Marigold--A Meadow Mist Designs Mystery--post 1

Front to back: block background fabric, 
accent fabric and main background fabric 

First: A dear friend's dad, who served in the Signal Corps British Army during WWII, needs a quilt. He served in Africa and Cyprus. Dementia is robbing his brilliant mind. His daughter, who lives in the U.K., and I are collaborating on this project. She loves literature and loves looking at quilts; but, doesn't sew. If you have knowledge of a print, symbols that were used during that time, would you please contact me? Thank you!

Goal number one on my August list was to select fabric and begin piecing the clues for Marigold which is a free Meadow Mist Designs mystery. (This is the third project that I decided to start last month. Gertie, my inner squirrel, ran rampant. I should had have my head examined; but, all will be well!)

I was intrigued to participate in this mystery because the remaining fabric consists of about a yard and a quarter of scraps. I have an over abundance of those!

Dutchmen's puzzle block

Again, my quest is to use what I have! I dug through my stash and came up with more than enough main background fabric. This was leftover from the Sweet Tooth mystery and I had planned to use it to with the Sweet Additions blocks that I had sewn last year. If I have leftover fabric, I'll use it in the Sweet Additions project.

I'm about an eighth of a yard short of the solid that I chose for the accent fabric. I returned to the store where I had originally purchased; however, this solid wasn't available. I checked my local quilt shop and the area fabric store; but, I was unable to find it. 

I believe it is a Moda solid; but, there is no information on the selvage so I'm not sure! I have no idea what the color is. I purchased it because I liked that it was a brown toned dark grey! If I'm unable to find a closer match, my plan is to supplement the accent fabric with another dark solid fabric that is a similar value.

I also don't have enough of the yellow, which is the block background fabric. I'm about a quarter of a yard short. I do have a similar fabric available from my stash that will work so I'm okay there. 

All four Dutchmen's Puzzle blocks

In August, we received clue number one. We made two different blocks. I used the color swatches shown in the clue to guide me as I looked through my solid scraps to find enough fabrics to construct four Dutchmen's Puzzle blocks. I used green fabric because I had it. Although it wasn't a color listed in the swatches. 

Starting the selection process

Then, I moved on to selecting scraps for the six pointed star block. While I had enough of a few solid scraps, I had to go to the prints to find chunks big enough to cut the pieces needed for the block.

Kitted pieces sans the background fabric

After selecting the star fabrics, I cut the size pieces needed. I kitted the pieces with the block background fabric. While the directions were to have a print center in the star and solid star points, I used what I had. I did make one star without solid rays. I liked that fabric and had a big enough piece to cut the center block so I made the entire star out of that fabric. I hope I won't regret my decision later!

Five completed star blocks

After making nine blocks, I put them together to see how they look. They look cohesive. I didn't take a photo of them so you will have to trust me on that one! Bring on clue number two!

Small bits scrap bag

I ran out of days last month to post about this project. Here is the continuation of progress regarding the Marigold mystery! For September, we were to make Ohio Star and Chain blocks. I checked out my small scraps bag and found a few scraps that I could use for this project. As I was looking at the scraps, I thought why not also use the leftover chunks from the Modern Quilt Mystery from last year? I hadn't gotten around to putting the Sweet Additions blocks together; but, I figured. . .when I do. . .I can make a smaller quilt or I can---wait for it--- buy what I need!

Sweet Additions possibilities

Out came the bag of chunks. There was some stitch removal. There was some trimming and in the end, I cut the segments for the blocks and kitted them in a plastic bag.

Kitted block parts

A few days later, I cut the background pieces. I'm about out of the background. Maybe, I've purchased a similar background;. If I haven't, I've another that will work.

Background pieces cut

I sewed these blocks the day before and morning of my knee surgery. By the way, the surgery went well and the recovery is going well. I wrote a bit about my knee in my previous post. 

I did not read the directions correctly. I had cut too many chain blocks and not enough Ohio Star blocks! It's okay, I like those chain blocks. That extra block may become part of the back!

Ohio Stars and Chain blocks

I'm ready for Clue number three which will come out in October. While I can peek at the reveal for the mystery, I haven't; I like not knowing where or how the blocks will be used. Making progress on this project was goal number 10 on my September list. Linking to Oh Scrap, Sew & Tell and To Do Tuesday.