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Designer Mystery 2023 Finished—On To Something Else!

Finished Designer Mystery 2023
Designer Mystery 2023 is finished. Honestly, it took hours to get all the borders on this quilt, and I felt like I was wrestling with a circus tent the whole time, but I got it done. I think those large blue areas will be pretty when they are quilted. I have the quilt turned sideways so there is more of an overhang on the sides, which works best in my opinion. 

Now I just want to put it away and not think about it for a while. I am so happy to move on to some other project! Definitely not one this big!

I am thinking of making the Fat Quarter Shop Spooky and Sweet Halloween mystery wall hanging/table topper. My fabric is all starched and ready to go. I plan on making a few modifications to the pattern, which I will share as I get to them. I actually may need your advice on how to go about them. I want to round out the shape of the characters' eyes and heads, which I should be able to do with easy flip and sew corners, right?

Spooky_sweet-halloween_mystery-week4-finishingfinal-900 (1)
This weekend I was on a step stool rummaging in a closet and found a tub with the Designer Mystery block of the month quilt from 2012 if you can believe it. I had made two blocks, but that was back in the day when I didn't starch my fabric, so the blocks seem flimsy and floppy and not very well made.  Being a FQS project, there is plenty of fabric to remake the blocks, so I remade one of them. If I do make these 12 blocks, I will set them simply (I didn't buy the finishing kit apparently), so the quilt shouldn't be too large. 

2012designermysterybom-patternset-pdfThe fabric is an ancient Bonnie and Camille collection called Vintage Modern. The blocks are sweet and very cheerful. I can't believe all the money I have spent on these block-of-the-month kits which I have not finished. It is pretty ridiculous, really. I aspire to do better. 

Blocks 1 and DM 2012
Blocks one and two. I remade #2.

Hope you all had a a great weekend!

 

48 responses to “Designer Mystery 2023 Finished—On To Something Else!”

  1. Both projects – winners!
    Bonnie and Camille have the prettiest fabrics. Looking forward to this one.

  2. Both projects – winners!
    Bonnie and Camille have the prettiest fabrics. Looking forward to this one.

  3. Both projects – winners!
    Bonnie and Camille have the prettiest fabrics. Looking forward to this one.

  4. I’m so with you on “all the money I spent” on kits. I’m in my mid seventies and will never come close to making them. I really can’t justify giving them away or donating them. I feel I should somehow try to recoup some of my investment……but how?

  5. I’m so with you on “all the money I spent” on kits. I’m in my mid seventies and will never come close to making them. I really can’t justify giving them away or donating them. I feel I should somehow try to recoup some of my investment……but how?

  6. I’m so with you on “all the money I spent” on kits. I’m in my mid seventies and will never come close to making them. I really can’t justify giving them away or donating them. I feel I should somehow try to recoup some of my investment……but how?

  7. What a lovely finish – it looks perfect on the bed. I was looking at the little white frill on the bottom of it (underneath?) and thought oooh that would look super with a broderie anglaise edging!

  8. What a lovely finish – it looks perfect on the bed. I was looking at the little white frill on the bottom of it (underneath?) and thought oooh that would look super with a broderie anglaise edging!

  9. What a lovely finish – it looks perfect on the bed. I was looking at the little white frill on the bottom of it (underneath?) and thought oooh that would look super with a broderie anglaise edging!

  10. Your quilt top is gorgeous! Really looking forward to your Bonnie and Camille top! Those colors are my favorite. As far as unfinished kits, patterns and fabrics…I think we all suffer from that affliction!😁 You are so prolific, I feel like a sloth next to you. But we are all on our own journey, and beautiful fabrics and patterns make me so happy! I’m like a magpie drawn to shiny trinkets.😉

  11. Your quilt top is gorgeous! Really looking forward to your Bonnie and Camille top! Those colors are my favorite. As far as unfinished kits, patterns and fabrics…I think we all suffer from that affliction!😁 You are so prolific, I feel like a sloth next to you. But we are all on our own journey, and beautiful fabrics and patterns make me so happy! I’m like a magpie drawn to shiny trinkets.😉

  12. Your quilt top is gorgeous! Really looking forward to your Bonnie and Camille top! Those colors are my favorite. As far as unfinished kits, patterns and fabrics…I think we all suffer from that affliction!😁 You are so prolific, I feel like a sloth next to you. But we are all on our own journey, and beautiful fabrics and patterns make me so happy! I’m like a magpie drawn to shiny trinkets.😉

  13. Your finished quilt looks nice on the bed. I’m sure it will be a favorite for years to come! I still have some scraps of that Bonnie & Camille fabric. It’s an all-time favorite of mine!

