This year many members have participated in a mystery quilt challenge and are looking forward to the reveal in late November. Donnie Davidson, a life member, accepted the committee’s invitation to develop a mystery quilt design and created instructions that were released in instalments over 5 months. Each instalment had instructions for 2 different blocks, with later instalment introducing optional designs for potential alternative blocks. A minimum of 72 blocks was suggested as a potential size for the quilt. Blocks have been designed to be finished 8″ square and predominantly use high and low volume fabrics to create contrasts.

Members were encouraged to see the instructions as a guide rather than a strict template for their quilt. No specific final layout was offered, rather members were supported to develop their own layout. The blocks primarily used traditional designs (for example, half square triangles, & flying geese) and therefore were familiar to most of the members.

No two quilts will be the same, although most of the elements are common to each quilt. Some members have changed the size of the blocks or the number of each block they chose to make. Fabric choices have been varied – some using scraps, others a solo background fabric and some following a particular designer. The final quilts will be of different sizes, different combinations of blocks and different hues.

Look for Mystery Quilt Part B in late November to see some of the mystery quilts revealed.