adding in a 'papercut' block to the centre so that I can have a 12x12 block layout instead of 10x14.   As you can see, I still need to complete the hand-applique of the centre block.  This will stay on the floor overnight and I'll do some tweaking to the layout to balance it a bit better.

I started this quilt in Feb 2023 when a local quilt group - Kilmore Quilters - started this as a sew-a-long.  I kept up all through 2023 and then in 2024 I returned to tertiary study.  Sylvia was then boxed up and shelved until January this year when an option came to have the quilt ready for a group display in September.  Just the impetus I needed to pull it out and get cracking.  

It has taken me 4 full months in between working, family and social commitments to get the blocks completed, attempting a little bit each day and then some days no sewing at all.  Almost every block has been an absolute joy to work with some that had me inventing new swear words!!  

I have the sashings, cornerstones, borders, binding and backing all prepared, ready to pick up and sew.

But first - I must vacuum the floor before moving onto the next step of sewing the top together - it's full of threads and dog-ear corner snippets 😉

Purple Floral

Started in a mystery quilt workshop, run by a member of my local quilt group, we were instructed to "not purchase fabric".  The requirement was to only use what is in your stash and to make it scrappy.  Well, I had no bits of scraps of any sort at that stage, having recently used them up, but, I did have big pieces and a few of them.

Backing onto front.

The lady running the workshop was concerned that with just 3 fabrics and not much variety that it might not work.  I think, had the purple floral been a tone-on-tone, it might not have.  There is so much variety in the print of the purple fabric, that it carries the pattern well.

Centre of quilt detail

We were instructed to pre-cut our fabrics before the workshop so that we could sew like the wind when there.  Each little zip-loc baggie had to be labelled so that we didn't get mixed up when the instructions were given out during the day.

Border detail

 Finished off with a french braid border, to which I added a 9-patch blocks to the corners.

I quilted Purple Floral on my domestic machine with clamshells over the centre of the quilt in a dusky purple 50wt thread, echo straight line quilting in the first border with brick red thread and then beads in the squares of the french braid with matching thread.

Back of quilt showing detail of the quilting.

I had great joy in completing this quilt this past week because I was able to complete it for my best friend from primary school for her 50th birthday.

I love the serendipity of how project completion often has someone who will be perfect for the item just appear.

Completed quilt.

 A really terrific pattern with dramatic effect.  Rectangles and squares, all flipped and turned to provide movement in the quilt top. 

Wrapped and ready for gifting.

Finishing at 161cm x 188cm (63in x 74in), Purple Floral was a rotary cutting and machine piecing dream to make.  Each piece just fitted together.  Lots of joy in both making and giving.

Road to St Louis - 16 patch aka "What was I thinking!"

At the beginning of April, I was asked to come up an idea for a Friday Night Retreat Project, using fabric pre-cuts.  There were suggestions of using Jelly Rolls, but as this is purely a volunteer task, I chose Fat Quarters because I had those and I wanted to challenge myself, plus the group members to use what they already own.

I decided to make this quit after seeing one at a Quilts in the Barn Exhibition a few years ago and liking it very much.  That quilter had used floral prints with solids and it has stuck in my mind ever since.  This block which can be very effective for little effort as it is a simple checkerboard pattern which has lots of scope for colour and pattern play.  

First set of blocks

While I haven't used or even replicated that first quilt I saw in the exhibition, I still want to make my own version of that with all new fabric one day.

Second pair of blocks

After testing what size to cut fabrics at and how much of the Fat Quarter would be used for the above two sets of blocks, I dove into the deepest darkest recesses of my stash and pulled out some very old as well as the “what was I thinking?” fabrics.  I chose my fabrics in 10 minutes by pulling them out and throwing them on the floor in pairs and checking that the all the fabrics worked together as a whole.

I then had a lovely afternoon home on my own and I sewed all day long, making blocks.  The very next day I laid the blocks on the floor, moved them around a bit, packed them up in order and sewed the top together at my local quilt group.

When I went online to do some research into the name of the block, I found quite a few free tutorials, including the references below. *^  There is nothing new about the 16 patch block or the method constructing it.  The first known publication of this block is Mosaic No. 20 Ladies Art Company 1897*  before being published again as Four Patch Variation Orlofsky, 1974 *  More recently, there have been online publications calling it 16 Patch Quilt Block ^ or St Louis 16 patch ^.

The 16 patch / Road to St Louis would have to be the quickest quilt I have ever made.  It was easy, it is effective and the size is only limited by how much fabric you have.

To quilt this quilt was super easy.  As I quilt on my domestic sewing machine, I chose to give extra life and movement by quilting an "orange peel" type of pattern.  You could just as easily cross-hatch it too, but I like the effect of  what I did.

The binding fabric is a Penny fabric which was donated by a friend.  The backing fabric and wadding have come from the donation stash at my local quilt group.

My Road to St Louis or 16 Patch will be donated after the Kilmore Quilters Retreat to the Axedale Quilters for their charity quilts which go to local people in need.

Finished Quilt Size:  150cm x 183cm  (60in x 72in).

To give credit where credit is due - these are the resources I have referenced: 

* Jinny Beyer - The Quilters Album of Patchwork Patterns, Breckling Press pub 2009

^ Poppy Makes Blog - 2013 http://poppymakes.blogspot.com/2013/04/16-patch-quilt-block-tutorial.html
  Sew Fresh Quilts Blog - 2014  https://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/2014/09/st-louis-16-patch-quilt-block-tutorial.html 

Penny fabric - Penny was a quilter who is now an angel, her children passed on her very sizable stash to a friend.  Penny now lives on in many quilts.

