Masks, 100 Day Project and Other things

100 Day Mystery Quilt
Written By

How is everyone? I hope this finds everyone is well. Have you settled into staying home as much as possible? I've been out for groceries and the post office but not much else. Most of my days are filled with making masks.

Update: Masks

Several requests for masks came in last week so most of my time was spent meeting those needs. My intention had been to start my #100dayProject on Tuesday, April 7th. However, I felt a strong urgency to complete the masks first so that's where I placed my time. My personal goals can wait. I'm nearly done with all the requests and plan to send of the last group this week. Then, I can return to my plans.

Things I discovered while making masks:

  1. I'm too slow. I am only able to make about 20 masks a day. That's not very efficient in the grand scheme of things. I saw posts from women who were making 60-100 a day. A few posted videos of their methods but I still found myself returning to the design I was using and only 20 a day.
  2. I'm wildly grateful for the family and friends I have in my life. The masks I created were all for family and friends. From the East Coast to the Southern States and the Great Lakes to the Southwest, everyone was glad to receive them. My peeps are scattered so being together from a distance has pretty much always been the case. Nonetheless, this time we are currently in has somehow brought us together more so than ever before and for that, I am grateful.
  3. I'm ready to move onto other things. I'm completing the last of the requests I've received later today. I feel ready to move on to my other projects now. I can still make more masks if needed. Right now, I need to get back to my quilting and my art. Because, self-care is important too.

#100DayProject

Since I had plenty of time to think while sewing masks, I've reassessed what I will do for my 100 day project. I've had this idea in my head for more than a few years now and it's done incubating. This is a good time to share it. I'm turning it into a mystery quilt project and you can quilt-a-long with me by downloading the patterns as I post them.

The Project

Each day for 100 days, I will post pictures of 1 or 2 paper-pieced blocks I'm making for the quilt. The paper-pieced blocks are 3" square and 6" square. There are 116 total blocks in the quilt. These will be combined in groups of seven – four 3" blocks and three 6" blocks – to create sixteen 24" setting blocks. I know it doesn't make sense right now, but that's the mystery!

There are multiple setting options to create your final quilt from the blocks you make. Some setting options require as few as four of the 24" finished blocks (sixteen 3" and twelve 6") so don't feel pressured to make all the blocks. There are options to complete a quilt, even if you don't make all the blocks.

Getting Started

The fabrics I've selected are from my collection of Civil War prints. I've purchased these prints from local quilt shops in cities across America. Back when my parents were still living, we would take their RV to visit different states. Dad always knew I would want to visit local quilt shops and mom loved helping me pick out the prints. She had a good eye for color and design. I miss her.

Some of my fabrics are fat-quarters or fat-eights. Others are leftovers from quilts I have made. You don't need large pieces of fabric for the paper-pieced blocks. Remember, the block sizes are 3" square and 6" square. Yep, they are small but when you see the final product, you will understand and be happy with the result.

Gather a grouping of fabrics you like. If you have 5" charm packs or 10" square packs, this might be a good project to use them. Consider making it from scraps of previous projects you've made. This is a great scrap-buster project. Other options include a single collection of fabrics or a particular theme.

Some yardage will be required for the setting blocks to bring everything together into a cohesive quilt. I'll share the amounts needed and some ideas for selecting the setting fabric further into the project. It will help to have a few blocks completed before you make decisions on the setting fabrics.

A Few Additional Supplies

Quilter's supplies: Rotary cutter and mat, quilter's rulers, scissors, pins, thread, sewing machine, pencil, seam ripper, iron and ironing board.

When I paper-piece, there are a few additional items I like to have at the ready:

  1. "Add-a-Quarter" and "Add-an-Eighth" rulers. You can use a regular quilter's ruler; however, both tools make the process a little easier and I do recommend them.
  2. Water-soluble Glue Stick – any brand is fine, as long as it is water-soluble and acid-free.
  3. Sewline Fabric Glue Pen – used for a different purpose than the glue stick also available with refills – Sewline Fabric Glue Pen with Refills.
  4. Carol Doaks .Foundation Paper – best option I've found for printing paper-piecing patterns. You can use copy paper, lighter-weight (20lb or less) is better than heavy paper.

If you 've never paper-pieced before, that's ok. I'll share tips and techniques all along the way. Post your questions here or on Facebook. Speaking of Facebook, I'm adding a Private Facebook group specifically for this project on my Facebook page. Join me there and post your progress, too. Watch for details in the next few days. Some social media, Instagram in particular, is new to me so please be patient with me while I learn that part of this process.

Join Me

If you would like to quilt-a-long with me, join my private Facebook group, Mary's Art Hutch – 100 Day Mystery Quilt Project,  and follow me on Instagram. I will be finalizing a few details over the next few days and sharing them here and on social media. My first 100 day post launch date is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21st. First Pattern download date is scheduled for Monday, April 27th.

Downloading Patterns

The link to download the previous week's patterns will post on Mondays in the Private Facebook group. If you don't use Facebook, please email me at mary@marysarthutch.com to receive an emailed PDF. The free pattern is a PDF download. Printed copies of the patterns are not available at this time.

IMPORTANT NOTE

While the patterns for this first round of 100 days are FREE, please respect my copyright. If you want to share with a friend, please send them to my website to download their own copy or give them my email address to request an emailed PDF. DO NOT copy and share the patterns. WHY???

  1. Because I still own the copyright and distributing copies violates that copyright. I don't own a copyright to the block itself, but I do own the copywrite to my written instructions and the paper-pieced pattern I created.
  2. Because traffic on any website matters even if the pattern is free. When you copy and distribute the pattern, you are, in essence, stealing traffic from the designer's website. Growing a following is not easy so please help me and other pattern designers by signing up for email lists, joining Facebook groups, and following Instagram or other social media. Please send your friends to my website so they can download their own copies and join me on social media.

THANK YOU!!

Until next time,

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