It's a Mystery! Part 4

The blocks are going together this month…and you get to see the secondary design!

*** scroll to the bottom of the page for a printable PDF

*** Remember the scant ¼” for seam allowances.

Clue 18: Gather up the 4 ½” main print squares from Clue 1 (L-12, T-24, Q-42) and some of the flying geese units from Clue 14 (L-6, T-12 each of all 4 coordinates, Q-20 each of 2 coordinates, 22 each of 2 coordinates). There will be some left over.

Clue 19: Place a 4 ½” main print square on the table in front of you. If it is a directional fabric place all of them in the same direction. For example, my main fabric is stripey so I’m placing the “stripe” horizontally. Grab 2 flying geese units of the same colour and place them on the left and right of the square with the geese “flying” away from the centre. This means that the background fabric will be next to the square. Stitch these three units together and press seam towards the square. Repeat this step with all the 4 ½” squares and corresponding coordinates.

Clue 20: This particular section about colour placement was mentioned in Part 1, and it’s necessary to the design. Assign each of your four coordinates a number from 1-4 depending on where it will be in the block. If you have 2 “warm” coordinates or 2 of the same colour/value with different prints, assign them with the numbers 1 and 4. If you have 2 “cool” coordinates or 2 of the same colour/value with different prints, assign them with the numbers 2 and 3. Mine are as follows according to the photo in part 1…1=C (turquoise), 2=D (magenta), 3=E (purple) and 4=F (lime).

Clue 21: Divide the remaining flying geese units from Clue 14 into two groups with equal numbers of each colour in both groups. Gather up the units from Clue 17 and keep them in their colour groupings of 4.

Clue 22: Work with one colour grouping at a time. Place a flying geese unit on the table in front of you with the geese “flying” north. Place a Clue 17 unit to the left of the geese with the colour 1 triangle on the top left. Place a Clue 17 unit to the right of the geese with the colour 2 triangle on the top right. The coordinate squares from both units should be touching the geese...these should all be the same colour...only the triangles are different. Stitch all three together and press seams away from the geese.

Clue 23: Work with one colour grouping at a time. Place a flying geese unit on the table in front of you with the geese “flying” north. Place a Clue 17 unit to the left of the geese with the colour 4 triangle on the top left. Place a Clue 17 unit to the right of the geese with the colour 3 triangle on the top right. The coordinate squares from both units should be touching the geese...these should all be the same colour...only the triangles are different. Stitch all three together and press seams away from the geese.

Clue 24: Gather up all the Clue 19 and Clue 22 units. Place a Clue 19 unit horizontally on the table in front of you. Place a Clue 22 unit of the same coordinate colour above that one with the geese “flying” north and the colour 1 triangle on the top left. Stitch together, but do not press the horizontal seam allowances yet. Repeat with all sets.

Clue 25: Gather up all the Clue 24 and Clue 23 units. Add the Clue 23 unit of the same coordinate colour to the other side of the Clue 24 unit. Stitch together, but do not press the horizontal seam allowances yet. The colour 3 triangle should be on the bottom left. Repeat with all sets. Your blocks are now complete!

Clue 26: Lay the completed blocks out on the floor or design wall making sure that the colours are balanced throughout the quilt and that colour #1 is in the top left position in all blocks. ***This is imperative to the design. Once they are placed in rows the horizontal seams can be pressed in the opposite direction to the block next to it. The photo to the right shows the back of the quilt top where the seams go together. Stitch blocks in each row together. L- 3 blocks across (4 rows down), T- 4 blocks across (6 rows down), Q- 6 blocks across (7 rows down)

Clue 27: Now press block seam allowances within each row. Row 1 seam allowances will be pressed to the right, Row 2 will be pressed to the left and so on. This allows the seam allowances of each row to butt up against each other resulting in a flatter quilt top. ***Not all seams will be nesting with each other when rows are sewn together. Go slowly when going over the bumpy areas.

Clue 28: Stitch all rows together in order and either press seams in one direction or open...strictly personal choice here. Please note that my #1 colour (turquoise) is in the top left corner of all blocks and that the placement of the corner triangles is what creates the great secondary design. Isn’t she pretty?!

Congratulations…you’re almost done! See you next month for inner and outer borders.