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"9 Patch Over-Under" Mystery Quilt
Part ONE - Introduction & Fabric Choices

designed by Susan C. Druding

                           for Part Two - CUTTING the Strips: Go Here.

For more information about Mystery Quilts and links to others - click here.

It's a full size quilt of approximately 94 x 94". I say "approximately" because you can alter the border choices at the end if you wish to make it larger or a little smaller. The minimum size for the quilt (with no borders at all) is 81 x 81 inches.

This article will get you started choosing your fabric and if you are beginning quilter you can practice doing strip cutting and sewing before you start on the actual mystery quilt.

This is an EASY quilt. If you are an experienced quilter you'll find it fun and fast. If you are a beginning quilter you'll easily be able to do it with simple quilt-sewing skills. The finished look will be more complicated than a simple 9-Patch (... therein lies the mystery ...)

Fabric Choices

Essentially this is a 3 Fabric Quilt - but, it'll be more interesting looking if you can choose to make it slightly scrappy by using several fabrics instead of just one for the "Dark" and "Light" choices.  I suggest you choose them in the order shown, choosing a print first.

Choosing the PRINT Fabric:
(need 1-3/4 yds of 40" minimum fabric)
You first choose a medium to large patterned fabric - it should be multi-color in its print (not just 2-colors). A big, bold floral or an African print or a bold fish print?  You want to choose a print which has a large enough pattern that a 3 inch square area looks different when moved around the fabric surface. To test this - take a piece of cardboard or file folder material and cut a 3 x 3 inch hole in it in the center.  Move it around on the fabric - you want to see a different "look" in different square areas. You do not want to see the same little calico area under all the openings. Hopefully you'll choose a fabric with at least 4-5 colors in the print, more is OK.

Choosing the DARK Fabric:
(need 4 yds of minimum 40" wide fabric, can be 2-4 different fabrics as a scrappy that looks the same color from a distance)
This is the fabric you will use in largest amount in the quilt. Pick a rich color that goes with your print - carry your print fabric on your arm and lay different dark fabrics against it. You might choose a "hand dyed" look or batiky look. You may want to use a small tone-on-tone print. If you can choose 3-4 fabrics that from a distance read as a similar dark color this is good and use them instead of just one fabric.

Choosing the LIGHT Fabric:
(need 3-1/2 yds of 40" minimum fabric, can be scrappy as above )
Now you should have two or more fabrics over your arm - the Print and the Dark (or Darks). You need to put a light or medium-light fabric which will go with the other two. Again a mottled fabric or 2-3 fabrics which look almost the same color from a distance will be more interesting that a solid fabric.

Here are some samples of fabrics I pulled from my stash and scanned to show you some of what I'm thinking. I don't tend to have small, floral calicos, but you could use them.

I have estimated on the generous edge for fabric quantity - you will have some fabric leftover, but you will use some in the borders, too.

I am one of those who always washes my fabric before use. If you do, then wash all of it. If not, then none of the fabric should be washed. You will be strip cutting all of the fabric, so it should be ironed.

You will need a rotary cutter, a mat, and a good ruler for cutting.

** See This Page for More on Strip Cutting and Sewing of Strips.

For Installment Two - CUTTING the Strips: Go Here.

copyright ©1998-2005 Susan C. Druding
For Permission to use my pattern for your Quilt Guild or Group, please write me at quilting -at- equilters.com (replace the -at- with @)

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New - May 1999 - a Gallery of completed Nine Patch - Over/Under quilt tops. If you decide you want to do this Mystery Quilt, but want to see how the finished quilt looks. Visit this page if you don't mind seeing the end of the mystery.

If you didn't do our
Mystery Quilt #1 - Four Star Square -
and would like to see it, it started HERE.

  A Gallery of finished Mystery #1 quilt tops is HERE.

Susan
Susan Druding

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