Okay. This is a looooong and perhaps slightly meandering post today. But stick with me. OK?

This week’s quilty post is again about the Christmas Mystery Quilt. Because I REALLY WANT TO GET IT FINISHED!

While I was working on last week’s Row 2, I was also working on rows 5 and 6. (Because I didn’t have the blue fabrics yet and didn’t want to keep delaying the project–no more procrastinating!)

I mentioned last week that I had to get some new blue fabrics to finish Row 2. I was VERY excited when I found this piece of fabric at Nana’s Quilt Shop in Brooksville. It was exactly what I wanted for Row Six which was an applique with the phrase “Peace on the Earth” or “Warm Winter Wishes”.

I love this fabric first because it has stars on it. And it’s two perfect shades of blue. The white fabric that it under the blue fabric is my “go to” fabric when I want to use white fabric in a quilt. It has barely noticable white stars. Both pieces are from BlankQuilting.com. Moda also makes a white with white stars.

The phrase I had planned on using was “Peace on the Earth”. (“Warm Winter Wishes” just doesn’t seem necessary here in Florida)

Then I decided that I really wanted to go with a different holiday phrase: “Be Merry and Bright.” I like the sentiment and it’s the theme that I’m using this year for Christmas. (Doesn’t everyone decorate with a special theme for Christmas?)

And I might as well really challenge myself by using my Cricut Maker to make the letters. I haven’t done much with my Cricut. A quilt, a dust cover, and two banners.

But I have to say that the Cricut really shines doing the letters.

It took me a little while to get the font and sizing just right.

I put the heat ‘n bond lite on the wrong side of the fabric and let Cricut work it’s magic. Then I centered it on the fabric and pressed.

I put some fusible interfacing on the back so it would be easier to applique.

And did some doodle stitching with my free motion foot.

I’m still not great at free motion quilting, but I think it turned out pretty well.

Next up, I added the green borders. The row is also supposed to have Xs embroidered on it but I decided that when I’m ready to quilt it, I’ll add some decorative machine stitching.

And….I moved onto ROW SIX! The LAST ROW!

This is another applique row and has 4″ blocks with Stars.

The gray background squares are from Moda Spotted by Zen Chic. I have a lot of that left over from the Sky Quilt that I made earlier this year. The star fabric is from the Manchester Metallics line from Robert Kaufman Fabrics.

I first used it in this tote that I made for Manchester Metallics Summer Bag Challenge with SewMamaSew.com.

(I bought more for my “Tell me a Story Quilt” which still sits in it’s bin waiting for me to quit procrastinating.)

Anyhow. I love that the fabric is shiny. I again put fusible interfacing on the back of each square and then used a small zigzag stitch on the stars.

I’m not sure if I like using the interfacing. It makes the applique process so much easier but it makes the pieces thicker so not as soft. But…I told myself that this is a wall hanging so it won’t really need the softness. It also made row five a bit wrinkled. I’m hoping that when I quilt it, it won’t be as noticeable.

So the rows are all done. (Yippee!)

And might as well just stitch them together….

And while I’m at it, add the borders.

I used the white fabric from BlankQuilting.com for the inside border and then Red Dot from Moda for the outside border. The red stripe will be the binding.

I would have continued but I was out of white batting and had to order it. So as soon as that comes in, I’ll be basting, quilting, adding a quilt sleeve and then binding!

Yes! This will be ready for Christmas!