February Mystery Quilt

Where did Feb go?  Do the mystery quilt days seem to be coming around faster and faster or is it just us?

Anyway, we think you will enjoy this month's quilt.  Let's get started.

The quilt is made with nine 20 inch blocks.  We will begin by making the large stars for each of these blocks.  We love Quilt in a Day flying geese rulers.  This block uses the 3 x 6 inch ruler - it keeps the geese neat, tidy and precise!

Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of a yellow 7 1/2 inch square.  Place the 7 1/2 square in the middle of a 9 inch red square with the right sides facing.

Sew 1/4 inch on each side of the line.  Cut apart on the line.  Press seams toward the larger triangle.  

Place the two pressed halves right sides together with outside edges aligned and opposite fabrics touching.  Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner perpendicular to the seams.  Sew 1/4 inch on each side of the line.  Cut on the line.  

Make a small snip between the parallel seams in each half.  This allows the fabric to be pressed in different directions.  Press the block and trim the flying geese with the 3 x 6 inch (finished size) flying geese ruler as shown.

It's hard to see in the photo but the ruler has markings that align with the edges of the flying geese triangle.  You simply trim all the way around to create precise, tidy flying geese.  Each set yields four flying geese.

Use a center square and the yellow background squares to complete the large star block as shown below.  

You will need to create 9 large star blocks.  We used the center shown in part of the blocks and the alphabet print in the remaining stars.

To create the small star blocks place a six inch teal square with a 6 inch red star square making sure the right sides are facing.  Draw two diagonal lines on the back of one of the squares.  Sew 1/4 inch on each side of the drawn lines.

Cut on the diagonal lines and halfway through the squares vertically and horizontally.

Square the triangles to 2 1/2 inches.  ( We love the Quilt in a Day triangle square up ruler for this.)  Press toward the teal fabric.

Arrange and sew as in the photo below.  Create nine small star blocks.

Sew a red 6 1/2 inch bandana square to an alphabet or cowboy print 6 1/2 inch square.  Create nine.

Assemble the components to create a block as shown below.

Assemble 9 blocks.  Arrange the blocks into three rows with three blocks in each row.  We twisted the blocks different directions to give the quilt more of a scrappy, unplanned look.

Sew the 5 inch grey cowboy strips to the top and bottom of the quilt to complete.

We think it turned out fun.  Anxious to try the same pattern with different fabrics.

Happy Sewing!

We are tentatively planning a quilt using the Camp-a-lot line for March mystery quilt.  Please call us to sign up.