Tracy at It’s A T-Sweets Day and I have just successfully completed our very first Mystery QAL. We had such a great time watching the progress of the many participants. Chosen as the winner of our Mystery QAL was Abbie from Sparkle On. Abbey made this beautiful table runner.
Abbie’s Beautiful Mystery QAL Table Runner
Abbey’s prize was one yard of free fabric. The fabric was chosen by Tracy to be the designated fabric for Mystery QAL # 2. Yup, that’s right! We have decided to host another one! But, before I give those details let me first give a big THANK YOU to the participants of Mystery QAL # 1: Abbie, Susan, Edith, Elana, Kathy, Lori,Michelle and Roseanne. Without their enthusiastic participation our QAL would not have been successful. In my mind they are all winners! Of course, I would also have to thank my cohost Tracy! Tracy helped to get the QAL off the ground and added her own special flair to the festivities. Now, let’s move on to Mystery QAL # 2.
The second Mystery QAL kicked off on April 1, 2018, and ends on June 30, 2018. Tracy had the privilege of selecting the mandatory fabric for this QAL. Chosen by her was Tea Flowers from Connecting Threads.
Please note: In order to be entered into the drawing for Mystery QAL # 2’s prize you must complete your item, and post a story about it on or before June 30, 2018. The story must include a photo of the finished project along with a link to Tracy’s blog as well as this one.
Here’s a list of the ladies that have already signed up to participate in Mystery QAL # 2:
I can’t believe it’s already time for our Mystery QAL to end. It seems like only yesterday that Tracy and I were making plans. Just like with so many other events this too has drawn to a close.
Thank You!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the women that chose to join Tracy and I on this adventure. Deciding to participate in a project that provided very little guidance had to take a leap of faith. Bringing your project to a close took hours of self-directed effort on your part. You were the one that had to take our designated fabric and turn it into something spectacular. I am grateful for all the time and effort you invested in your work of art.
The Participants
Now that our event has finally drawn to a close let me present to you the names of the participants and their projects.
✺ Verlynne on Instagram Note: Unfortunately I was unable to locate information about Verlynne’s progress.
One Lucky Winner
When we began this QAL we told everyone that a gift would be given to one lucky person. Tracy will be providing the gift and randomly selecting the winner in the next few days. Be watching for that very important announcement!
After three months of cutting, pressing and stitching, my last Mystery QAL art piece has finally been completed. The art piece I am about to reveal has been titled Neighbors, AP # 37. I chose this name because the overall appearance reminds me of the diversified neighborhoods often seen within the confines of a city. Contained with a metropolitan community you might find
single family dwellings,
multi-family units,
ranch style homes,
bungalows,
multi-story and
high-rise buildings.
I believe the collage created by the unique blocks sandwiched together in my piece are similar to that of a city. With no two blocks the same, each one has the opportunity to add its own flair to the neighborhood.
It All Started…
This art piece began on January 1, 2018. I shared its history via a series of posts; thirteen to be exact. You may find those posts listed under the category Mystery QAL. Neighbors measures 72” x 34”. This quilt, as with most others, was sandwiched with a layer of Warm & Natural batting along with a backing of a very pretty floral fabric. I purchased the floral print sometime ago from the discount table at a local fabric store. As soon as I saw it I just new it would make a wonderful quilt back someday. I’m so happy I decided to add it to my shopping bag.
The Quilting
To secure the sandwich together I used a variegated King Tut thread. The colors in the thread nicely complimented the fabrics used in my project. My piece is filled with straight and angular lines. Using those lines for inspiration I stitched a geometric quilting motif over the entire surface, with each block receiving individualized attention.
A Surprise
In the bottom right corner I personalized the quilting by adding one of my signature stitching designs. Early on in my longarm quilting career I had fun experimenting with the endless possibilities for quilting stitches. The stitch I grew to like the most was my very own version of a flower. Typically I don’t stitch it on quilts that are quilted with straight or angular lines. In this case I thought it would be fun because after all this art piece was titled Neighborhood and who wouldn’t want to have flowers planted in their neighborhood! To add even more bling I stitched a handmade bead I purchased from jimenastreasures on Etsy. Parmila lives in Spain and creates the most unusual items. Shown below is a photo of one of my favorites.
A Bead From Jimenastreasures
To cap off the really cool bead I added a small teal one to the very top. Take a look below.
Neighbors, AP # 37 Flower Embellishment
The Finishing Touches
Most quilts are finished with a binding surrounding all four edges. I could have done the same with this art piece but I really didn’t want to add another fabric. I also didn’t want the binding to take away from my design; I wanted to leave the edges unobstructed. To secure them I made facings from the same material I used for the backing. I also added a hanging sleeve and of course a label.
Let’s Take A Look
I think that pretty much covers everything I have to say about this piece; other than the fact that I am absolutely in love with the final outcome. With nothing more to say let me share photos of the art piece I call Neighbors, AP # 37.
Neighbors, AP # 37
The next six photos are of my favorite blocks.
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 1Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 2 This one is my all-time favorite!Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 3Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 4Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 5Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 6Neighbors, AP # 37 Backing and Label
That’s All Folks!
This brings to a close my adventures in the Mystery QAL. I hope that you have enjoyed flowing along and witnessing the process I took to create my many pieces. Don’t forget to check out my Mystery QAL Category for a complete listing of the posts pertaining to this adventure. If you missed seeing the other three pieces here they are.
Munga Tusen Tak!
That’s Norwegian for Many Thanks! My husband is 50% Norwegian. Aspects of his heritage often filter into our daily lives so I thought it would be fun to honor him by sharing a Norwegian phrase. 🙂
Thank you so much for faithfully following this series. Your comments and likes have made it even more enjoyable.
