INDEX

	Fabric Requirements
	Cutting Requirements
	First Things First, HST
	Stripping!
	Piecing the Top
	Finishing the Quilt

     Mystery Quilt 16 is going to be an easy one that has a theme of Christmas (or if you are not one to celebrate Christmas, perhaps take a look at Mystery Quilt 17, which has a Halloween or fall theme.  Or if you are one that does not celebrate either of those, then Mystery Quilt 18 (coming soon) is a simple fall wallhanging).  

     MQ 16 is going to be short and sweet!  There are going to be several options, all of which I hope you choose to include in your finished quilt.  These options will give your wallhanging the little extra pizzazz that makes a person look at it twice and think, "WOW".  The final measurements for this wallhanging are going to be approximately 31" x 34".  And, as you may have guessed, it is extremely similar to MQ 17, so if you're making one... might as well make two?

     And, as usual, please share a photograph with me when you finish it so that I can display it in our gallery!

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS:

     There are four (4) basic fabrics in this wallhanging.  Since it is of a Christmas theme, the fabric families should include these colors:  Red, Green, White (or Cream), and Gold (or a Bright Yellow).   

Here are my fabric color selections: 

     As you may have guessed from the image above, the small bit of green on the end is the color I chose for my binding. 

     AMOUNTS:

	1/2 yard of Light background - In my example, I used a white with a fine print on it.  This needs to be light in color and have a sharp contrast against the other three (3) colors.  You can even choose cream, if you prefer it over white.  If you do choose a fabric with a fine print in it, make sure that it goes well with Christmas colors.
	1/2 yard of a border print - This should be a red Christmas fabric.  In my example above, it is the red stripe.  Well, it's the only red you see.  :)
	3/8 yard of a "body" print - By "body", I mean the interior of the wallhanging.  This "body" is, for now, a mystery.  In my example above, the red print is included in my "body".  This is where you can be creative.  You do not have to use the same red print for all of the "body".  In fact, the more different red prints you have, the more interesting it will look.  If, however, you cannot afford to purchase a zillion red Christmas prints, then I highly suggest that you choose one print that is large and busy, so that when it is cut up into smaller pieces, the pieces look as though they came from different fabrics.  This is also a good time to go stash-diving, if you have a good selection of red Christmas prints!
	1/8 yard of a gold fabric - The gold fabric I show in my example above is a bright yellowish-gold.  If you wish to choose something that even simulates the appearance of real gold (the 14K kind!), then that would be most excellent!
	1/3 yard of a green fabric - This is for your binding.
	1 yard of your choice of fabric - This is for your backing.

    Now, to summarize.  The "body" is made up of reds, as is the border.  The binding is green.  The background is either cream or white.  If you choose to switch things up a bit, go for it:  The only thing you should NOT switch is the background.  The background should remain either white or cream.  However, you could make your "body" and border from greens and your binding from a red.  Or your "body" from green, your border from red, and your binding from green.  Or... well, you get the gist of things.  The only two (2) fabrics here that you can switch around are the red and green.

     Go shopping!

CUTTING REQUIREMENTS:

     Time to do some simple cutting!

Light Background	5 - 4" x 4" squares 42 - 3" x 3" squares
Red(s) for the "Body"	5 - 4" x 4" squares 37 - 3" x 3" squares
Gold	1 - 3" x 3" square 1 - 4" x 4" square

FIRST THINGS FIRST, HST!

 

WHAT YOU NEED
4	4" x 4" Light Background squares
4	4" x 4" Red(s)

     This project consists of eight (8) half-square triangle (HST) pieces.  To make these, use your favorite method to make HST using four (4) of the 4" x 4" light background squares and four (4) of the 4" x 4" red(s) from the "body".  Once these HST are made, cut them down to a perfect 3" x 3".  They should look similar to the illustration below.

  A HST Tutorial is provided if you do not have a favorite method of making them.  This tutorial is simple to use and understand and the end results are HST that are the perfect size!

STRIPPING!

     This project consists of 10 strips, each containing nine (9) squares, for a total of 90 squares.  In this section, we are making nine (9) of the 10 strips, and part of the 10th strip. 

 

WHAT YOU NEED
8	3" x 3" red/light background HST, sewn in the previous section
42	3" x 3" Light Background squares
37	3" x 3" Red(s)

     We are going to sew together 81 (9 strips of 9 squares) squares, eight (8) of which are the 3" HST made in the section above.  In addition to the eight (8) HST, you now need 42 of the 3" light background squares and 37 of the 3" red "body" squares.  We are also going to sew two (2) sections of the 10th strip.

1. Sew nine (9) light background squares together to form a strip, as shown below.
   

2. Repeat step 1, so that you now have two (2) strips of light background, each containing nine (9) squares.

3. Sew three (3) light background squares together to form a partial strip, as shown below.
   

4. Repeat step 2, so that you now have two (2) partial strips of light background, each containing three (3) squares.

5. Sew a strip of nine (9) squares in this order (L indicates "light background" and R indicates "red body"): 
   L R R R R R R R L, as shown below.
   

