August 2026 Mysteries and Sew Alongs

For some reason I've skipped a bunch of of Mysteries and Sew Alongs.  Hopefully, I'll be better at posting them to my blog for the rest of the year.  Enjoy the August offerings. 

Here’s one I missed totally. It ran for 4 weeks in June. Check the web page for info along with a picture of the quilt done in red, white, and blue.  The pattern will be available free for the rest of the summer. The paper piecing designs along with links to the videos are on the page linked above. The blocks are 15” and the quilt is 55” square. Even if you don’t want to make it right away this is a stunning quilt that would look good in other color ways.  

https://delafieldquiltcompany.com/pages/2026-summer-quilt-along .

Meadow Mist introduced a new pattern called Pavilion Blooms.  To go with the new pattern, Cheryl announced a sew along.  You must buy the new pattern. All info about the sew along can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/MeadowMistDesigns or by signing up for her newsletter. You may need to scroll through the Facebook group page for more info. Lots going on at Meadow Mist as she’s also started Marigold Mystery.  Pavilion Blooms $. Marigold Mystery is free.

Melva Loves Scraps is sponsoring Lala’s Irish Chain sew along. Melva always includes historical information, this time about Lala, her great grandmother. It’s started but I bet you can catch up pretty easily. Here’s the link to the announcement and the fabric requirements.  https://melvalovesscraps.blogspot.com/2026/07/lalas-irish-chain-new-sew-along.html .

Christa Quilts is running a sew along beginning September 4. The pattern is called Dancing Stars and can be purchased as a digital or hard copy.  Check her web site for more info and the link to her pattern. https://christaquilts.com/2026/07/21/join-me-for-dancing-stars-quilt-along-this-fall/  $. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie

Monday Meanderings 3 - 9 - 2026

 Weather changes and time changes.  It was really nice to walk Sunny this evening -- it was still light. And it was in the high 60s at 7 pm.  So nice.  Spring is coming.  And I have a spring-looking UFO to work on soon. Here's what I got done this week. 

3/2/26

✅Bind bottom of grey sweatshirt. — done. 

✅Keep working on sewing blue bricks together — All sewn together, maybe. 

✔️Plan rest of February UFO blocks and start sewing together — All blocks framed.

✔️Finish knitting sock currently on the needles — Still have a few inches to finish the sock.

✅Keep working on the Magnificent Mystery blocks and rows — all blocks made.

✅ Look at the March UFO project — 42 blocks to make a 6 x 7 center.

I got a lot done this week but some things weren't finished so I've marked them with the black check mark.  

Here's the blue bricks sewn together. It's about 30" wide by 39" long. I think I'm going to add a few more columns to bring it up to 36" wide. The bricks are 2.5" x 5". The squares are 2.5", just incase you want to make your own.  

I snuck in a few special blocks for laughs. Check out the frog in the center  of full top picture.  

Here is one suggestion for the Feb. UFO blocks.  I have a really nice Oriental fabric that was with all the blocks.  The flowers in the basket block are from it. This way this border is overwhelming the blocks.  

So then I added a little border of fabric that is used in many of the blocks. I don't think this really works.  What do you think? Any different ideas? Maybe I'll try some sashing or a different border fabric. 

Here are 4 blocks from the Magnificent Mystery top -- one of each full block and half block. I've got all the blocks done. But I need to start putting them together. Shouldn't take long to put 5 full rows and 2 half rows together.  I just need to be motivated to do it! It'll go on this week's goal list to help with my motivation. (What looks like really dark fabric is actually a purple print with leaves and vines -- rust, gold and greens on the purple ground.)  

And now, this week's goals. 

