HOME • Shhh! '07

Shhh! It's a Secret '07, Taught by Jackie Robinson

Enjoy a mysterious day starting a great 51" x 69" lap quilt, having fun, and learning some new tricks for piecing.

This is an all-day or Retreat workshop.

Select quality fabrics which are 42" - 44" wide.

To begin, the 'trick' to a successful Mystery is LOTS of contrast, AND awareness of values.

1. 6" (finished) squares are involved. Begin by thinking about that space. They could be:
          A. a very plain area that you'll use to display your exquisite quilting
          B. photos
          C. designs from your embroidery machine
          D. focal fabric print
Whatever your choice, It REALLY needs to be on a LIGHT background. REALLY. Light 2 (L2)

2. More light Background. Light is important. Select a companion fabric that is friendly with the Photos or Focal fabric, as it will touch absolutely everything. Keep it simple. Nothing directional. Consider small dots, stars, marble, itty bitty twigs, etc. LIGHT, without exception. Light 1 (L1)

There are 6 more fabrics. Heavily textured would work fine. Avoid any prints that really don't know what color they are. Keep these all fairly mono-chromatic. Three distinct color families will work best. i.e. Yellow, Green, Blue (dark enough to not blend with the above background) (red, green, gold -- black, red, gold -- green, purple, teal -- etc,) As follows:

3. Select a fabric you like LOTS. It will determine the overall way this quilt appears. Within this color, find two that are different values -- nothing lighter than medium. You could select a medium and a dark, or a med-dark and a dark. The one you like best will become a 2nd background, though with lots of power. Yellow 1 (Y1)

4. The other value of Color 3. Mine is darker. Yellow 2 (Y2)

5. & 6. Two complimentary fabrics -- 2 values - medium and medium dark. They will touch EVERYTHING. Green 1 and Green 2 (G1 & G2)

7. & 8. Two accent fabrics - 2 values - Medium and medium dark. Blue 1 and Blue 2 (B1 & B2)

You could flipflop fabrics 2 & 3 -- i.e. change the background values, but only if your Focal fabric or Photos are also Dark.

Mostly --- go for high contrast and 3 totally different color families plus a neutral. This is NOT a difficult 'pull'. Batiks would work especially well because they often have lots of texture without being multi-colored. I used the He Loves Me daisies. I think you'll be happiest if nothing is multi colored, except the Focal fabric.

YARDAGE:
There are 4 sizes offered: a Lap, Twin, Queen, and King. Their yardage is shown in parenthesis as (Lap,Twin,Queen,King) The Lap is 51" x 69", Twin is 69" x 87", Queen is 87" x 105", and King is 105" x 105". Also shown in other parenthesis are the fabrics I used. You can see them at Shhh'07 MYSTERY FABRIC PHOTOS

Y1 - Dark Background â€“ (Yellow Petals) â€“ (2-1/2 yds, 3-1/2 yds, 4-5/8 yds, 5 yds) (includes binding)
Y2â€“ (Yellow Plaid) -(1/8 yd, 1/3 yd, 5/8 yd, 3/4 yd)
G1â€“ (Lt. Green Texture) - (3/4 yd, 1-1/4 yds, 1-5/8 yds, 1-7/8 yds)
G2â€“ (Green Buds) - (3/4 yd, 1-1/4 yds, 1-5/8 yds, 1-7/8 yds)
B1 - (Blue Allover) â€“ (1/4 yd, 1/4 yd, 1/3 yd, 1/2 yd)
B2â€“ (Blue Buds) - (1/4 yd, 1/4 yd, 1/3 yd, 1/3 yd)
L1 - (Light Background) â€“ (1-1/2 yds, 3 yds, 4-7/8 yds, 6 yds)
L2 â€“ if Focus fabric - strips - otherwise the # of squares
Cut (1,1,2,3) 6-1/2" strips into:
(6,6,12,13) 6-1/2" squares
Backing - (3-3/8 yds, 5-1/2 yds, 8-1/8 yds, 9-3/4 yds)
(not needed for class)

FABRIC PACKS AVAILABLE - We're out of the He Loves Me fabrics as shown on fabric photo page. However, the Pastel Version of same, using my He Loves Me II will be quite nice. Choose Pink or Blue.
There are 4 sizes offered: a Lap, Twin, Queen, and King. All you'll need to add is your photos, printed on fabric.
Lap - $ 56.
Twin - $ 89.
Queen - $ 128.
King - $ 147.
add shipping - $ 9.50 within the US
We'll ship as ordered so you have time to pre-cut
These need to be ordered via email as they aren't shown on the web page.

Before class, please pre-cut the following ACCURATELY across the 42" width:

Y1 - Dark Background
Cut (2,3,4,4) 6-1/2" strips for strip sets
Cut (2,3,4,4) 6-1/2" strips into:
          (40,56,72,80) 6-1/2" x 2"
Cut (1,3,6,7) 3-1/2" strips into:
          (18,58,102,136) 3-1/2" x 2"
Cut (4,6,7,8) 2" strips into:
          (80,112,144,160) 2" squares
Cut (12,16,20,22) 2" strips for strip sets
Cut (7,8,10,11) 2-1/2" strips for Binding

Y2 - Yellow Plaid
Cut (1,3,5,7) 3-1/2" strips into:
          (18,58,102,136) 3-1/2" x 2"

G1 - Lt. Green Texture
Cut (10,17,23,27) 2" strips for strip sets
Cut (2,2,4,5) 2" strips into:
          (24,24,78,92) 2" squares

G2 - Green Buds
Cut (10,17,23,27) 2" strips for strip sets
Cut (2,2,4,5) 2" strips into:
          (24,24,78,92) 2" squares

B1 - Blue Allover
Cut (2,2,3,4) 3-1/2" strips into:
          (28,28,60,80) 3-1/2" x 2"

B2 - Blue Buds
Cut (2,2,3,3) 3-1/2" strips into:
          (24,24,48,52) 3-1/2" x 2"

L1 - Light background
Cut (1,3,4,5) 6-1/2" strips for strip sets
Cut (0,2,4,5) 6-1/2" strips into:
          (0,40,72,96) 6-1/2" x 2"
Cut (9,11,18,21) 3-1/2" strips into:
          (184,216,360,424) 3-1/2" x 2"
Cut (3,7,13,16) 2" strips into:
          (60,140,252,324) 2" squares
Cut (2,6,10,14) 2" strips for strip sets

L2 - if Focus fabric - strips - otherwise the # of squares (these are your photos or fussy cut units)
Cut (1,1,2,3) 6-1/2" strips into:
          (6,6,12,13) 6-1/2" squares

Bring the remainder of your fabric to class.

Also Bring to class:
          A GOOD Sewing Machine with foot control and power cord
* NOTE: Sewing Machines are provided at Houston Quilt Festival & Greater Chicago Quilt Expo
          Presser foot for achieving a scant 1/4" seam
          Rotary cutter
          Rotary cutting mat
          Rotary cutting ruler - 6" x 12"

Angler - for sewing diagonals
          Scissors
          Neutral colored thread
          Pins
          Cushion to sit on
          Small trash bag .

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