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. 

Monday Meanderings 4 - 28 - 2025

A great week for my stitching and a quilting celebration.  First the Virginia Star Quilt Guild celebrated their 40th anniversary.  We are set up as a social club rather than an educational group.  So, we decided to have a formal tea to celebrate our 40th year. Here are a few pictures from our celebration. 

Guests were greeted with name tents. The flowers in the back were arranged by our member Mary. (I donated the use of my favorite vase which had been my mother's.) 

One of the table decorations before all the other items were added. 

Yummy scones were served.  Notice the cookie (!) that had a special design on it celebrating the guild's anniversary.

We also had a display of several quilts from our members. This one 👆🏼is a president's quilt from several years ago. The members made houses to be put into the quilt. 

Most of these pieces were from classes the guild sponsored.  The big quilt 👆🏼 hanging is Jamestown Landing made by Shirley K. from a class by Bonnie Hunter.  (I have a matching one in turquoise from the same class. You can see it here.) 

We had a Pat Sloan workshop.  This is Linda K's result of the class. 👆🏼 Below 👇🏼 is Karen E's version. They are both called Mama's Garden.  What fun to see two very different quilts from the same class.  

Now on to my normal Monday blog content!  It was a good week for stitching. Here's my goals list from last week. 

4/21/25

✅Make Cali-Co quilt along April Block — done.

✅Quilt Orange Peel on domestic machine — done, waiting to bind. 

Finish another hat — half made. 

✅✅Make 2 more Equilters 9 patches — finished the cut out ones from last week and 3 more done. 

I'm enjoying working on each block of this mystery quilt along from Coriander Quilts. This week I cut out all the white strips and a selection of squares for the corners. (That'll save time while making the rest of the blocks.)

It's such a good feeling to make lots of progress on an old top.  I started by quilting the big circles the peels made. One column done. Then I started on the next column. Except, um, I got lost following the circles and made a wrong turn. Ok, I can deal with that. By the end of the day I had echo stitched all the peels but not as big circles. 👇🏼 The stitching still enhances the big circles but also the inside of the circles.  

The next day I got the borders done. (Pictures to come.) Which brings me to this week's goals. Yep, I'm planning on doing the binding. 

4/28/25

Bind orange peel quilt 

Finish knitting hat

Begin 3 yard quilt project 

Make more 9 patches 

Attend dress rehearsal and sing two concerts with Spotsylvanians

My 3 yard quilt project has a deadline. It was originally Sunday the 4th. Luckily it can be postponed to the end of May instead.  The fabric comes in tomorrow so I can get started on it. It's a secret project that will be a gift. I'll tell more about later. 

My 15 minutes of stitching has been successful again this week. Yee haw! I doubt if I'll make it all year but it feels great to keep this up!

W/ending 4/27/25. 117 days of 2025

• 15 minute days/Apr = 27/27
• 15 minute days/2024 = 117/117 days
• Success rate = 100%

I'll be linking with my regular parties. Check out these parties to see what quilters are doing this week. 

Stitching Stuff

Oh Scrap

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musing 

It's going to be a long week with not as much stitching time as I would want. But I'm actually looking forward to having Monday evenings at home instead attending rehearsals. We'll be singing the National Anthem at the Fred Nats minor league baseball game later in the month.  And the neighborhood chorus is getting ready for concerts at the end of May. So I'll still be singing. 

That's it for me today.  If you are interested in mysteries and sew alongs I posted   May's info on April 26. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

February 2025 - Mysteries and Sew Alongs

I have been totally delinquent posting the February Mysteries and Quilt Alongs.   Check these out to see if you want to join in. 

Pat Sloan started Grandma’s Kitchen on January 2 but it isn’t too late to join in. Find more information at https://www.ilovetomakequilts.com/2025grandmas-kitchen-projectpage.html. This is a 25 week quilt along. Every Wednesday Pat releases a block pattern. 