  14. Your finished quilt looks nice on the bed. I’m sure it will be a favorite for years to come! I still have some scraps of that Bonnie & Camille fabric. It’s an all-time favorite of mine!

  15. Your finished quilt looks nice on the bed. I’m sure it will be a favorite for years to come! I still have some scraps of that Bonnie & Camille fabric. It’s an all-time favorite of mine!

  16. So impressed with all your finishes! The quilt looks fine sideways; for all of us couples who “steal the covers!”
    pat Sloan did the stitch-and-flip rounding on her quilt. Tiny pieces though!

  17. So impressed with all your finishes! The quilt looks fine sideways; for all of us couples who “steal the covers!”
    pat Sloan did the stitch-and-flip rounding on her quilt. Tiny pieces though!

  18. So impressed with all your finishes! The quilt looks fine sideways; for all of us couples who “steal the covers!”
    pat Sloan did the stitch-and-flip rounding on her quilt. Tiny pieces though!

  19. Designer Mystery 2023 is beautiful and will be gorgeous when quilted! Mystery 2012 is a fun find, it will be a fun happy quilt when finished. I’m sure that current fabric lines will blend well with the fabrics used in the blocks. I think back when they first started making mystery quilt projects we probably didn’t think about getting the finishing kits until we finished the blocks. Now we know that if you don’t get everything at the same time, you probably won’t. Looking forward to seeing your Halloween runner, it’s pretty cute!

  20. Designer Mystery 2023 is beautiful and will be gorgeous when quilted! Mystery 2012 is a fun find, it will be a fun happy quilt when finished. I’m sure that current fabric lines will blend well with the fabrics used in the blocks. I think back when they first started making mystery quilt projects we probably didn’t think about getting the finishing kits until we finished the blocks. Now we know that if you don’t get everything at the same time, you probably won’t. Looking forward to seeing your Halloween runner, it’s pretty cute!

  21. Designer Mystery 2023 is beautiful and will be gorgeous when quilted! Mystery 2012 is a fun find, it will be a fun happy quilt when finished. I’m sure that current fabric lines will blend well with the fabrics used in the blocks. I think back when they first started making mystery quilt projects we probably didn’t think about getting the finishing kits until we finished the blocks. Now we know that if you don’t get everything at the same time, you probably won’t. Looking forward to seeing your Halloween runner, it’s pretty cute!

  22. Gorgeous quilt finish. Glad you are staying in out of the heat and working on past projects. Your finished top looks lovely. I like a quilt with blues every once in a while. I have several quilts done in Bonnie and Camille fabrics, the red and turquoise on white are so cheerful. I have never bought a kit but have chosen every last piece of fabric I own and I find I have lots, some I can barely remember. Good luck on your progress.

  23. Gorgeous quilt finish. Glad you are staying in out of the heat and working on past projects. Your finished top looks lovely. I like a quilt with blues every once in a while. I have several quilts done in Bonnie and Camille fabrics, the red and turquoise on white are so cheerful. I have never bought a kit but have chosen every last piece of fabric I own and I find I have lots, some I can barely remember. Good luck on your progress.

  24. Gorgeous quilt finish. Glad you are staying in out of the heat and working on past projects. Your finished top looks lovely. I like a quilt with blues every once in a while. I have several quilts done in Bonnie and Camille fabrics, the red and turquoise on white are so cheerful. I have never bought a kit but have chosen every last piece of fabric I own and I find I have lots, some I can barely remember. Good luck on your progress.

  25. I have to ask – how many unfinished kits are there? You may have said.
    The blue is lovely. The kit you just refound also lovely.
    I had an elderly quilter friend years ago who got ALL of hers out, started with the easiest, because it was fastest, and finished them. I think there were a couple, that she no longer cared about, that she sold at garage sale prices just to get them out of her house. I think her total was somewhere between 15-20 when she started. All sizes and complexities.
    To Barbara in the comments above –
    If you have a lot of young and poor quilters in your area, you might be able to find one that would sew tops for you in exchange for keeping some. One for you. One for her. You could pick out the ones that no longer appeal to you, and let her chose from those. Obviously, find someone with great skills.
    Also, if they are unopened/complete kits, by famous quilters, you probably can recoup some of your money by selling.
    If you have a local guild, you can also donate some as fund raiser.
    There is joy in decluttering quilt supplies and fabric. Whoever has the most fabric, does not actually win, in my opinion.
    Also, if you are still able to sew, a little bit each week, it is shocking how many you can get done in a year. Only work on things you really love.

