A Messy House is a Sign of a Happy Quilter: Modern Mystery Quilt 2012

Modern Mystery Part 1

A FB friend asked where Part 1 was - oops forgot to post, so here it is.

The pattern says to use solids on a light background, but I chose a black background to make the colours more bold.

Part 1 involved cutting random rectangles within a size restriction. I cut heaps so have now also added to my strip stash.

Before I started I couldn't get my head around what I had to do, so I actually drew a plan LOL.

To remember which fabric was the centre, I placed a pin in the middle until I had sewn two sides.

All the seams were to be pressed open. I usually press to the dark.

Adding the ends to make a rectangle inside a rectangle.

The finished part 1 blocks.

So I started on part 2of the Modern Mystery Quilt. I printed out the template and went through the kitchen cupboards trying to find a plate, bowl or lid that would fit - no luck. I didn't want to make 30 patterns or make a plastic template so I decided to use freezer paper.

I traced over the template and then folded the freezer paper in half before cutting. This gave me a circle.

I folded the circle to make a semi circle again and placed it around the long end of the background fabric. I pinned 4 layers of fabric together and used a dressmakers pencil to trace around the freezer paper and cut with scissors. The pattern says to discard the cut out fabric - YEAH RIGHT!!!! I'll use it for something.

The larger circle I ironed onto one piece of fabric. I used scissors to cut around it.

I then pinned the paper and fabric to about 4 layers of fabric and cut around that.

After cutting 15 circles I needed to cut them in half to make 30 semi-circles.

I did this by folding the original paper and fabric circle in half and using my rotary cutter and ruler i carefully cut each group of 4 fabrics in half.

I watched the Amy Gibson Craftsy video again to see how to sew circles. She is so good with her explanations and hints.

http://www.craftsy.com/lecture/September-Curved-Piecing/551.html?t=1958
You will need to register for the class - it is free - and the whole class is full of different hints and ideas, it is well worth it.

After sewing 2 or 3 blocks it became easier to pin and sew the curves.

One good hint was to pin the middle and the two ends a couple of times with one pin, and all the other pins only once picking up a few stitches only. This allowed the fabric to move to where I wanted it to be when sewing.