Old Town Mystery - Part One!

It's Time!

And I know we are a week earlier this year, and I'm sure many of you are happy for an earlier start so you can get Part One out of the way before Thanksgiving week arrives.

I am too.

I've been looking forward to this day for months, and it is finally here.

A couple of reminders as we get going:

If you are new and joining us for the first time, please click the Old Town Mystery Tab at the top of the blog to find our introductory post with quilt size, yardage requirements and more information.

I'll be presenting one part each Friday as we work our way through, and I've done my best to save the easiest parts for Christmas week.

That said - there is nothing wrong with taking a week off to spend time with your family, just remember to come and save each part as they are released (Save them where you can find them!) and you can jump back in when your own time allows.

Click HERE for Part One PDF.

Save the PDF file to your computer or device and hopefully a cloud service like Drop Box.  Choose print from screen view or navigate to the file to print.

Parts may be several pages - but remember you don't have to print them all.  You can read from your computer/screen view.  You can print just the pages you need. You can copy/paste parts you want into your own word document.

Just a couple of do's and don'ts here - 

DO: Share your progress on social media! 

While I may have my photos taken on my cutting mat because these are a teaching photos - please take your photos on the back side of your mat - the side without measurements or lines - or move things to a table or other surface so unit sizes are not discernable.

Let's keep this a mystery for everyone who is participating, who might not be on the same clue as you, or even have started yet.

DON’T: Post unit sizes or piece counts when posting to social media! You can say things like “One set down…” (But leave off the number of sets to go and don't state the unit size!)  Please take photos away from your cutting mat lines and rulers. Thank you so much!

DON'T: Stress, worry, let frustration make you feel defeated.  That's not what this is about.

As stated, you can use ANY method that you want to make your units, just keep in mind the unfinished and finished size they need to be.

DO: Use hashtags #quiltville and #oldtownquilt (not oldtownmystery or anything including a year) so we can find you and cheer you on.

Please invite your quilty friends to jump on in and join us!

Krakow, Poland!

It was September, 2023.  The sun was warm, the people were bustling and so much architectural beauty awaited us!

The colors of the buildings, the central part of Old Town Krakow.

Curved Streets and curved buildings!

So many cafes and shops...and if you follow the curve to the left down the street there is THE BEST donut shop in the world.

Cobblestones and horse drawn carriages.

In 2025 we are heading to Iceland in June,  Switzerland/Austria and winding up in Alsace France for the big quilt show in September, and returning to Germany/Austria for the fantastic Christmas Markets in December.

In 2026 we are going to Morocco in January, Romania in June, India in September and things for December 2026 are still being decided.  Where do you think we should go?

More info on my tours under the All My Tours tab at the top of the blog. Join me and be part of the tours that inspire our yearly Quiltville Winter Mysteries!

There is an EARLY BOOKING DISCOUNT if you reserve your spot for any of these tours BEFORE January 1, 2025. Don't wait!

Our Old Town mystery begins here!

25 sets of 4 matching flying geese. (meaning the same aqua/turquoise and same neutral per each set, but sets can differ from each other.)

Units will measure 2 1/2'' X 4 1/2'' unfinished and finish at 2'' X 4'' in the quilt.

Traditional Rotary Cutting:

For each set: From neutral fabric cut 1 square 5 1/4'’. Slice on the diagonal from corner to corner twice with an X to yield 4 quarter-square base triangles.

From aqua/turquoise fabric cut 4 squares 2 7/8’’. Slice each square once on the diagonal to yield 8 wing triangles. This is ONE SET. Cut 25 sets.

Assembly for these units is the same as the Essential Triangle Tool method below.

My Essential Triangle Tool.

Using the Essential Triangle Tool will have you cutting easily from strips, saving time and increasing your piecing accuracy. 

Cutting Quarter -square Triangles 

Unlike having to cut 5 1/4'’ and 2 7/8’ squares as in the traditional rotary cutting method above, I used my Essential Triangle Tool to cut the quarter-square and half-square triangles from 2 1/2’’ strips. 

2 1/2’’ strips are something I keep readily on hand so I can easily go to my strip stash and pull what I need.

To cut quarter-square triangles, place the fourth green line from the top (Look for the 2 1/2’’ strip width marking down the center in green) at the bottom edge of the strip with the green line ON neutral background fabric, not below it on the mat.  

Trim 2 sides as shown. The upper tip of the ruler will extend above the top of the strip just a bit creating a flat spot at the top of the cut triangle. This flat spot becomes a placement guide. 

Pivot the ruler, placing that fourth green line at the top of the strip, ON the fabric. Cut.

 Cut 4 matching base triangles for each set. Cut 25 sets.

Cutting Wing Triangles:

Fold a 2 1/2’’ strip with right sides together so you are cutting through two layers. Right sides together is needed as we are cutting in mirror image pairs.

Square off one end of the strip set. 

Using the third red line for 2’’ finished half-square triangles, place the red line ON the fabric at the top of the strip set (Don’t place the line on the mat above the fabric or you will be one line width too small.) and make a cut.

Pivot the ruler, placing the 2’’ finished red line on the bottom of the strip set and cut.

 Pivot the ruler again and cut for the third and fourth pair of matching triangles, right sides together. 

You will have 4 pairs of mirror image triangles.  This is ONE SET.  Cut 25 sets.

Trimmed corner to trimmed corner!

All of the notched corners go at the top of the unit – the flat spot on the top of the base triangle becomes a placement guide. 

Start with the right wing first! 

Place the right wing triangle on top of the base triangle with right sides facing.  Align the bottom edge and the diagonal. 

Stitch. Gently press toward the neutral base triangle so as not to distort it.  Trim dog ears. 

Be consistent with always stitching the right wing triangle on first and pressing that seam allowance under toward the base triangle. 