  26. I have to ask – how many unfinished kits are there? You may have said.
    The blue is lovely. The kit you just refound also lovely.
    I had an elderly quilter friend years ago who got ALL of hers out, started with the easiest, because it was fastest, and finished them. I think there were a couple, that she no longer cared about, that she sold at garage sale prices just to get them out of her house. I think her total was somewhere between 15-20 when she started. All sizes and complexities.
    To Barbara in the comments above –
    If you have a lot of young and poor quilters in your area, you might be able to find one that would sew tops for you in exchange for keeping some. One for you. One for her. You could pick out the ones that no longer appeal to you, and let her chose from those. Obviously, find someone with great skills.
    Also, if they are unopened/complete kits, by famous quilters, you probably can recoup some of your money by selling.
    If you have a local guild, you can also donate some as fund raiser.
    There is joy in decluttering quilt supplies and fabric. Whoever has the most fabric, does not actually win, in my opinion.
    Also, if you are still able to sew, a little bit each week, it is shocking how many you can get done in a year. Only work on things you really love.

  27. I have to ask – how many unfinished kits are there? You may have said.
    The blue is lovely. The kit you just refound also lovely.
    I had an elderly quilter friend years ago who got ALL of hers out, started with the easiest, because it was fastest, and finished them. I think there were a couple, that she no longer cared about, that she sold at garage sale prices just to get them out of her house. I think her total was somewhere between 15-20 when she started. All sizes and complexities.
    To Barbara in the comments above –
    If you have a lot of young and poor quilters in your area, you might be able to find one that would sew tops for you in exchange for keeping some. One for you. One for her. You could pick out the ones that no longer appeal to you, and let her chose from those. Obviously, find someone with great skills.
    Also, if they are unopened/complete kits, by famous quilters, you probably can recoup some of your money by selling.
    If you have a local guild, you can also donate some as fund raiser.
    There is joy in decluttering quilt supplies and fabric. Whoever has the most fabric, does not actually win, in my opinion.
    Also, if you are still able to sew, a little bit each week, it is shocking how many you can get done in a year. Only work on things you really love.

  28. Your designer mystery quilt is stunning!! I love it!!
    You do make such pretty quilts!!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

  29. Your designer mystery quilt is stunning!! I love it!!
    You do make such pretty quilts!!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

  30. Your designer mystery quilt is stunning!! I love it!!
    You do make such pretty quilts!!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

  31. The quilt with the large blue areas is beautiful and it goes nicely with the picture on the wall!
    I totally get it, some quilts are a breeze but some are so challenging.
    Glad you found the long forgotten kit!

  32. The quilt with the large blue areas is beautiful and it goes nicely with the picture on the wall!
    I totally get it, some quilts are a breeze but some are so challenging.
    Glad you found the long forgotten kit!

  33. The quilt with the large blue areas is beautiful and it goes nicely with the picture on the wall!
    I totally get it, some quilts are a breeze but some are so challenging.
    Glad you found the long forgotten kit!

  34. Something about those Halloween Characters bothers me too— I had more trouble seeing the tiny white rectangles as hands holding the baskets? The cross stitch had candy in it— I’d love if there were candy blocks. I do like the star blocks. Anyway I have the kit. Maybe I’ll take another look— there’s still plenty of time until Halloween! Love your Designer Mysteries— crushing it!

  35. Something about those Halloween Characters bothers me too— I had more trouble seeing the tiny white rectangles as hands holding the baskets? The cross stitch had candy in it— I’d love if there were candy blocks. I do like the star blocks. Anyway I have the kit. Maybe I’ll take another look— there’s still plenty of time until Halloween! Love your Designer Mysteries— crushing it!

  36. Something about those Halloween Characters bothers me too— I had more trouble seeing the tiny white rectangles as hands holding the baskets? The cross stitch had candy in it— I’d love if there were candy blocks. I do like the star blocks. Anyway I have the kit. Maybe I’ll take another look— there’s still plenty of time until Halloween! Love your Designer Mysteries— crushing it!

  37. Love your progress! Can’t wait to see what you do with the designer mystery BOM, I hate it when I don’t get the finishing kit and then it gets sold out. I’m sure you can find something to match if you decide to go that route.

  38. Love your progress! Can’t wait to see what you do with the designer mystery BOM, I hate it when I don’t get the finishing kit and then it gets sold out. I’m sure you can find something to match if you decide to go that route.

  39. Love your progress! Can’t wait to see what you do with the designer mystery BOM, I hate it when I don’t get the finishing kit and then it gets sold out. I’m sure you can find something to match if you decide to go that route.