3/9/26

Finish Feb UFO to top stage

Stitch on Snowman block

Trim March UFO blocks 

Sew Magnificent Mystery blocks into rows

Finish knitting sock

I'm not sure I'll be able to finish February's UFO to top stage as I'm not sure how I want to finish it.  Decisions, decisions. But there's always March's UFO project. I won some of these paper pieced blocks years ago from Paper Panache. Then a few years ago I had my FCQ Equilters make me some more.  I've not been really interested in finishing them but this year I put them on the UFO challenge 3 times. It came up for March so the first activity I planned was to evaluate the blocks, remove the papers and sew the blocks together.  I have 42 blocks and will set them 6 x 7, 36" x 42".  I've decided on using the green with various whites to make the border blocks the next time these blocks come up on the challenge. 

I've stuck to stitching every day this week. Many days were a lot more than 15 minutes. 

Week ending 3/8/26:  67 days of 2026.

  67 days of 67. 100%

I went wild recently.  I bought a bunch of wide backs from Marshall Dry Goods to go with several tops that are waiting to be quilted.  I'll share what I bought once it arrives in the next week or so. And, then I need to get some quilting done! 

Now, I'm reminding you to visit some Linky Parties to see what is going on across the Internet.     

Stitching Stuff 

Oh Scrap

Quilting Patchwork Applique 

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings

Also, check out my listing of March 2026 Mysteries and Sew Alongs. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

March 2026 Mysteries and Sew Alongs

Bearadise features a camping-loving bear and his forest friends enjoying the great outdoors. https://suzyssitcom.com/join-the-bearadise-sew-along Free pattern available each month on the 24th, if you miss it there is a small fee to purchase it.  Begins on Feb 24th. 

Are you looking for a special America 250 quilt? Take a look at the free quilt along, “Semiquincentennial” in honor of America’s birthday.  https://bomquilts.com/2026-semiquincentennial-bom/#google_vignette  The patterns are issued monthly beginning March 20. TK Harrison, who designed the quilt, also has a page with tutorials to make different units in the quilt.  Blocks are 15” finished. 

Congratulations! You've been appointed  ambassador to Polychromia! And you’ll be having some fun experiences working with color. You can make either a wall quilt 49 x 49" or 98 x 98". Take a look at the explanation of the experience. It sounds like a lot of fun. https://www.modernquiltstudio.com/product/ambassador/  $

Sewcialites 3 began on February 20th. Every Friday until August 21 a new block will be released. (Except the Fourth of July weekend you get a break!) https://blog.fatquartershop.com/join-us-for-the-free-sewcialites-3-quilt-along/. I notice there is also a page you can  bookmark to make it easier to pick up the patterns. https://www.fatquartershop.com/sew-alongs/sewcialites-free-pattern-series?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=sewcialites-3

Buttonwood Village by Piece O Cake designs is a cheerful applique BOM. Patterns are included in the fee of $48.  https://pieceocake.com/products/buttonwood-block-of-the-month-digital-pattern .  It started Feb 26 and runs for 10 months. $

February 2026 Mysteries and Sew Alongs

Check out https://quiltingwithtamara.com/blog/2026_block-of-the-month/ for a creative block of the month called Block of the Month with a Twist.  If you scroll to the bottom of Tamara’s info page there are links to her Free Quilt Block Library which features 12” blocks and her Scrappy Quilt Patterns. The Scrapy Quilt Patterns piqued my interest. 

Jessica Dayon is sharing The 2026 Scrappy Sampler Block of the Week with two blocks released each week. The first 8 blocks have already been shared but are available. Or you can just save them and make them later.  The blocks will be available through the whole event which lasts until March 26th. Get more information https://jessicadayon.blogspot.com/2025/12/announcing-2026-scrappy-sampler-block.html . One issue with this quilt along is  you must go to the You Tube video each week and check the written description for the link to written directions. This takes you to Google Docs where you can save the document. Mine saved to my download file.  A little more time but so far I’ve been impressed with the blocks. 

I Still Play With Blocks started 2/1. For more info and to join go to https://cottonandjoy.com/pages/block-of-the-month-2026?utm_campaign=2026-013DayBlitz&utm_content=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=flodesk

This is not a free event. $$

Here’s a different take on a quilt along. Check out Gnome Angel’s Bookish Quilt Club.  You’re going to be prompted to choose a book, a fabric, and a technique based on the monthly prompt.  It sounds like a fun way to get some reading in and try or use new techniques.  Check the information page: https://www.gnomeangel.com/gnomeangels-bookish-quilt-club-2026/ . 