An Afternoon with Jane Stickle

Back in February, there were some of us who got together to start our own individual Dear Jane quilt(s), at a pace of just four blocks per month.  Due to my lack of photo taking, plus some blocks to make, I've had a lovely day today catching up with some sewing.

My blocks do look a bit "out of shape", as I am yet to trim them to their correct size.

Here are the March Blocks:

And the April Blocks:

I had two blocks to make today... to make up the four allocated for the month.....

And... the May Blocks:

...of which I made all four today.

I am truly enjoying the process of making the Dear Jane blocks.  In two colours, the piecing shows up well, but, most importantly to me, the level of difficulty in the blocks varies and with no instructions in the book, there is some quiet contemplation while I decide the best way to make each block.

One block at a time, is a lovely link to slow movement and taking time to enjoy the process.

See my previous Dear Jane post here.

Honouring Our Heroes - part 2

ANZAC Day is almost upon us.  In a week's time the commemorations of 100 years since that fateful landing of Australian and New Zealand soldiers upon the shores of Gallipoli begin.

The Honour Quilts which myself and other members from Kilmore Quilters have made, will be on display at the Kilmore Memorial Hall on Sunday 19th April as part of a larger historical exhibition.

As posted previously, each participant received a few blocks per month with the name and history of a soldier attached.  You could use those names or research your own family friends/members.

My version of the completed Honour Quilt.

Such a significant part of the Australian history, and such a small showing of the impact on the lives of many.  And as I have mentioned in other blog posts, this has been a somewhat poignant journey as I learnt more about the soldiers, their families and the impact of war on the world as a whole.

During the past week, my Husband and I took our children to the Melbourne Museum.  There was an exhibition of WWI careers (for want of a better word).  Victorians were featured.  Profiled were soldiers, nurses, women factory workers, surgeons and then of course, there were weapons and prosthetic limbs.  The topic which sparked the most questions from the children were about the plaster face masks/moulds and the before/after photos of the soldiers who were disfigured by ammunition.  The exhibition was very confronting and emotional.

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Quilt #4 of 12 for completion this year.

Honouring Our Heroes

Over at Kilmore Quilters, one of the Members has set a challenge for the 100 years of Anzacs next year.  She got to thinking during late last year and came up with the "Honour Quilt".

Not to leave any stone un-turned, she has researched soldiers from Kilmore, so each month we receive some block patterns and the history of a local soldier from WW1.  

I had fallen behind with my blocks, but have been working very diligently on the blocks since the September school holidays and am now much closer to being completely up-to-date.

Here is my work so far:

Being part of the Honour Quilt and learning more about WWI history has been an interesting and at times poignant journey as I have started to look at my own ancestors involvement as well.  

The August 2014 issue of National Geographic has an incredible article with photos of the tunnels and trenches in France, which are still there from 1915.  It is well worth a read and to see the pictures sculpted in the walls of the tunnels.  The National Geographic article, combined with what I have learnt so far with the Honour Quilt, have heightened my awareness of what soldiers undergo to ensure we have a peaceful life.

There are plans for all of the quilts to be hung at exhibitions during 2015, including the Kilmore Quilters Quilt Show (Oct 2015).  When I have details of the quilt shows, I'll add them to this blog.

One Block Wonder

A couple of weeks ago, several of us congregated at our local quilt group for a wonderful day of sewing, chatting and laughter as two members very bravely showed us how to make "One Block Wonder".

I went to this particular sewing day with no idea of what to expect.  I really struggled with the concept of how to cut my fabric and then sew it to achieve the 'kaleidoscope' blocks which make the One Block Wonder concept so intriguing.  I searched images of "One Block Wonder" before the workshop and it still didn't make sense to me.

So off I went, with my many companions, to a day of intrigue and learning.

WOW!  I was blown away by how knowledgeable our two tutors were and the amazing presentations - these two talented women managed to amaze and stun into silence 24 quilters!  

Here is my starting fabric

A few blocks laid out, ready to sew

 And then, my completed pile of 54 blocks

More the 'One Block Wonder' photos from our wonderful day can be seen here.

The possibilities I can see in fabric now, have changed my thinking.  If it has a definite repeat and movement, there are many surprises to be had when making the blocks.  I can't wait to start laying out my blocks and assembling the quilt top.

Thank you for sharing in my joy!

PS:  Don't forget - if you want to make your own "One Block Wonder", you can purchase or borrow from your library the "One Block Wonder" books.

Blogging Again!

Gosh, it seems like forever since I have published anything here on this blog - I'm sure it's feeling very lonely! :)  Life has given my family some interesting curve balls lately, so while I have actually been knitting and sewing, I haven't been blogging - but now I'm back and hopefully there will be weekly posts again, just like my earlier blogging days.

Nothing too ambitious to post today, just a simple blue, white and taupe Ohio Star block.  Finishing at 6in square, this block will become part of the Kilmore Quilters banner.  Each group member has been asked to make a block which best represents them individually so the true diversity of the members can be represented. 

Because I just love star blocks and the colour blue - I couldn't resist making my favourite block of all time - the Ohio Star.  Simple, effective and just plain nice - ahhhh.....