6. Repeat step 5 two (2) more times, so that you end up with three (3) strips that are LRRRRRRRL.

7. Sew a strip of nine (9) squares in this order (H indicates HST):  LLHRRRHLL.  Refer to the illustration below to see the directional placement of the HSTs in the strip.  It is extremely important that the HST be placed in the correct direction!
   

8. Repeat step 7, so that you end up with two (2) strips that are LLHRRRHLL.

9. Sew a strip of nine (9) squares in this order:  LHRRRRRHL.  Refer to the illustration below to see the directional placement of the HSTs in this strip.    It is extremely important that the HST be placed in the correct direction!
   

10. Repeat step 9, so that you end up with two (2) strips that are LHRRRRRHL.

At this point, you should have sewn together nine (9) full strips of nine (9) squares each, plus two (2) short strips of three (3) squares each, as shown below.

2 of these
 

2 of these

3 of these

2 of these

2 of these

     At this point, you only have remaining one (1) 3" gold square, (1) 4" gold square, and 1 (1) 4" light background square.

PIECING THE TOP:

     First, you will probably notice that I have changed background fabrics on you!   This is due to a computer crash and I've had to redesign this quilted project.

     With that said, it is time for a little bit of sewing!

1. Using the 4" gold square and the 4" light background square, cut them both down the middle, vertically.  This yields two (2) 2" x 4" pieces. 

2. Next, sew a gold rectangle to a light background, vertically.  This mini-block should resemble this:
   
   
    

3. Repeat step 2.

4. Trim both of the half and half gold/background blocks down to 3" x 3".

5. Sew one of the half and half blocks to the solid gold 3" square, then sew the other half and half on the other side of the gold square.  Refer to the illustration below to make sure that you have the pieces facing the correct direction!
   
   
    

6. Next, using the two (2) short light background sections sewn in a previous section, sew one to each end of the segment sewn in step 5.  When finished, it should resemble this:
   
   
    

     Now, for the fun!  In case you haven't figured this mystery out yet, it's time to reveal it.  This is going to be a large Christmas Tree Ornament!  You can embellish it as much, or as little, as you wish.  Use up trims, baubles, ribbons, laces, buttons, and so forth.  Your imagination is your limitation!

     Before we begin sewing the strips together, you have a few options. 

1. First, you can sew the rows together in the order I'm going to give below without adding any embellishments yet.

2. Second, you can use trims, laces, and so forth to sew with the strips into the rows. 

3. Third, you don't have to add any embellishments at all.

     So, in essence, add your embellishments as you sew the top together OR add the embellishments on top of the quilt top after your rows are sewn.  For my quilt, I didn't purchase any embellishments that need to be sewn in-between the rows.  Mine are all added after the quilt top is together. 

  The only embellishment I will add as I sew the rows together is a slender golden rope that I'll loop between the top 2 rows of the quilt top.  This loop represents the hanger that an ornament has on top to be used to hang to the tree.  My loop is approximately 12" long before sewing it into the seam, but you can make yours longer or shorter, as needed.  The location of this loop is shown in the illustration below:

     Whichever you decide, here is what the quilt top should resemble when you sew the rows together (This illustration is without embellishments):

     Add your laces, trims, buttons, bows, and so forth to the red ornaments sections only.

FINISHING THE QUILT:

     It is time to add the borders, corner squares, quilt, bind, and label our project!

1. Measure the quilt top from the top to the bottom on the right side.  Cut a border strip 4" wide by this length.

2. Sew the right side border to the right side of the top.  Press the seams toward toward the border fabric.

3. Measure the quilt top from the top to the bottom on the left side.  Cut a border strip 4" wide by this length.

4. Sew the left side border to the left side of the top.  Press the seams toward toward the border fabric.  At this point, it should resemble this:
   
   
    

5. Measure the quilt top on the top side from the left to the right.  Cut a border strip 4" wide by this length.

6. Measure the quilt top on the bottom side from the left to the right.  Cut a border strip 4" wide by this length.

7. Using two (2) of the 4" x 4" background squares, sew each one to the top side border strip.  Press towards the border.

8. Using the last two (2) of the 4" x 4" background squares, sew each one to the bottom side border strip.  Press towards the border.

9. Align the top border to the top side of the quilt and sew.  It should easily fit into place since you pressed the seams for the corner squares in opposing directions.  It should resemble this:
   
   
    

10. Align the bottom border to the bottom side of the quilt and sew.  It should easily fit into place since you pressed the seams for the corner squares in 9pposing directions.  The quilt top is basically finished and it should resemble this:
    
    
     

11. Layer the quilt with batting and backing, and quilt as desired.  Bind the quilt, then finally, label it!   The finished project (without any embellishments) should resemble this:
    
    
     

12. Try adding appliquéd holly and berries!  Page 1 of the holly and berries patterns and Page 2.

     If you want, you can find small appliqués to place in each of the corners or elsewhere on the quilt, however, if you embellished it with a lot of trims, it may not need anything else.

     This finished top submitted by Doris, OR:

     This finished quilt submitted by Corinna, who made hers into an advent calendar (click on the smaller photo to enlarge the detail):

     I hope you have enjoyed this mystery and I would appreciate photographs of any that are finished!  Be sure to view this mystery quilt in the Gallery!  Thank you all for participating!

     Happy Quilting!

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