Snuggles Quilts is offering a wool block of the month starting with the February block available on January15th and every 15th day of the month for the year. This year is Sheep Year. Sign up for Deanne’s newsletter and get more info: https://snugglesquilts.com/block-of-the-month/ . If you are interested in doing  wool applique this might be for you. There appears to be a lot of information on how to do wool applique at this site. 

Material Girlfriends is offering a 6 month block of the month called Bona Fide. Basic info is available now with directions starting February 15. https://materialgirlfriends.com/2026-sew-along-bona-fide/.  Check out their free Interwoven Hearts pattern — it’s a quick 30” sq Valentine’s Day table topper.  (Hint — Scroll through the rest of the free patterns.  There might be one that talks to you! ) 

If you notice an upcoming mystery or sew along feel free to send me the link.  

January 2026 Mysteries and Sew Alongs

Farmer’s Daughter sponsored by Riley Blake Designs starts on Jan 6th and ends May 26. This year 16 blocks will  finish at 10”. The blocks will release every Tuesday except the last Tuesday of the month.  For more info check out https://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/assets/images/sewalongs/RBDBlockChallenge/2026/Invite.pdf 

Gail's Stay At Home Round Robin (SAHRR), Starts 1/17/26 and ends  Feb. 25. Need to pick a block to start your round robin.  Check out all the info at https://quiltinggail.com/2025/12/18/announcing-the-2026-sahrr/ 

This is a follow along for sewers presented by Laura Ann Coia. Here’s the You Tube link to the first video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW3RZWxsm3Q  It is an unusual quilt. So far 3 videos have been posted with two more to come.  I’m looking forward to what the finished piece will look like. 

Erica Arndt is sponsoring a Sew With Me and a Stitch With Me for 2026.  Here’s a link to her You Tube video talking about the upcoming video tutorials that will be released each month. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFhCOyQxPzo

Murder Mystery and Mystery Quilt — Read the mystery story every month to get clues to who done it and clues to the mystery quilt will be given.   $$ https://murdermysteryquilt.com

Charisma Horton is sponsoring the “Popple Mystery 2026” starting in January.  I believe this has been announced over Instagram but I don’t use that social media so I have gathered what I can from her other social media accounts. There will be video tutorials on You Tube weekly. Fabric requirements will be listed in her 12/31 newsletter. You must sign up on her web site to receive the printable handouts via her newsletter. Here’s the link to sign up for her newsletter:  https://charismascorner.com/subscribe-by-email/

December Mysteries and Sew Alongs 2025

 Very late but maybe some of these will be of interest. 

Sew Along Strength in Every Stitch by Riley Blake Designs and their designers started 11/7.  Check out all the info about this sew along at https://www.rbdblog.com/2025/10/29/strength-in-every-stitch-a-new-sew-along-coming-soon/. All blocks and fabric requirements can be found at https://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/strength-in-every-stitch. Even if you don't want to make the blocks as they are released, consider saving the block instructions to your computer so you have a variety of block instructions available when you need something new. 

Stitchin’ Heaven is sponsoring another Mystery Sew Along on 1/1/2026.  For more info check out: https://stitchinheaven.com/collections/2026-mystery-quilt-along

Are you looking for something a little different?  Check out Fish Ring Quilts’ Tea Time Quilt-Along starting January 2026.  Foundation paper piecing, appliqué, reverse appliqué and curved piecing are some of the techniques to be explored.  Finished quilt is 38” x 50” made of interlocking blocks.  Fish Ring Quilts is located in the Netherlands and this quilt along is offered in Dutch and English. The price for patterns delivered to your inbox is $29. https://fishringquilts.com/quilt-along/ $29 US.

Alex Anderson gives info on the Quilt Show Block of the Month Experience 2026. View the video announcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU53re4JZuw  You must have a membership to TheQuiltShow.com A year membership is $50.00. 

