It's A Scrappy Mystery! - Part 1

I will be teaching at a local quilting retreat in a few weeks.  The one day, about six hour workshop, is called "It's A Scrappy Mystery". 

The first clue was given to the participants with their supply lists recently.

They were asked to gather 1.5 inch wide strips in dark and medium colors, and 2.5 inch wide strips in dark and medium colors.

They were also asked to gather 1.5 inch wide strips of light fabrics and 2.5 inch wide strips of light fabrics.

Now since this is a scrappy quilt, you all know that my strips bins include all colors of the rainbow. So my request for scrappy will see strips from all of those colors of the rainbow - well not black usually, but then there is no black in the rainbow.  Brown is not there either, but I will include browns in my medium and darks.

You know the test and the question - is the yellow a dark, a light or a medium?

Here yellow is light next to the dark green.

Here it is medium, when compared to the beige print and dark green.

Here it is the dark, or more accurately, a medium/dark next to the beige.

Alł depends on how you look at it! Or, what fabric it is next to.

But I digress...

Once they had their strips the first clue is to use the 1.5 inch wide strips to make nine patches that will be 3.5 inches unfinished and will finish at 3 inches in the quilt.

The nine patches are what I call "positive" nine patches in that the dark or medium on the four corners and the center is darker than the four "lights" in the unit.

Some examples are

All the same lights, with a very definitely lighter, medium in the center. It could be a light in another nine patch!

A grouping of nine patches

Up close view of the lower right nine patch.

Up close view of the lower left nine patch

Lights in all ranges of value, but all contrast with the five darks in the block.

And then there is this one, the upper right nine patch. The four outside squares are definitely on the lighter side, so they are mediums and could be used in another block as the lights.

It all depends on the color it is standing next to!

All will be used in a scrappy version of the Scrappy Mystery.  Make 36 for the small size being made in this workshop, if you want to play along.

Hope this post helps as you look at your lights, mediums and darks as you make your nine patches.  

But don't put the leftovers away!  You will need them again in another step!

And while you are digging through the your stash, if you are playing along with us, look for 2 yards of a background color that contrasts with the darks in your nine patches and looks nice next to the nine patches.

Louise, playing with nine patches on the island.

It's a "Heat Wave" - NOT' and Happy Valentine's Day!

The temperature has gone up two degrees since I got up this morning. I just forgot to take that picture!

This is also set to display the wind chill, which was -7 degrees Fahrenheit when I took this picture in between wind gusts.  DH saw a reading of -27 degrees Fahrenheit at one point.  

Just documenting all of this for posterity!

Some left over pictures to show you now...

A quilt top completed using the "Windermere" line that is available at the Piecing with Poppers Quilting Center.  The pattern is called "Busy Bee" and is available from Villa Rosa Patterns.

Lisa's top, minus the top and bottom piano keys border.

Cindy's mini blocks with one more needed to complete this mini quilt.

I forgot to put a ruler next to the blocks but they are each probably four inches square.

My "Spinning Stars" is finally completed.  This top was pieced in a workshop with Kimberly Einmo a few years ago at a November "The Quilter's Gathering" class.

Peggy's top completed at the last Quilter's Retreat at the end of January.

Remember her strips...

I like the completed piece, don't you?

And the last picture for this post...

Tina's top.  It speaks for itself! She is so talented!

That's it for today.  Enjoy the view from your window.  It is most likely pretty and much warmer inside than outside.

Louise, from the island enjoying the view from inside the warm house!

January Finishes

UPDATE!!!

This posting was originally set to go in early February.  But when I realized that I was posting a picture of a Mystery Quilt that I was teaching at a local Retreat in March, I decided to hold it until a later date.

Now that the Retreat has come and gone, you can enjoy this short picture show!

I continue to try to whittle away the UFO Stash.  January saw some finishes.  Here they are!

First,

A top from a class by Kimberly Einmo, that I believe was called "Spinning  Stars".  It is probably three years old, so not one of the oldest UFO's in my stash.

Next,

Is this top designed as a mystery class for an upcoming quilting retreat.  I had lots of fun with this one and have a second finished except for the borders.

Finally,

This top has been completed.  I will attach a second picture soon since this was taken while it was still in progress.

My first February top finish is

A quilt using the "Windermere" line of fabrics that Sharon has in the shop (Piecing with Poppers Quilting Center in West Greenwich RI) made in a Villa Rosa pattern called "Busy Bee". This was relatively simple and now needs to be put into the "to be quilted" que.

That's it for tonight!

Louise, on the snowy island