Shelley Cavanna is offering Meadow Sweet Mystery. It started 1/17/25 with weekly emailed instructions.  Directions will also be posted on her website and announced in a You Tube video.  Details to sign up: https://www.corasquilts.com/quilt-alongs/meadowsweet 

Material Girlfriends is offering a free quilting pattern every month on the 15 of each month. It will be free until the end of the month. (January’s will be available free all year.) Check out Material Girlfriends page: https://materialgirlfriends.com/2025-sew-along/ for all the info including what type of pattern will be available each month.  Here's the direct link to the February quilt. https://materialgirlfriends.com/im-in-a-mood/

Instead of Sew Along or Mystery — How about a quilter’s challenge.  Find out about this at 2025 Nancy’s Notions New Year Sewing Challenge.  Here’s the link to the three challenges you can choose from: https://nancysnotions.com/a-new-years-sewing-challenge/ Thanks to Karen Kaiser for sharing this link with me. 

Are you looking for some fun heart sewing ideas? Check out this web site for a lot of hearty sewing ideas. https://sewcanshe.com/30-adorable-valentine-sewing-patterns-melt-their-hearts/ For some reason this is not linking to the URL. Please copy and paste it to your browser. 

Hope you find some fun projects to do! Bonnie 

December Mysteries and Quilt Alongs 12/24

I've been neglecting posting the mystery quilts and quilt alongs.  I'm not sure why. But this month I'll post a few that are still going on and some that are starting soon. 

Bonnie Hunter's 2024 mystery has started. "Old Town" is inspired by Bonnie's trip to Poland. You can read about it here and find links to the various posts.  The fabric choices and the first two clues have been posted as of the end of November.  If you decided to participate, keep going to this link as Bonnie will post each clue's link to this page. 

Coriander Quilts is sponsoring a mystery block of month starting in January.  The first announcement has the fabric requirements. https://corianderquilts.com/cali-co-2025-mystery-bom/#google_vignette . A recent announcement has more details including when the patterns will be available.  https://corianderquilts.com/coming-soon-cali-co-mystery-bom-matching-bella-solids/.  

Corn Wagon Mystery Sampler is in celebration of the Corn Wagon Quilts 45 years in business. A non-refundable $85 charge includes club membership, patterns and finishing kit. Monthly kits are $7.00 each. Check out the beautiful fabric and more information: https://www.cornwagonquilts.com/module/class/570825/2025-corn-wagon-mystery-sampler---silver-celebration  This is basically the opportunity to share the mystery with folks who do not live near their shop.  $$

Stitchin’ Heaven is holding a virtual New Year’s Day Mystery Quilt Along on, you guessed it, New Year’s Day.  The 5th annual New Year’s Day event will be live on You Tube. Must sign up by registering your email at https://stitchinheaven.com/pages/new-years-quilt-along . You can still buy fabric kit until 12/1, or later with no guarantee the fabric will arrive before the event. Patterns are free. 

The Fat Quarter Shop has several quilt alongs and stitch alongs starting in January. First up is Hometown Christmas Quilt Along based on Lori Holt’s Vintage Christmas Book.  More info is available at 

https://blog.fatquartershop.com/announcing-the-vintage-christmas-quilt-along/ . Fabric requirements are already available as a link on the above page. Specific dates will be released on December 26,

Next up The Fat Quarter Shop is offering The Quilted Snowman using Lori Holt’s pattern 'The Quilted Snowman.' The specific start date isn’t listed yet. But the pattern is currently available. https://blog.fatquartershop.com/announcing-the-quilted-snowman-quilt-along-and-stitch-along/ .

Minnesota Quilters is again offering a mystery quilt designed by Suzy Webster. It starts Jan 1. Cost for nonmembers is $47.00.  The directions will be emailed to you on the 1st of each month from January to October. Check out the rest of the information at https://web.cvent.com/event/705efe43-0044-416e-89a8-76de0015f88a/summary . 

Mysteries and Quilt Alongs April

Yea! I've finally gotten the Mysteries and Quilt Along header corrected.  You can click on the header and see all the M & QAL posts  I've written. (Yes, I never did one for March.) I hope I'll get one written early each month.

