Kaffe Mystery Quilt

[Barbara B.]

My New Blocks

littlestitches--this is the place to post anything related to the Kaffe Mystery Quilt.

Just use Reply Topic at the top of page to create a post here, on this Topic, Do not create a new Topic--all posts happen here.

I moved you over so everyone interested it this Mystery will see your blocks.

[Karen J.]

I Love your design, looks great with your fabric choice. This photo is my quilt so far.

[Marjorie G.]

Pretty!

[Marjorie G.]

I'm using my stash fabric, so it looks very different from all of these beautiful colorful creations. The quilt WANTS at least six more blocks . . . .

[Kami R.]

I’ve decided to float them, but also add thin black slashing between the big blocks. A lot more work, but I think it will be visually appealing. Thanks, Kami

[williamskay]

I think I'm really dumb! I've been using paper pieces to cut HST triangles just to see what works. I do want to do HST triangles around each block, but when I use the formula Barbara suggests adding 7/8" to the finished 6 inch size, (making the square I cut from 6 and 7/8th), the resulting HST has 1 and 1/2 inch hang over on each side--too big! Alex's 5 and 1/4 inch square works, but why? It's not the "magic" formula. And I guess the real question is--will the 5 and 1/4 HST work on all the blocks (on point)?

[Dianne M.]

Here are my blocks. I'm auditioning them with the half square triangles of the Kaffee fabric. I'm liking the way it looks. I have used EQ to try out different fabric combinations when making the blocks and to see how the quilt would look. I scanned the Kaffee fabrics into EQ to get an idea of how they would look.

[Dianne M.]

I love your yellow quilt. Absolutely beautiful. Using the Kaffee fabrics as Alex is doing is a challenge for me. I prefer more structured quilts like yours. But I'm glad I'm doing something different and learning a lot. After 40 years of quilting, there is still a lot to learn. That is one of the good things about quilting. Alex's tips on precision piecing have really helped me. This is the first time when all my blocks have turned out exactly the right size. Several things she said have helped, but the most important one was to use whichever sewing machine foot gives you a correct quarter inch seam. I've been using my quarter inch foot since I got my Janome machine over 20 years ago, but my blocks always ended up smaller than they should be. I tried moving needle over , but that didn't really help much. This time I decided to use my zig zag foot. It is wider, so I think it helps the fabric so through better. Part of it is plastic and the outside edge metal. I discovered that where the plastic ended and the metal started was the perfect place to line up the edge of the fabric. Doing that all my squares ended up 6 1/2."

[Dianne M.]

Well, for all the three-grid blocks I worked hard to make them an 8-inch instead of the 6 or 9 inch block pieces given. I have to do one over because it turned out only 7.5 inches, but so far I'm succeeding (with trial and error. I now have nine blocks finished and four more to go for how I want to lay them out. I agree with many of the other people who have posted about Alex's advice on more precision piecing. I am learning a lot! Still deciding on some sort of design wall contraption. Here are my four more recent ones.

[Nancy R.]

I think I'm really dumb! I've been using paper pieces to cut HST triangles just to see what works. I do want to do HST triangles around each block, but when I use the formula Barbara suggests adding 7/8" to the finished 6 inch size, (making the square I cut from 6 and 7/8th), the resulting HST has 1 and 1/2 inch hang over on each side--too big! Alex's 5 and 1/4 inch square works, but why? It's not the "magic" formula. And I guess the real question is--will the 5 and 1/4 HST work on all the blocks (on point)?

When using the add 7/8" rule, you are adding the 7/8" to the length of the short side of the triangle. If you look at the half-square triangle (HST), there are two short sides and one long side. When you cut the HST from a square, the short sides are the outside edges of the square and the long side is the diagonal that you cut. When adding HSTs to a square to put that square on point, it's the long side of the HST (so the length of the diagonal that you cut) that ends up being sewn to the square. In this case, the blocks are 6" finished, so your HST needs to have the long side be 6" finished, not the short sides. To calculate the finished length of the short sides (all math in quilting must be done using finished lengths, not cutting lengths) from the finished length of the long side, we go back to geometry, which tells us that the length of the long side of a HST is 1.414 times the length of the short sides. So, the finished length of the short sides is 6"/1.414 or 4.243, which rounds up to 4.25" finished. Now we know we need HSTs with 4-1/4" finished short sides, so can use the 7/8" rule to figure out that we need to cut 5-1/8" to get the needed HSTs. Cutting the squares at 5-1/2" gives you a little more wiggle room to either trim the blocks to size or let the points float a small amount, if you have perfect seam allowances.

Alex's method is to use graph paper and draw the block (again, at finished size) then draw the HST, add the 1/4" seam allowance with a ruler and then measure the short side to determine the cutting measurement.

[Barbara B.]

I think I'm really dumb! I've been using paper pieces to cut HST triangles just to see what works. I do want to do HST triangles around each block, but when I use the formula Barbara suggests adding 7/8" to the finished 6 inch size, (making the square I cut from 6 and 7/8th), the resulting HST has 1 and 1/2 inch hang over on each side--too big! Alex's 5 and 1/4 inch square works, but why? It's not the "magic" formula. And I guess the real question is--will the 5 and 1/4 HST work on all the blocks (on point)?

Alex said 5 1/8 and that is correct. Nancy (rehab) explained why and I did in my last post.

[Carol G.]

I'm following Alex's videos although not making this quilt. I want to say I am so enjoying all the pictures of all your blocks! Such colors & variety. I love it. I do plan on making the basket quilt next up.
For my design wall, I mounted a curtain rod over the closet doors in my sewing room & have a flannel backed tablecloth hung on curtain rods. I slide it over when not using it. Not perfect, but it sure does work when I need it.

Carol in MI

[williamskay]

Good job, Nancy!! I get it--thanks for the math lesson!!!!

[williamskay]

This is my completed quilt top. It’s about 45” x 60”. I’m happy with the final result.

[williamskay]

Can someone tell me why my photo rotates a quarter turn when I insert it into my post. It looks weird in that orientation from the way it was shot.