Info on Sherri McConnell’s 2026 Block of the Month is available on this blog post. This year's blocks will be 12"finished. https://www.aquiltinglife.com/a-quilting-life-2026-block-of-the-month/.

Take a look at Riley Blake Designs RBD Block Challenge 2026.  The Challenge includes 16 - 10” blocks and starts on January 6th and ends May 26th. Check out the schedule at https://www.rbdblog.com/2025/10/14/announcing-the-2026-rbd-block-challenge/. 

Monday Meanderings 11 - 17 - 2025

What a difference a week has made.  By the end of last Monday night I couldn't talk at all. Well I tried but I couldn't get much sound to project. I could whisper a bit but no voice.  By Tuesday I felt horrible and went to what we call a Doc in a Box, ie a clinic where you can be seen pretty quickly. Turns out I had/have a sinus infection. Antibiotics cleared up the aching sinus cavity but the nose was drippy, the voice was still gone, and I was wiped out.  Except for running a few errands on Wed I stayed home the whole week. I slept, I knit a little, I read a lot and I sewed some.  I am happy to report I'm feeling much better but I'm not ready to jump up and have some fun. (May be I'd jump up and play in the studio though!)  

I'm happy that I got anything done in the studio this week.  Saturday and Sunday I got most of what I wanted to do, done. Here's what my goals from last week look like. 

11/11/25

Finish Tall Tree sections ✅6 & 7 and ✅2nd skirt section — 7 is started but didn’t get finished. 

✅Sew clue 5 of Magnificent Mystery together — started but not finished.

Begin quilting on In Home Round Robin — nope, didn’t happen.

✅Continue sewing Benny rows together — a few rows have all the blocks sewn together.

✅Make more Economy blocks — several more blocks were finished.  

I'm surprised I got this much done actually! 

These are fabrics from my stash that I tried to use with the Magnificent Mystery greens. The fabric with the circles is what I was using for fabric D. Except, I ran out. Or at least I wouldn't have had enough to do all of Clue 5. I wash hoping I wouldn't have to go shopping. Except, none of these were enough either. Sigh -- So that was why I ran errands Wednesday. 

And here's what I found that looks pretty good with fabric D. Ugh. It looks better in person -- the bottom fabric colors is off.  Clue 5 had us making a bunch of 3.5" quarter square triangles.  I decided to only use the new fabric on this clue. Earlier  we did a clue with a bigger quarter square triangle that uses the original green.  Hopefully it will all look good together. 

Not bad looking quarter square triangles.  a beige rectangle will be sewn on to the side of the beige triangle.  I didn't get to it today. 

No photos of the other projects. I've shown Benny and Economy blocks enough for the time being! 

Here's my plan for this week.  I have a king size top to quilt for a customer so that is my priority for the week.  I doubt I'll get to all of these but the list will remind me what I want to accomplish. 

11/17/25 

Load quilt on Ruthie and start quilting it

Finish sewing Benny blocks into rows and getting rows sewn together

Finish Tall Tree sections 7, 8 and 3rd skirt section 

Finish trimming small quarter square triangles units for Magnificent Mystery Quilt

Make the last of the Economy Blocks 

I did pretty well with my 15 Minutes of Stitching. I missed one day as I just wasn't all that interested in it.  I was happy to see my success percentage barely changed! 

W/ending 11/16/25. 320 days of 2025

• 15 minute days/November 15/16
• 15 minute days/2024 = 318/320 days
• Success rate = 99.37%

Do you ever FaceTime with a friend while sewing?  Sharon and I have been doing it since the Pandemic.  We often do a mystery together -- someone to chat with while we're following the current clue. This year we're doing two mysteries together -- Magnificent Mystery from Meadow Mist Designs and Cali-co Mystery from Coriander Quilts. Cali-co will be finished next month. We've got 10 blocks done and we will be getting together online in the next week or two to do block 11 with Cali-co.  Cheryl's Magnificent Mystery goes through the middle of next year.  You can always start but make sure you down load all the patterns asap if you want to do them at your own time.  