Here's what's new in April: 

The first three quilt alongs are sponsored by the Fat Quarter Shop.  

Home Again Quilt Along is beginning April 4, running until May 2.  You will need to purchase the pattern (available as a PDF download.) Check out the pattern and info here: https://blog.fatquartershop.com/announcing-the-home-again-quilt-along/ $ 

Triangles on a Roll Quilt Along by the Fat Quarter Shop.  This quilt along features 2”, 3”, and 4” finished half square triangles which can be made using Triangles on a Roll. (Anybody else have lots of these rolls hanging around in their stash?)  The quilt will finish at 74.5” square.  This is a fat quarter friendly quilt. The pattern will release on March 30 and the QAL will run for seven weeks. $ if you need to buy Triangles on a Roll although you can choose a different method to making the triangles. https://blog.fatquartershop.com/triangles-on-a-roll-quilt-along-for-worldwide-quilting-day/

Vintage Kite quilt along will have a kick off event and and full pattern release starting 4/11. The quilt along will start 4/12. Read more about it https://blog.fatquartershop.com/join-us-for-the-vintage-kite-quilt-along/. $ if you buy the foundation  papers.

Jacqueline Steves new BOM called Sew Happy. https://jacquelynnesteves.com/sew-happy-free-block-of-the-month/ Will run from May to September with patterns being emailed on the 2nd Monday of the month. 

Did you know the National Quilt Museum has artists in their collection develop  a block of the month? Neither did I. See and download  Round 4 blocks here: https://quiltmuseum.org/blockofthemonth/. If you continue down the page other rounds are still available.  You can also join their Facebook group. I’ll add Round 5 info for the May newsletter. 

Bomquilts.com released info about a free block of the month in February. Currently there are links to an introduction, tutorial, and fabric requirements. It appears block instructions begin April 20 and continues through December 20. Log Cabin Love. 

If you are sponsoring a Mystery Quilt or Quilt Along please feel free to send me the information.  I'll add it the month before it begins.  If you know of new listings that are starting soon -- let me know so I can include it here.  

I've been toying with the idea of doing the Triangles on a Roll sew along that is sponsored by the Fat Quarter Shop.  I have two of the three sizes needed and I'd really like to use some of them up.  For the sizes I don't have I'm sure I can figure out a different way to make them. 

What event strikes your fancy? 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

 

Mysteries and Quilt Alongs -- February

Good Grief!  How can it already be February 8th?  I completely forgot to write a post on mysteries and quilt alongs from February.   Here's what I found at the end of January.

Check out Coriander Quilts latest mystery quilt Sunny Patches.  I really like the setting she has shown here. A new announcement was made February 8 listing the start date as March 18, 2023.  It will run until October. 

The Fat Quarter Shop is sponsoring Stronger Together Quilt Pattern and Stitch Pattern to support the United Negro College Fund. They have provided free patterns and ask for a $15 donation to their campaign for UNCF.  

Carole, who blogs at From My Carolina Home, is sharing a new mystery quilt called Scrap Dance Quadrille. You can find fabric and cutting directions at that link. Clues will be posted  on the second Friday of each month, beginning on  February 10 and going for 6 months.

Join Edyta Sitar in her Season in Blue quilt along.  You will make various blocks from the book "Season in Blue" to make a sampler quilt.  $ for book 

Bess of Side Lake Stitch is offering a Quilt Along for her pattern Pine Tree Quilt.  It begins on February 8 and will run for 6 weeks.  $ for pattern.  

This last quilt along is over but the free pattern is still available.  Wendy Shepherd, who blogs at Ivory Springs, designed the pattern and used it for a weekend quilt along.  Find the link to the pattern here.  I was thinking of making it in a bit larger size so I could use my Accuquilt Go half square triangle die. 

