Mystery Quilt

Saturday morning, 9am.
March 12
I went to my local quilt shop...
Bluebird Quilt Studio
in Nampa, Idaho.
Packed along my sewing machine,
and a few accessories I thought I might need.
Scissors, thread, that kind of stuff.

I had signed up the week before,
and chosen a colorway for the day...
I picked one that looked bright and cheerful,
one that I would have probably not chosen on my own.
I thought -why not be bold and go for something different.

I set up my machine and got my first clue.
I have to say it was pretty exciting...
I had never done a mystery quilt before.
I enjoyed the company of other excited quilters
also working their way through the clues.

It was arranged for us to have lunch next door
at a Viet Namese restaurant. Ummm, good food.
A chair massuese came
and offered massages at 10$ for 10 minutes.
Some of the women took advantage,
others didn't.

There were 9 clues in all,
and there were 4 different colorways that I could see.
It was pretty neat seeing everyone's projects coming together.
There were quilt fairies to help with pressing,
and unpicking mistakes.

I made the first mistake of the day that needed unpicking.
I somehow managed to get 2 greens stuck together and sewn to the white.
I think my making the first mistake eased the tension in the room.
I even made the anouncement that everyone could relax now that
I had made the first mistake. Ha ha ha ha ha.

At one point some one made the statement that we were not in a race,
we were supposed to be having fun...
I think I said I was pretty sure there must be some sort of race going on.
By the way, I was the first one done with all the clues.
Then we were given the diagram of the quilt top,
and how to put the borders on.
I have the first border on,
but I do have to admit there are two more to put on.
And...
I haven't got them on yet.

The pattern is called "Hopscotch"
by Rita Fishel *Mystery Quilts.

There was a drawing for some door prizes,
and I got the first one,
it was a tote bag.
I think I heard one woman say something
about it not being fair because I had been the first one done.
I think I said something like...
see, I told you it was a race.
It was all in fun of course.
We were all laughing.

And,
the shop owner told us if we signed up for the next one...
which I think it will be in September,
that we could choose our own colorway
out of any fabric in the shop.
I think everyone there (including myself)
signed up for the next Mystery Quilt challenge.

I stopped on the way out to buy 2/3 yard of the green
used in my mystery quilt, the amount called for -for binding it.
so I would have it when I got that far.
The quilt is twin sized and
I am quite pleased with it.
Not sure exactly what I will do with the finished product.
But I have some ideas I can't really share right now.
(I have a few quilts promised to a few people,
and it might work as one of those.)

Fun day, I would definately do a mystery quilt again.