Mystery Quilt Kickoff!

Yes, you read that correctly. With almost no warning whatsoever, I am throwing a mystery quilt at you, starting today.

It was yet another moment of shower brilliance. Why not run this latest pattern by a bunch of people who can test it while having a fun mystery project to solve? Since I could not come up with a good reason why I shouldn't, here we go.

Here's how it is going to work. Today, if you scroll down, or just keep reading because you know you can't resist me, you'll get the list of supplies and cutting directions. I honestly think you will have all that you need right in your stash, so it shouldn't take you too long to get organized. Unless you have to clean your entire studio to find your supplies. Been there, will be there again someday.

Then, for the next 3-4 Wednesdays, starting on 10/24 - two days from now, I'll be posting a new set of directions for everyone under the "Mystery" tab up there under my blog name. Astute readers will recall this said "Shop" last week, but I never could figure out how to get a shopping cart on here so this will be a better use. Even more astute readers will have noticed that it changed to "Mystery" on Friday of last week. That was me seeing if anyone was paying attention.

The directions for the entire mystery, which I am calling "Hot to Trot" because "Hot Sweet Lovin'" was a little risque, will stay on the blog through the end of January. So if you do this mystery, you'll get my newest pattern totally for free! Free! One of my favorite words! But it's a limited time thing, because after that I'll be making it bigger and better (ie more sizes, etc) as it enters the world of capitalism.

So quilt while the needle is hot, hotties. If that makes any sense at all.

Let's GO! Do you hear the drum roll and marching band???



"Hot To Trot" - My First Ever Mystery Quilt Project

What you will need and what to do with it:

•  Approximately 1 1/2 yards total of scraps in 2-3 color families - What do I mean by this? I mean go to your scrap buckets/bags/baskets and pull out all of the scraps you can find in two or three color families. Preferably families that go together, like blue and yellow or green and purple (yeah, they do, trust me). But if you insist on orange and pink, that's cool. This quilt also will be adorable in a holiday theme, like Halloween oranges or Easter pastels. I bet once you pull all your scraps you have way more than you need. If not, fill in with fat quarters and other fabrics. Or call your quilting buddies for help. Better yet, sign them up to do the mystery too. Prepare these scraps for use by pressing if need be and cutting them into pieces anywhere from 1" x 4" to 3" x 4". The measurements do NOT have to be exact nor do they even have to be perfectly square/rectangular.

•  1/2 yard muslin - or - 1/2 yard of the ugliest, most God-awful fabric in your stash that you truly don't know why you ever bought in the first place  - This fabric will be used in such a manner that you will never, ever see it. Why buy muslin if you have this beauty, or one like it, on hand?  Cut 4 strips 3" wide x wof (42"), and 4 strips 1.5" wide x wof                                                                                                                             

From my "I feel 98 years old today" collection

•   1 yard neutral background fabric - I am fully aware that for some of you, red is a neutral. Go for it. I do recommend a fairly tone on tone-y or solidish-y (totally a word, BTW) fabric for the background, though. Basically this fabric just needs to be able to show off your scraps, so whatever you think works. Cut 4 strips 4" wide and 4 strips 2 1/2" wide.

• 1/2 yard each border fabrics A and B - Something that goes with your scraps. If you are using two color families, I suggest one fabric be in one color family and one in the other. But it's your quilt, so what do I know? Fabric A: Cut 1 strip 1" wide x wof and 6 strips 2" wide x wof. Fabric B: Cut 3 strips 1" wide x wof and 2 strips 2" wide x wof
•  You will need your 6 1/2" square ruler - Here's hoping it isn't piled under everything in your studio.

So now you should be set. Here's a photo of my big pile of fabrics that I chose. I'm getting in the spirit with some Christmas scraps, but I was quite tempted by some aquas and limes. These won because there were more of them and I didn't feel like going out to the store for more of anything. Sometimes it's as simple as that.

Anyone up for a rousing rendition of "Which of These Things is Not Like the Others?"

I'm not requiring anyone to officially state their intentions to follow through with this mystery, but I promise that if you do comment that you are doing it/plan to do it, I will send you an email of thanks and would be interested in possibly using a photo of your finished product in the eventual pattern. Also, if you take on this mystery, I am hoping you will share your experiences with me, good, bad, ugly, and otherwise, as that is the only way I will know if it is working for you. Thank you!

A final caveat: since this is a work in progress, I cannot promise the directions are going to be utter perfection. Should an issue arise, I promise while waving my Girl Scout hand sign in the air that I will post corrections immediately once an issue comes to my attention. I am not anticipating big problems, but in the interest of full disclosure and expectation management, felt I should remind all of you of what I said in the beginning - this is a mystery quilt masquerading as a pattern test and vice versa.

Please don't let that scare you off. Let the rolling around in your scraps commence!