AccuQuilt and "American Patchwork and Quilting" are cosponsoring a quilt along in February. It features Accuquilt Cubes but rotary cutting instructions are included.  Here's a link to the cutting instructions.   It is recommended that you join AQS Quilting Project Parade Group on Facebook to keep up with all the info about this quilt along. Cutting and sewing begin on February 15. AQS and AccuQuilt will be presenting a quilt along every other month. 

If you know of mystery quilts or sew alongs that are coming up in the next few months please share them with me.  I know I miss a lot of them because I also want to spend time quilting! (Who knew surfing the internet took so much time!) 

I'm linking with these Linky parties.

Midweek Makers 

Wednesday Wait Loss 

Needle and Thread Thursday 

Because I haven't shared any photographs this week I thought I'd include this little one I took of the "newspaper" fabric I plan to use as the backing of my Spider Web quilt.  I'll share more of it when I get the quilt done. (This doesn't sound as funny as the rest but I found it humorous because it is announcing the fabric that it was printed on.) 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 8 - 23 - 2021

I've taken two weeks off -- although I did get a post up yesterday about finishing my Positivity quilt.   I didn't have anything to post for the last two Fridays.  Last week my granddaughter was visiting Sunday through Wednesday evening.  We had so much fun together although I was exhausted each night.  I had her doing a little sewing on my Featherweight, we made some bead bracelets, we played dolls together, went swimming and looked at all the boxes marked "dolls" in my closet.  

I have way too many dolls!  The last box we went through had another box in it marked "Grandma Ruth's dolls."  That would be Ellie's great, great grandmother.  When we opened the box -- ugh -- there were heads rolling. There was a wig, probably made with human hair. There were some bald dolls.  I picked up one and the arms fell off.  Neither of us were very excited about that box!  I will have to figure out if it makes sense to repair any of the dolls. My grandmother loved dolls and made me lots of doll clothes for various dolls she gave me.  It was fun to visit them.  

Dolls from left to right: My Friend Jenny (my daughter Jenny's doll), Rose (Ellie's American Girl doll), and Kit (my AG doll that I won in the late 90s or early 2000s.) Ellie has a great imagination and made up stories about what the dolls were doing.  

Needless to say I got little quilting done last week.  But I did get a dress made for Ellie.  She picked the pattern and the fabric. (Hey, I was excited she picked fabric from my stash for her dress!) I have been very good not buying fabric this month although I would have for Ellie.💙 I should have a good amount of fabric used by the end of the month.

Here's how I did on my goals from 2 weeks ago.  (I may have completed some during the last 2 weeks.) 

8/16/21

Finish knit baby blanket - close but not quite done.

✅Make more Ombre Log Cabin blocks

✅Have fun with Ellie 

Finish quilt on long arm — ugh.  Long Arm problems still 1 more row to do.

8/23/21

Finish Blue basket 

Begin aqua table runner 

Work on Ombre blocks 

Finish knitting baby blanket 

Mail Verdant Serenity to Ca. 

Hopefully I'll finish a couple of projects on my list this week.  And, wow, there isn't much time left in August and I haven't even started this month's table runner. (I think I've picked out the block though!) Where has this month gone? 

I'm linking up with most of my regular linky parties: Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, and To Do Tuesday.  Spend some time surfing to see what everyone is working on.  

Do you know of some upcoming Quilt Alongs or Mystery Quilts?  I've been trying to pass along some web sites for QAL and Mysteries to my guild.  If you know of some starting in Sept or Oct please share the info.  Here are a few I know of: 

All the Trimmings  Mystery Quilt and Stitch Along at the the Fat Quarter Shop starts on September 7.  Link to beginning of All the Trimmings.

Starting later in September is the Snowman Sew Along by Jacquelynne Steves. 

Well bummer -- this one doesn't start until October but sign ups are already full.  It is a Murder Mystery Quilt -- sew the quilt to solve the crime.  I believe there is a cost for this one but it does sound fun.  If this sounds like something you might be interested in you can sign up for the 2022 one beginning on Halloween, 2021. 

As I said above -- if you know of others please share!  Thanks. 

Happy Quilting All.  Bonnie