We were both trimming up the small quarter square blocks when I snapped this picture.  Neither of us finished the whole clue this time so we'll be sewing on our own to get the rest done.  

I'm linking up with these Linky parties.  Have fun seeing what folks are working on around the world. 

Stitching Stuff

Oh Scrap 

Patchwork and Quilts 

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings

Happy Stitching All!  Bonnie 

October 2025 Mysteries and Sew Alongs

Fat Cat Patterns has a block of the month program going on now. There is an enrollment fee. For Mother Cluckers it’s $12 while buying the complete pattern immediately is $24.00. It started in August and runs through April 2026. For more info https://fatcatpatterns.com/boms. Don’t forget to check out some of their other offerings. $

Spooky Season Sampler: 9 designers offering a free Halloween -themed block every day. Runs from October 1 - October 10. For more information https://cottonandjoy.com/pages/spooky-season-sampler?utm_campaign=sampler-welcomeemail1&utm_content=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=flodesk Blocks are large and rated beginner to intermediate.  If you sign up you are also signing up to receive emails from all 9 designers. You can unsubscribe at any time though. (Hum, maybe wait until after you’ve gotten all the blocks.)

Check out the Pennsylvania Dutch Heritage Sew Along at https://suzyssitcom.com/2025/09/pennsylvania-dutch-heritage-sew-along-block-1.html. Suzy’s SitCom offers a new block each month on the 15th available free for one month only.  The fabric requirements and the first block is currently available. (Block 1 is only free until mid October.) Check out her other boms currently going on by clicking on Craft Tutorials and then choosing Free Patterns. There are currently 4 blocks of the  months, some ending in October and some continuing for several more months. If you want any of the complete patterns go to Quilt Pattern Store. Free for current month, $ if you don’t get the block while it is free. 

Frequently the Fat Quarter Shop has been featured in this column.  This month they have nothing new starting. But I thought I would add the link to their free quilt patterns. Check them out here: https://blog.fatquartershop.com/category/free-pattern/  If a mystery or sew along doesn’t spark your interest maybe one of these patterns will.  

As always if the link doesn’t work, you can copy the address and paste it into your browser.

September Mysteries and Quilt Alongs September 2025

Sorry I am so late getting this posted.  I just forgot about it and kept postponing.  Maybe one of these events will interest you. I'll have October's out around Oct. 2nd. 

Let’s start with Autumn Nights presented by the Fat Quarter Shop. It’s a small mystery quilt that is 31” by 32”.  Get all the details here: https://www.fatquartershop.com/sew-alongs/autumn-nights-mystery-quilt-and-stitch-along?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=sqal-autumn-nights-2025  All the clues/patterns are now available.  Check for videos for each clue on Fat Quarter Shop's You Tube Channel. There is a counted cross stitch version also available. 

I’m always amazed that new web sites with mysteries or sew alongs pop up when I do a search. The web site is called Mystery Quilts Anonymous. The current mystery is called Bear Hugs — the link takes you to info on quite a few mysteries. https://mysteryquiltsanonymous.com/current-mysteries/ .   I haven’t found specifics in terms of number of clues, start or finish dates. And, I realize that there are several other mysteries available if you are interested. I clicked on one of the Bear Hug clues and found a list of tags. From there I clicked on mysteries. That open a series of pages showing quite a few other pages of mysteries.  (If you get to the home page instead of the mysteries page look across the top and click on Free Mysteries.) Surprise -- There is a new mystery called Focal Point. Click on the title of the mystery you want to see. Once on the new page you have to scroll through all the info in the small box. Just click "Download" to transfer the page to your computer.

Here’s another smaller mystery quilt.  Love Sew is presenting this 24.5” x 24.5” top.  Here’s the link to the clues.  https://love-sew.com/pages/mystery-sew-along-week-3? No idea how many clues will be coming out. I bet most of us have enough fabric stash to make this one without buying anything new!

