Mystery Quilts

‘Tis almost the season…

Not the one with Christmas trees and mistletoe…no not that season.  No, you know the First-of-the-New-Year Quilting Season – Blocks-of-the-Month (BOM) and Mystery Quilts.

That season.  More specifically, Mystery Quilt Season.  It seems that a lot of quilt shops, quilt guilds, online quilt shops, and Facebook/Instagram groups will start their Block-of-the-Month Clubs or Mystery Quilt seasons at the beginning of a new calendar year.  Blocks-of-the-Month can vary greatly from year to year.  It seems some years there are very few attractive BOMs.  And other years – such as 2024 – have a bevvy of wonderful BOMs.  So much so that it’s easy to get sucked into too many.  Blocks-of-the-Month can be a neat experience.  Sometimes you are given the pattern and have to choose your own fabrics.  With others, the fabric is provided with the pattern.  Recently I participated in a BOM that not only supplied the fabric and the pattern, but also the fusible web.  I joined one a couple of years ago which not only had the fusible on the back of the fabric, but the applique pieces were laser cut.  All you had to do was fuse and sew.  To garner participation with BOMS, groups or quilt shops generally show a picture of the completed quilt so you know what you’re getting into.

Mystery quilts don’t.  Hence the term, “Mystery Quilt.”  You have no idea what you’re getting into.  Generally with these you supply your own fabric and have no idea how everything will turn out.  One month you may construct 140 flying geese and the next 250 half-square triangles, with absolutely no idea how these two units will play with each other until the final construction directions are given to you.  Mystery Quilts are great ventures of faith and trust.  And Zone of Truth here:  I like Blocks-of-the-Month a lot more than Mystery Quilts.  If my guild has a yearlong Mystery Quilt, I’m the guild member who will faithfully download all the instructions and wait until the final directions are given before I decide if I want to make the quilt.  Remember this quilt?  This is my Quilt of Rebellion.  Actually I have two.

Both of these are the result of a Mystery Quilt my guild did a few years ago.  The more block units I made, the more I realized this was a heavily pieced quilt and I don’t like heavily pieced quilts.  I made my units, set them aside, and designed the two quilts above.  The Mystery Quilt was supposed to look like this: 

Mine definitely took a detour. 

But there’s no denying Mystery Quilts are fun.  And I would encourage you to try a couple during your quilting career.  However, I’d also like to throw out some advice from a quilter who loves to get involved with lots of quilting groups and who has had more than a reasonable number of Mystery Quilt opportunities.

First, Google the Designer.  When the internet throws information your way, you want to look for a few specific items.  Has this designer been designing quilts for a while?  Are there complaints about the directions (do they give clear directions?)?  Remember, with a Mystery Quilt, you only see parts at a time — the block units and then sometimes the completed blocks.  You have no idea what the entire quilt looks like until the end.  With few visual guides, the directions should be super clear. 

You also want to know if they have designed Mystery Quilts before.  Writing directions for a Mystery Quilt is a bit different from typical quilt directions.  I also click the Images tab when I Google a designer to see how some of their other quilts look.  This way you discover what the designer’s “vibe” is.  For instance, If the designer loves applique, chances are that Mystery Quilt may have some applique in it.  If you’re not a fan of applique, then you may want to opt out of this Mystery Quilt.  If there is one particular type of block or block unit you honestly can’t stand to make, email the designer or the person in charge of your guild’s or the shop’s Mystery Quilt to see if it’s part of the quilt.  Sometimes they’ll tell you straight up.  Other times they may indicate the quilt may involve a few of your-not-so-favorite things.  And still other times you won’t be given any information. 

This brings me to another consideration about the designer or the person in charge of the Mystery Quilt:  Is there a way to contact them if you have a question or problem and will they answer you?  This is pretty important.  Because they know how the quilt will look once assembled, they should be available to answer your questions. 

Second, highlight the information you’re given.  You should be told how big the quilt will be.  Really good Mystery Quilts will give you the option of a couple of different sizes.  The directions should also be specific about the type of fabric to use (if the fabric isn’t provided).  How many lights, mediums, and darks do you need?  Will yardage or fat quarters work better?  Can you make it scrappy?  Will batiks work?  What about prints?  Is there a chance to showcase large prints?  What about a focus fabric? Above all else, make sure you love working with the fabrics you choose.  Many Mystery Quilts are months long commitments.  That’s quite a long time to be sewing fabric you’re not crazy about.

Third, make an appointment each week to work on your quilt.  I do this with both Mystery Quilts and Blocks-of-the-Month.  I have a dedicated time each week to work through the block(s).  When I made my 2023 Temperature Quilt, every Monday night was devoted to a block.  With my first Dear Jane, it was Saturday mornings.  It helps to have a specific time blocked out to work with these quilts.  This keeps you caught up, which is so important.  When you fall behind, it can seem you’ll never get back on track.  And as long as you keep up with the program, questions can be answered much more easily now than six months down the road when everyone else has completed the blocks.

Fourth, make sure you read the rules.  With some groups, you must show you’ve completed the previous month’s block before you receive the directions for the next month’s block.  Some quilt shops require you to do this in person.  This is really a win/win situation.  You get to see the new block, ask any questions about it, and see if the shop has any gadget which could help you (as well as peruse any new fabric or patterns).  It’s good for the quilt shop, too. It brings in more foot traffic and helps their bottom line.  Some shops just require a picture from your phone.  Some groups require nothing more than picking up or downloading the next pattern.  However, there still are some questions you need answers to:

1.  If the shop or group requires you to pick up the directions, what happens if you miss a month?  You may have every intention of picking up every month’s block, but we both know life can happen and sometimes at the last minute something will come up.  What happens if you have to miss a month?  Can you pick the block up later?  Can a friend pick up the directions for you? 
2. Who do you contact if you have to miss a month or have a question? 
3. Are the fabric requirements and quilt size clearly listed?  What are the measurements for the unfinished blocks?

Bottom line is this: You at least need the contact information for someone in case you have questions.

Finally, know the Mystery Quilt’s expectations and your limitations.   If the Mystery Quilt requires several blocks of the month and you don’t have that kind of time to allocate to it, you may want to pass on that opportunity.  If the blocks are small and you aren’t a fan of small blocks, it’s good to know that kind of information before you sign up.  It’s also good to know the quilting level the quilt considers.  If you’re a beginner quilter and the pattern is geared more towards the intermediate level, be aware some of the techniques may be new to you, but I wouldn’t necessarily let that deter me from signing up.  Ask the shop or group if there is someone who could help you if you have questions.

If you try out a Mystery Quilt and discover you really enjoy this process, there are Facebook Groups and Website which cater to only Mystery Quilts.  Some of these quilts even have their own mystery stories to go along with the quilt – which are really fun.  You solve the mystery as you construct the quilt.  Really, the skies (and the mysteries) are limitless. 

Until Next Week, From My Studio to Yours,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix