July 2025 Mysteries and Sew Alongs

Here's what I found for July.  There are probably a lot more out there that I don't know about. Please send me an email and I'll add it to my list.  I try to post about one the month before it starts.  Sometimes I don't find the info in time so I post it later.  Hope you find one you want to participate in.  

Mystery Quilts for Military group is having a sew along this summer to make a patriotic quilt appropriate for Quilts of Valor or other presentations to veterans. To access the clues you must join the group at this link. 

Mysteryquilts4Military.groups.io|home    Go to the bottom of the page to subscribe. You will start receiving the emails announcing the Sew Along and member comments. You should be able to access previous Mysteries in the files if you are looking for some more quilt ideas. Generally this is a quiet group except when there is a mystery or sew along.

Not much info available but check out this web page to join the Front Porch Quilt Along this summer. 

Up on The Rooftop Mystery Quilt and Cross Stitch Along will start at the Fat Quarter Shop on Tuesday, July 12 .  This is a slightly later due to delays in receiving the fabric you can buy to make the project. Every week patterns (quilting and cross stitch) and a video will be released. You can purchase fabric packs or floss for it.  Check out here for the basics.  Check here for the starting info.  

Free Sew along “Bloomers” by Quiltery started 6/30 and runs until 12/1, a  new block will be released every 2 weeks. Plan to get the patterns before the next one is released or there will be a charge for the old one.  Check it out.

The Magnificent Mystery Quilt is a free quilt-along offered by Cheryl Brickey of Meadow Mist Design.  This is Cheryl’s 11th mystery offering.  On July 3rd she’ll release hints and the fabric requirements. Then the first Thursday of every month until April 2026 another clue will be released.  Read more about it at Cheryl's blog. 

ScrapDash has a free sew along called Bean There that started in May. OOPS! Check out the info here. She has links to the hints for all of the units in the block.  Although it is almost over if the quilt is of interest you can use her schedule to create personal dates.  (This link was not working when I uploaded this post. I will keep trying to get it to work so please check on it again in a few days.) 

June 2025 Mysteries and Sew Alongs

 June 2025 Mysteries and Sew Alongs 

Wonderfil started a quilt along in April called Coffee Break. You’ll have access to all blocks that have already been shared once you sign up. There will be 9 blocks. This is foundation paper piecing and wool hand embroidery. Kits may be available still. Go take a look and sign up here: https://shopwonderfil.com/bom-2025/ .  

Blockhead 6 is starting on May 28th.  Join in the fun as a new block is released each week. Read more about it here: https://modafabrics.com/inspiration-resources/blockheads-6-kick-off

The Fat Quarter Shop has started their newest sew along called Stardust Charity.  It offers a quilt version and a counted cross stitch version. The Fat Quarter Shop uses this event as a fund raiser for their local Make-a-Wish foundation. Check out the pre-start info post: https://blog.fatquartershop.com/lets-get-ready-for-stardust. And also Release 1 post.  

Here’s a heads up for several mystery quilt alongs that the Fat Quarter Shop will be sponsoring.  This link takes you to information about several upcoming mysteries.  https://blog.fatquartershop.com/mystery-quilt-alongs-in-2025/. I’ll post about each before they begin.  

Just some reminders for those who are fans of 3 yard quilts. Fabric Cafe posts one of their patterns free every few months or so. Currently there are 3 of their 3 Yard Quilt patterns and 2 additional patterns. They add a new one every few months. https://www.fabriccafe.com/Free-Patterns-s/2014.htm. You can also go to their home page and click on Free Goodies. 

Material Girlfriends continues their year long event posting a new free pattern. May’s offering is 3Yd Papa.  You can find it here: https://materialgirlfriends.com/2025-sew-along/ . I’m thinking of finding some 1.25 yard fabric and use my die cutter for this one. 

August 2024 Mysteries and Sew Alongs

While I was researching mysteries and quilt alongs I found a You Tube video from Quilted Forest for their Summer Mystery Quilt 2024.  There are weekly videos that are all available now. While watching the 6 videos for this year’s Summer Mystery, I realized they’ve been doing them at various times of the year since 2021. So there are a lot from which to choose. You can screen shot the directions for each section or take notes. (That’s what she said on the video!) But it would be easier if you join the Quilted Forest Friends Facebook Page and download the directions from the Files. I really liked this year’s Summer Mystery.  The video sample was done in Halloween fabrics. Too cute! And I loved the fact that she appeared to make the entire clue in the time the video played. Of course, I realize it would take us way longer to do each clue. Take a look and see if the quilt strikes your fancy. You can find the videos by typing in ‘Quilted Forest Mystery Quilt Summer 2024” in the You Tube search box, then choose Clue 1.  Make sure it says Summer Mystery 2024.  

You can also take a look at their other offerings. They have quite a few other mysteries along with series on using 2.5" strips and one on 5" squares.  I watched their latest one on 2.5" strips and wanted to share it. Here's a link to it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quMc-xutLK4.   If for some reason that doesn't come up just type in Quilted Forest Tutorials and look for the one called Simple Block Using Partial Seam and 2.5" Strips. I'm pretty sure I'm going to try one of these soon.  

The Fat Quarter Shop recently announced the Home Town Holiday Sampler Quilt and Stitch Along. This starts in September. It uses Lori Holt’s instructions called Home Town Holiday Sampler that is available as a downloadable pattern. I’m not sure it the cross stitch version is included. https://blog.fatquartershop.com/announcing-home-town-holiday-sampler-quilt-and-stitch-along/ $

Star of Wonder Mystery Quilt and Cross Stitch Along started at the Fat Quarter Shop at the beginning of July. Here’s the link to the blog post about the Stitch Along: https://blog.fatquartershop.com/stitch-and-sew-star-of-wonder-with-us/. And here’s the link to the downloadable directions: https://www.fatquartershop.com/sew-alongs/star-of-wonder?sscid=71k8_tdnex.  The last instructions were posted on July 30. Do you want to see a picture of Sara's?  She blogs at My Sewing Room and shared a wonderful version that's almost done.  You can see it here.  I may have to give this one a try. What's nice about the Fat Quarter Shop is they have a lot of free patterns and mysteries and sew alongs.  From what I've noticed they leave them up on their site for a long time. 

Hopefully you will find a project that will tickle your fancy.  My head is spinning with ideas to use the block shared by Quilted Forest. 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

July 2024 Mysteries and Sew Alongs

If you like Creative Grids rulers search for them on Facebook as Grid Girls group. It is a private group open to quilters who use Creative grids rulers.  They have mystery quilts periodically.  (I haven’t joined so I don’t know what is going on currently.)

In process: 12 part Sampler Sew Along from 4th & Main Designs called Stars and Bars Sampler.  Clues started on Monday May 27th but are all available. There will be three catch up weeks, although.  Sept. 2 will be the end. The patterns will be available until Dec 31, 2024. https://4thandmaindesigns.com/summer-quilt-along-2024

Join the Summer Scrap Bash Sew Along at Lo & Behold Stitchery.  It started June 29th and will run until August 17.  You need to sign up and the directions will be sent to your Inbox every Saturday.  

https://www.loandbeholdstitchery.com/blogs/quilt-alongs/summer-scrap-bash-quilt-along

Bear Creek Quilting Company is sponsoring Tranquility Mystery Quilt.  It’s not too late to sign up.  Registration ends 7/31/24.  First Monthly Clue is emailed on 6/5/24.  You can definitely catch up. $15 registration fee. https://bearcreekquiltingcompany.com/shop/product/bear-creek-quilting-company-exclusive-mystery-quilt-pattern-tranquility/

2024 Designer Mystery Block of the Month Blocks Reservation
Fat Quarter Shop Exclusive. $$ starts June  2024 to May 2025. From what I can tell the block of the month includes purchasing fabric kits with the directions.  Here’s information about the mystery. https://blog.fatquartershop.com/2024-designer-mystery-block-of-the-month/

Another mystery is being offered by Bear Creek Quilting Company. Willoughby Mystery Quilt Program Registration ($15.00) starts 6/1/24. The mystery will run from 11/7/24 to 5/7/25. $ (just the registration fee. Directions will be emailed to participants. I believe the only cost is the registration fee. https://bearcreekquiltingcompany.com/shop/product/bear-creek-quilting-company-exclusive-mystery-quilt-pattern-willoughby/

If you come upon a mystery coming up please feel free to email the info to me so I can include it in an upcoming Sew Alongs and Mysteries column. brsinstitches@gmail.com 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

May 2024 Mysteries and Sew Alongs

I missed the start of Say It With Flowers a stitch and quilt along by Joy who blogs at Days Full of Joy.  Every month an embroidered flower design will be available free during the month it is released.  If you forget  to pick it up there is a small charge for the design.  The first month you get the setting block pattern. Joy says it’s likely the blocks will remain free for the first few months as she figures out her options as she closed her Etsy shop.  https://www.daysfilledwithjoy.com/2024/03/26/say-it-with-flowers-our-new-2024-quilt-block-of-the-month/#when-do-we-start   

Sandra who blogs at mmm.quilts has already started her annual quilt along. This year it is Luminous Layers QAL. Check out this post to get the details and catch up with the sewing. https://www.mmmquilts.com/2024/04/luminous-layers-quilt-along-schedule.html

Vintage Bowtie Sew Along starts May 14 and runs for 6 weeks. The pattern is from Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts book Strawberry Garden.  https://blog.figtreeandcompany.com/special-announcement-today-strawberry-garden-book-sew-along/ $

Material Girlfriends is hosting a 3 Yard Quilt Series sew along in 2024. I think it started in April. Here are the details: you must sign up to get a notice around the 15th of every month.  You will get a link to their sew along page which will direct you to the current free pattern. There is a small catch — you only have 10 days to pick up the pattern. **I noticed they said the April pattern will last until April 30th so hopefully you’ll be able to pick it up before it expires.** Here’s the link to the quilt along info and the link to the first pattern: https://materialgirlfriends.com/2024-3yd-quilt-series-sew-along/

Pat Sloan is offering a free quilt along called Heart of America.  Check out her post about it here: https://www.ilovetomakequilts.com/2024/04/-christmas-all-year-and-more-.html.  Here’s the link to the free pattern at the Fat Quarter Shop. https://www.fatquartershop.com/heart-of-america-quilt-pattern-free-pdf. 

Have fun checking out these mysteries and quilt alongs.  A quick tease -- Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs has announced her next Mystery -- Marble Mystery -- starting July 4.  Stay tuned for more info or visit her announcement page https://meadowmistdesigns.blogspot.com/2024/04/marble-mystery-quilt-along-announcement.html

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

October Mysteries and Sew Alongs

Not too many Mysteries and Quilt Alongs to report this month. Here's what I have. 

The Fat Quarter Shop is starting Shine Bright Quilt and Stitch Sew Along Starts in November 2023 and will run through October 2024. You will need "The Bonnie and Camille Quilt Bee Quilt and Cross Stitch Book". $

https://blog.fatquartershop.com/announcing-the-shine-bright-quilt-and-stitch-along/

The annual Project Linus Mystery started on September 28, 2023 but it isn’t too late to join. This is a fund raiser for Project Linus so there is a $20 fee. It will run weekly until Nov. 11. https://www.projectlinus.org/contest/index.php $

A Sentimental Quilter is sponsoring a 4 week sew along to make a small quilt. It started 9/22.  https://sentimentalquilter.blogspot.com/2023/09/fall-sew-along-2023.html?m=1 gives some information on the quilt along. But the directions are at 

https://countrylanequilts.com/fall-2023-sew-along.html

**Bonnie Hunter’s mystery is starting soon.  I didn’t see a date for this year’s fabric requirements but in the past it has been the end of October with clues starting after Thanksgiving.  Keep checking Bonnie’s blog: https://quiltville.blogspot.com/

** If you know the start date for Bonnie Hunter's 2023 Mystery please let me know so that I can add the info to the listing.  

Here are a few cute gift ideas you can make. I'll be sharing more little gifts over the months.  Maybe you'll fund something 

Notebook Cover: https://www.elmstreetquilts.com/2023/08/covered-notebook-tutorial.html?m=1

Tiny Bag Pattern: https://sewcanshe.com/tiny-bag-pattern/?_gl=1*14jxil0*_ga*MTIxMDIxNjc0Ny4xNjQxMTM2OTEy*_ga_DJ68XY6QXZ*MTY5MzA2MDE0Ni4xLjAuMTY5MzA2MDE0Ni4wLjAuMA..*_ga_GFYKF3WLP2*MTY5MzA2MDE0Ni4zLjAuMTY5MzA2MDE0Ni4wLjAuMA..&_ga=2.146313852.99767282.1693060148-1210216747.1641136912. 

Potholder with Spatula: https://quiltexpressions.wordpress.com/2013/11/26/gift-inspiration-day-ten-folded-pot-holder/ This one uses a purchased potholder but you could also make your own potholder or make an embroidered one. 

If you know of upcoming mysteries or sew alongs please let me know. I'll add them next month. 

Happy Quilting All! 

July Mysteries and Sew Alongs

Here are the only two I found in late June.  I'm horrendously late on these but I know they will be available for a while.  

Join the Fat Quarter Shop for the Evergreen Mystery Quilt Along and Stitch Along during July and a bit of August. Find out more here:

https://blog.fatquartershop.com/christmas-mystery-quilt-and-stitch-along-is-coming-soon/

Artwork from the Fat Quarter Shop

Another quilt along with the Fat Quarter Shop. It’s the Jolly Holly Quilt Along starting June 30. https://blog.fatquartershop.com/announcing-the-jolly-holiday-quilt-along/ $, must buy pattern.

Artwork from the Fat Quarter Shop 

I leave you with this photo from our cruise of Pat watching the sunset at nearly 11 pm.  

June Mysteries and Quilt Alongs

Here's my listing of new Mysteries and Quilt Alongs for June. But first a big thank you to Sharon Kwilter who passed on the info about Laundry Basket Quilts spring Mystery and the Grid Girls mystery. Sharon blogs at Dragon's Heart Quilting and Crafts. 

If you know of upcoming mysteries or quilt alongs please feel free to pass the information on to me. I do tend to hold listings to closer to when they start. For instance I know there's a stitch along starting in October but I won't be listing it until closer to the start date.   

First up is a Quilt Along beginning 6/1 with All People Quilt. https://www.allpeoplequilt.com/quiltalong/water-colors-summer-quilt-along-2023. You will need to purchase the June 2023 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting magazine.  The web site gives some alternative places to buy the pattern if you can't find it locally. $

Dresden Plate is a free block of the week program that began on May 15, 2023.  You must sign up to receive the weekly emails for the link to the patterns. This is sponsored by Piecing the Past Quilts.  https://www.piecingthepastquilts.com/dresden-picnic-signup

The Fat Quarter Shop is sponsoring Haunted Halloween with a Mystery Quilt and Stitch along. Every Tuesday in June they will release a new block. The  quilt will end up 31.5” x 32.5”.  To join in, all you have to do is gather your supplies  and visit each Tuesday in June to download the free mystery patterns. More information is here https://blog.fatquartershop.com/haunted-halloween-quilt-and-stitch-along-annoucement/

Laundry Basket Quilts will begin Spring Mystery Quilt as a weekly event from May 31 to July 13. Find out more about this mystery at https://www.laundrybasketquilts.com/post/spring-mystery-quilt-2023. Both piecing and appliqué are included.  The quilt will finish at 53.5”  x 53.5”.  Fabric requirements  have been released with optional fabric bundles. 

For those of you who use Creative Grids rulers you might want to check out the private Grid Girls Facebook group.  The Grid Girls will be starting a mystery quilt. You should sign into Facebook and search for Grid Girls. You will have to join it to find out about the mystery.   (Disclaimer: I’ve been informed about this but I’m not a member.)

Here's my Melodic Mystery quilt from Meadow Mist Designs that finished earlier this year. Last month I mentioned the newest mystery by Cheryl, Malted Mystery. Check last month's Mysteries and Quilt Alongs for details.  

Have you got some hints about doing mystery quilts and quilt alongs?  Please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I will round them up and share during one of my monthly Mysteries and Quilt Alongs post.  

I'm linking this up with the following Linky Parties.  Take some time to enjoy seeing what other quilters are up to this week. 

Midweek Makers

Wednesday Wait Loss 

Needle and Thread Thursday

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 1 - 9 - 2023

Have you recovered from Christmas and New Years?  Have the decorations been stored until next December or do you leave some snow decorations out?  At our house Christmas quilts on the walls change over to snowman quilts and a bunch of snowmen I have made or purchased over the years come out. These will stay out until February when I'll switch to my Valentine's Day quilts.  The smaller snowmen may stay out but they'll probably be put away mid February.  

I've spent a bit of time deciding what UFOs I want to work on, figuring out how many tops I need to think about quilting, and mentally figuring out a new things I'd really like to get done this year.  From that thinking I've come up with 12 UFOs I'd like to move forward or, even better, finish.  One of the projects I've added to my UFO list is making a tee shirt quilt for our son.  He gave me 2 bags of shirts and said go for it.  He won't even identify the ones he'd like me to use and, believe me, he gave me a lot of them.  I'm looking forward to making progress on all 12 "UFOs."  In the end I'll have some projects that get completely done and some just get moved forward.  It's all good. 

Now, it's time to look at how I did on my first set of goals in the new year.

1/2/2023

✅Sew Let’s Face It mystery together — Center part done.Waiting to decide about the border(s).

✅Keep working on the border of Talking Turkey — done - sent to the “to-be-quilted closet.

✅Finish APQ UFO Challenge Sheet and start on the UFO for January — Done! 

✅Make List of Tops ready to quilt — Done! 

Start on the 2023 Quilting Life — holding off to come up with fabric.

I feel I did a good job with this past week's list.  I'm still up in the air about the fabrics for Sherri's mystery quilt.  Last year I used patriotic fabrics so I could make another veteran's quilt.  I'm still playing with alternate colors but I may just stick with red, white and blue. 

Here's my January UFO project.  I started this "Moose" quilt a while ago but got frustrated.  I had a yard or two of moose in the snow fabric. I thought it would be easy to cut them into scenes and add some go with fabrics and call it done. Um, no. It wasn't easy at all. I realized there were very few scenes of the moose, just a lot of repeated scenes. So some will be duplicated.  Here are the blocks that made the cut once I started working on the project again. 

Actually, only 2 of the pictures had some blue go-with fabric around them when I pulled them out. But I did start adding more blue surrounds. Part of my problem is I don't have a lot of the blue fabric.  Here's where I left it this evening.  I've made a few decisions. 

And then I ran out of the blue. It dawned on me I could put the center column of pictures up against each other and I would have some easy sashing. That may not work since the blocks are differing widths.   I need to do some thinking on fillers around the smaller pictures. I have hunks of brown and black fabric.  And some blue solids that I can use.  Stay tuned while I try to figure this out. 

Here's this week's goal list.

1/9/2023

Continue with RSC blocks in blue

Work on January UFO Challenge — Moose quilt

Work on Spider Web blocks — sew blocks into “foursys”. Decide how many more blocks are needed and make them

Spend 15 minutes a day cleaning up in the studio

I have been cogitating on my Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilt for this year. I wanted to do something with strings so I checked two of my books on string quilting.  I knew I didn't want labor intensive blocks. I was up for something different.  I finally came up with strings in drunkard's path blocks.  I credit the book A New Spin on Drunkard's Path by John Kubiniec for the idea. I hope to make circles with my fabric strings going in differing directions. Here's two layouts from the red string samples. 

One possible layout.  

I may use this layout if I can figure how I can cut the colored part so the strings go perpendicular to the bottom left.  I am making the blue strings now.  I'll have to read John's book to see how I can get all four blocks going different directions. I am using my Drunkard Path dies from AccuQuilt that will give me a 9" finished group of 4 blocks.  I've got a few cut out in blue and I'll be able to play with them before I sew them together. I may need to turn the string sections before I put them on the die to cut.  I'll keep you informed. 

That's it for me today.  I'm linking up with my regular Linky parties and one new to me, Monday Musing at Song Bird Designs. 

Oh Scrap! 

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings

To Do Tuesday 

I noticed that last week I didn't get everything linked up correctly. I thought I had changed my blog and linked up at each of the blogs.  Who knows what happened.  I'll pay more attention this week.  

Please take a minute to check out my post about Mysteries and Sew Alongs.  Check the tab above that links to the post from Jan 3rd.  I'll be posting about Mysteries and Sew Alongs at the beginning of every month. If I get additional events I've missed I'll try to post again with add ons.  Please feel free to let me know of any that I have missed although I tend to post only upcoming events.  I hope you enjoy finding a mystery or sew along that really speaks to you. 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie