U3A Mystery Clues FOUR

Take the remaining two background squares (none left) and
two strip squares  (16 left) and 
sew together this time with Fabric 1 parallel to the background square.
Keep together labelled "Set D".
Press toward Fabric 1.

Set D: 2 sewn units

U3A Mystery Clues THREE

Take six strip squares (eighteen remain) and six background squares  (two remain) and
sew in pairs
with Fabric 3 parallel to the background as shown.
Press toward the background square.
Label "SET B" either pinned together or in a bag.

Keeping your aide memoire close at hand helps you select the correct alignment.

U3A Mystery Clues TWO

Now cross cut your strip sets into 6.5"  squares. Don't forget the 1/2".
You should get 6 per strip set, 24 in all.

Strip squares

U3A Mystery Clues ONE

CLUE ONE
Read the hints below 
before you sew!
(NB I have aleady made some cuts as I had to allow for a mistake about which fabric was which! Ignore as, being more intelligent,  you will have continuous strips.)

Three sets of four strips with Fabric 1 on the left

Sew the strips together so that you have four WOF strip sets with Fabric 2 in the middle.

When sewing your strip sets start at the opposite end when attaching the last one. This helps to prevent bowing.
Press after each strip. Direction not critical.
However make sure your strips line up evenly at one end. This means you get the maximum amount of sub cuts. (see the second one down)

Your strip set should be 6.5" wide. Check the first seam you sew: two strips should measure 4.5" across. Adjust your seam allowance if necessary.

U3A Mystery Quilt

This term we are starting a new mystery quilt. It will finish at 42.5" by 60" before adding any borders. No quantities are given for border fabric which can be decided later.
You need 4 or 5 fabrics, a background and three contrasts.
Here are mine:

WOF Quantities are: (I have been generous)
You need 1.10m. of background which will be cut into triangles and squares. However you can have two different fabrics if you prefer in which case you need 90 cms for the triangles and 40 cms for the squares.

Background triangles and squares - can be the same or different

You  need 90 cms of Fabric 1 which will be cut into squares and strips.You  need 35 cms of Fabrics 2 and 3.

(For a smaller 32.5 x 45 quilt the WOF quanties are 70cms background and Fabric 1 and 25 cms of Fabrics 2 and 3)

If you want to check whether you have enough fabric these are the units you need to cut from each fabric so you can make your own more economical calculations if you prefer.
From the background:
Two 18.5" squares cut twice diagonally to yield six QSTs. Note you only need half of the second square. 
Two 14.5" squares cut once diagonally to yield four HSTs.
Eight 6.5" squares
I show a cutting plan below:

Background cutting layout

From Fabric 1
Four 2.5" WOF strips
Seventeen 6.5" squares - you should get 6 per WOF 6.5" strip

Fabric 1 cut pieces

From both Fabrics 2 & 3 
Four 2.5" WOF strips

Fabrics 2 & 3 strips

(For the smaller size the background triangle squares are 14.5"and 11", unfinished + seams squares 5" and strips 2")

Once you have completed cutting prepare an aide memoire to help you keep on track as you follow the clues.

Aide Memoire

Back Home

Here is Jill with her Attic Window Christmas quilt
at Quay Quilters. What a clever way to use a panel.

I made these October Siblings together blocks and sent them off to Lyn. I've just realised I pieced the middle one wrongly and made a window not a door.

These are Sew all bags that so many people have made, The one in the background was given to me by Stephanie. I am so grateful for such a special present. I appreciate it all the more having struggled over many weeks to make the one shown in the foreground. I needed a lot of help from fellow Bonnies, Trish and Sue. I shall keep my present and put mine on a sales table somewhere,

Inside Stephanie's bag: text
fabric and colourful zips.

Inside mine

Retreat last morning

Hexagon rosettes

Colour study quilt

Blue diamonds

Detail

On the last morning Colette showed her Liberty flower patches - what a good idea to make blocks in this way. I don't know who made the colour study quilt. I think the blue diamonds are Debbie's. I finished off all the zipper pouch samples I had prepared for the U3A; they really are quick.

My completed zipper pouches

Retreat Projects 05

As the retreat drew to a close projects appeared in quick succession.

Carrie's indigo top

Detail

Detail

Miriam's Jen Kingwell blocks in her own arrangement

Mandy's beautiful top

Detail of centre applique

and of borders

Maggie's whales: the angles and background directional waves made this a tricky project.

Chris's jungle animals with tropical foliage sashing.

Colette's jelly roll braids

Retreat Projects 04

Joined sections

Outlined applique

I added borders to the Crab Shack blocks; there was only enough of each colour for two sides. 
The stylised pinwheel flower block is from a Sarah Fielke workshop. It was very fiddly to do and three of us contributed to it, myself, Belinda and Judi! I had provided the fabric so it was my job to take it home and complete for Linus. It's now 30" square.

Both borders

Still not big enough

Retreat Projects 03

Detail of dog on Maggie's top

Main Crabshack pieces
laid out

Spaces filled in

Starting to assemble sections

I have a tall thin shelved wardrobe full of UFO's. I am trying to take items out for completion while not putting anything in. Two things came with me here and first to work on was a Sweetwater "Crab Shack" kit. The bondaweb applique presented me with a problem as blanket stitching around the black pieces caused the fabric to fray. Looking at how Maggie had done her dogs solved my problem and I borrowed her idea of raw edge stitching just inside the the shape followed by outlining it.

Becky's Nine Patch car quilt on my bed

I always take a quilt to put on my bed. Limited for space this time I used my car quilt a long time favourite made from shirting and plaid fabrics. Heather too is making ST quilts as a member of Bee 2 (I'm in Bee 3). Debbie made a chip bag, just the right size to take to shows.

Heather's  collection of ST blocks

Detail

Debbie's "chip" bag

Retreat Projects 02

Having finished making more and assembling my Siblings Together September blocks I took a break for smaller completions such as the October ST block for Angela and  finishing off the U3A little bag samples. Meanwhile Jackie attached piano key borders to her jelly roll quilt which really added to it. Debbie made a child's quilt top using the child's outgrown clothes, a lovely personal project.

Debbie holding up her quilt

My October ST block

Jackie's piano key
border

Detail

Little bags