Monday Meanderings 8 - 4 - 2025

Yahoooooo! Our hot weather has broken.  Early this morning it was 60˚.  And it stayed nice with lower humidity all day.  Although most of my time was spent in my studio in the basement, I did get out a couple of times to walk Sunny. We didn't even have to worry about paws being burnt on the asphalt street.  I finally had a bit more motivation to finish up another of my retreat tops. Most goals were achieved last week. 

✅Put all my retreat supplies away — done. 

✅Put borders on Pretty Please — finished. 

✅Finish FCQ Equilters blocks — completed and ready to get it in the mail. 

Pick a quilt and backing — I picked them but didn’t do anything with it! 

✅Keep knitting on the current hat — finished except pompom. Another one is started. 

✅Work on cross stitch project bag  — more stitches are done. 

Here's Pretty Please which is now named Popsicle. (Pretty Please is the name of the pattern from Fabric Cafe.) Who knows when I'll find a fabric for the backing. 

I also finished the last few FCQ Equilter blocks this week.  I'll get them off in the mail sometime this week. There are other ways to lay them out but this one caught my eye. I quit at 6 blocks. 

I didn't take photos of the hat nor the cross stitch project bag.  Maybe next week. Now on to this week's goals list. 

8/5/25

Figure out next steps for my 1.5” squares sewn into 9 patches

Quilt a top

Prep triangle top to quilt on my domestic machine 

Continue working on the counted cross stitch project bag and the hat

Attend Country Piecemakers guild meeting Saturday 

Here are a few things I worked on off list. First is a triple rail quilt from Even More Quilts for Baby from Ursula Reikes.  When I opened this quilt kit at retreat I had no idea what I had done.  Evidently I hadn't cut all the rails I would need and the focus fabric was cut the wrong size and way too many than needed. Last week I auditioned three different fabrics for the centers. 

Biker Chicks 

Dalmations 

Mickey Mouse 

As much as I like the Biker Chicks I just couldn't see it as a baby quilt. Dalmations would have worked but Mickey won out because I had enough fabric to cut the 4 8.5" blocks and not a lot leftover. Bonus. 

Here's Mickey's Triple Rail quilt top. It's about 38" square if I remember correctly. The hospital we donate our baby quilts to like smaller quilts for the NICU. So this will work great. 

I also decided on my fabrics for the Magnificent Mystery Quilt being offered by Cheryl Brickey at Meadow Mist Designs. (This links directly to the info page for the Mystery Quilt.)  The cutting directions will be released on Thurs, 8/7.  I've got my fabric picked but I'm waiting for my background fabric that I ordered Sunday. 

All of the colored fabric came from my stash. Amazing.  Although I really like the background fabric at the top it's only a fat quarter so I'm not using it. Hopefully I'll like the fabric I ordered.  I bought a bolt of it as I needed some beige-y fabric for bordering one of my quilts from retreat and possibly could use it as backings fora couple of tops. I really like these fabrics and how well they go together. Fingers are crossed that the new background fabric will look terrific with them. 

Another week of 100% on 15 Minutes of Stitching.

W/ending 8/3/25. 215 days of 2025

• 15 minute days/July = 31/31
• 15 minute days/August = 3/3
• 15 minute days/2024 = 215/215 days
• Success rate = 100%

Please take a few minutes to visit these Linky parties. Lots of ideas will pop off the pages. 

Stitching Stuff

Oh Scrap

Design Wall Monday 

Monday Musings 

I'll leave you with one more photo.  Be careful of wandering seam rippers! This one rolled off my sewing machine table. I don't know if it rolled off through the open area at the side of the machine or whether it rolled off the front. But it landed point first.  I showed the presser foot to show that it was ridiculously close to my foot which was wearing a sandal at the time. 😳😳

And with that I'm done. My quilting buddy Sharon is coming up at the end of the week and we're looking forward to making progress on some of our projects and getting to visit in person for the first time since last October, I think. 

Happy Quilting All.  Bonnie