2-Colour Mystery Quilt

Hi and welcome 😊 I've been trying to stay away from challenges and quilt-alongs because they are my number 1 creators of UFOs. Also, I'm accuracy challenged, so traditional quilts are not my favourites....but this is a mystery quilt with only 2 colours and it's designed by Joanne at Canuck Quilting Designs. I was a tester for one of her quilts (before I dived into art quilts). I love her designs and her instructions are exactly how I like reading my patterns. So....I just had to participate.

2 Colours Mystery Quilt 

I thought that I had the dark fabric for the mystery quilt but I couldn't find anything I liked in my stash for the lighter colour. I figured that if I had to buy fabric, that I might as well get both fabrics. I got lucky and found some fabric on sale at my local quilt shop. The dark green was the end of the bolt and the lighter fabric was in the reduced basement.

Fabric for week 2

Week 1 - cutting fabric

Here is my fabric cut for week 2. I really don't like cutting fabric and I'd rather do it in chunks than to cut it all at once. Besides, some days I'm more accurate than others - so it's good to spread out the task.

Choosing, washing and cutting fabric

Fabric all cut for week 2 plus an extra block for later

Before cutting anything, I figure out on paper, what I need to cut as a first step. As you can see, I arrange my fabric using large paper clips. The clips have numbers because I created them when I learned to do foundation paper piecing.

The written strips with the sizes of each block are selvage edges from the fabric that I've just cut. I find this a great way to keep myself organised.

Accuracy Challenged

I was very careful when I cut my strips but I still managed to mess up my 5" strips. Since I have more than enough green fabric, I cut as much as possible from the non-wonky part, and then sub-cut it to 3" width and then 5" long. 

I was working on a green cutting mat and had difficulty seeing the green fabric underneath my ruler, so I flipped it over and cut it that way. It worked!

Cutting fabric from the back - it's easier to see!

Now I try to quilt a couple of blocks to make sure that I have everything correct, before I do chain piecing. That's because if there's more than one way to stitch the pieces together, you can guarantee that I'll find it!

The wrong way of sewing the blocks together!
The block on the right is the correct way.

I even placed a block in front of me to make sure that I got it right....and I managed to get it wrong once more before it came out ok!

A block on the wall to ensure
that I get it right...

After getting it wrong a second time, I called it quits. Today I was hoping that it would go better....well, I did get quicker at pulling the stitches out! I now have 6 blocks done of each colour combination. Six more and the first week will be done!

Blocks for week 2 done! 😊

What I learned

• Is knowing that I'm accuracy challenged a good thing or is it a self-fulfilling prophecy? 
• I just figured out that I was using the wrong cutting chart - so I have more fabric to cut! 
• I really do try to be careful, but it's when I think that I finally have it under control that I stop checking 3 times before doing anything, and then get it wrong.
• Don't let me deter you from making this quilt. I'm sure that you would be fine 😁
• Now you know why I prefer improv blocks and art quilts - but I don't want this to stop me from making quilts with regular blocks. It's nice to have a variety of projects on the go, and I do consider myself a quilter....just not a great piecer 😊

Related links

• Canuck Quilter Designs
• Pattern Testing a Baby Quilt, December 19, 2016

Linking parties

I'll be linking up to many linking parties. Why not check them out? 

Design Wall Monday, Sew & Tell, Put Your Foot Down, Needle & Thread Thursday, Midweek Makers, Finished (Or Not) Friday,