As blocks are joined together in the quilt top, this pressing will help distribute the bulk that happens during quilt assembly. (You can also always press everything open if that is your choice.)

Add the left wing triangle in the same manner.  Press toward the wing triangle.  Remove dog ears and trim to 2 1/2'’ X 4 1/2’’ as needed.  Make 25 sets of 4 matching.

I know that folks love to talk "scant" - but be careful when sewing these. Seams that are "too scant" will not leave you with a 1/4'' seam allowance at the top of your unit. You'll lose your point in the next seam. Or your unit will be too big and you'll lose it when you trim.

The only scant that is the "right" scant is the one that takes you to unit size without losing your margins.

More Flying Geese Options:

(Without Essential Triangle Tool)

“I don’t like to sew triangles, is there another way?” “My machine EATS triangles! What to do?” 

You can make flying geese units with neutral 2 1/2’’ X 4 1/2'’ base rectangles with 2 1/2’’ aqua/turquoise squares to become wing triangles in a stitch & flip method.

This method creates quite a bit of waste, but if it works for you – GREAT! Please remember that you may need more fabric yardage if you use methods like this.

Drawn Lines or Simple Folded Corners Method:

For each set:

Cut 4 neutral rectangles 2 1/2'' X 4 1/2''

Cut 8 aqua/turquoise squares 2 1/2''

Cut 25 sets.

Draw a line from corner to corner on the back of each of the 8 squares.

Place a square in the right hand corner of the rectangle with right sides together. 

Place the sewing machine needle just barely to the RIGHT of the drawn line into what will be the seam allowance. 

The drawn line is not the seam line.  It is the FOLD line where your fabric has to fold up and over the thread to reach the edges of the base unit.  DO NOT SEW ON THE LINE. Sew next to it. 

Sew slowly, and carefully. Press.  

*Pressing Tip! *

 

Instead of pressing blindly from the fold toward the corner, align the edges of the triangle you are pressing even with the edges of the base rectangle FIRST.  Once these are even, press down on your unit.  This will block your unit to help it keep its shape and size. 

Once pressed correctly, fold triangle back and trim seam allowance 1/4'' from stitching.  

Remember to start with the right wing triangle and press the seam allowance under toward the neutral rectangle after trimming to press.

Repeat to add the opposite corner, pressing the trimmed seam allowance toward the left triangle just added.

Repeat the process for the remaining side of each unit.  Make 4 matching per set. Make 25 sets.

Don’t like drawing lines? 

This is where the Simple Folded Corners or Simple Folded Corners Mini come into play. 

Start as with the basic Stitch & Flip method above, but instead of drawing a diagonal line, place the 1/4'' line on the diagonal of the Simple Folded Corners ruler (mini shown) on the diagonal of the corner square and trim leaving 1/4'' seam allowance. 

Remember to sew just shy of 1/4'' because the FOLD has to happen on the diagonal of the square for the triangle to reach where it needs to go.  A couple of tests should help you adjust where you need to sew to achieve unit size.

After the first corners of all the units are sewn on and pressed under, take them back to the cutting table to put the next corner squares in place, trim, sew and press toward the left wing triangle. 

View from the back side.

There is more than one way to make a successful flying geese unit! 

Repeat after me:

25 sets of 4 matching.

Units will measure 2 1/2'' X 4 1/2'' at this point.

If the method you use creates more fabric waste, you may need more fabric.

Okay - that's it for this week.  We'll see you back here next Friday 11/29/24 for Part 2.

Your excitement over Moonflower has blown my mind!  Thank you so much!

It was so fun to make, and I can just imagine it in so many different color plans -

I'll be drawing for 2 winners who will each receive a Moonflower PDF pattern from me, and a Moonflower cotton roll from  Cotton to Quilts.

And don't forget to check out their neutral rolls as well - I love the variety in these cotton rolls!

We'll be drawing for those winners on Monday, 11/25/24.

Get your entry in on the Gift-Away Post.

And yes, there is introductory pricing!

The PDF pattern for Moonflower is currently 25% off in the Quiltville Store, no coupon code needed.
Rulers, notions and tools are also 15% off using code NOTIONS at checkout to receive discount.

To use a coupon code - click REDEEM YOUR COUPON beneath the the total in the shopping cart. Enter the coupon code in the box that opens up. Click enter.

*NOTE* You need to put the code in BEFORE you click to your payment method for discount coupon to be applied.

International Customers Purchasing PDF Patterns: Do not use the BUY NOW button on the pattern page to check out with autofill. Place the item in your shopping cart and then go to the cart page to check out choosing either your credit card option or Paypal. Shipping addresses should not apply as this is a digital pattern purchase. I don't know why it works this way, but it does.

And since we are headed into the holidays (And holiday sewing as well!)

I've also placed a 25% discount on Pine Tree Point. Price good through 12/15/24.

This quilt reminds me of all of the Christmas Tree trucks I see daily - pulling their tree harvest up and down these mountain roads, eventually to wind up in people's homes to become Christmas memories.

If you have one started from last year - why not pull it out and get going on it again? It's the perfect time!

I think that covers it for this morning!

Quiltville Quote of the Day -
Embrace the stash and dig in!
Have a wonderful Friday of sewing, everyone!

 

This mystery pattern is given for personal use only. 

No part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical including printing or photocopying for sharing, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the author.

Please no uploading and saving of this file with intent to share, email or distribute, either digitally or in hard copy.

It is a reader appreciation mystery, something I give back to my readers for their support over the years.

Please help me continue to design and show your support by sending your friends to my blog to print their own copy. 

Please check out my other designs found in the Quiltville Store where my books (paperback) notions, tools, and other goodies along with my digital patterns are found right at your fingertips.

 

©2024 Bonnie K Hunter. All Rights Reserved