Time to get ready for Holiday Solstice!

We are a week away from the kick off of my second annual Holiday Medallion Mystery Quilt Series!  That is right, just 7 days away. 

I know several of you are still waiting on fabric, but if you are waiting for Fig Christmas II, I'm it shipped this week!  So, fingers crossed, you will be able to get your fabric within a few days of the first clue!

Okay, today I want to focus on getting ready for the Clues.  

Let's Talk Color!  In preparation for my Holiday Solstice Mystery Medallion Quilt Series, I want to give you a few tips on sorting your Fat Quarters, and understanding your color plan, so you know best how to select your Fat Quarters over the next few months.  

So, let's begin categorizing your Fat Quarters into groups, so that I can help you to know when it will be best to use those fabrics.

By the way, if you missed the fabric requirements or download at my Sew on the Go website (scroll to the bottom of the page).

Categorize

Since you have so many selections (24-28 fat quarters), and you do not know what is to come, you may not know how best to use them.  So, I'm going to help you put them into groupings.   Since I have the plan, 😇 and I need for you to trust me.

So, I want to divide your fabric into:

• Large Print/Scale
• Directional Print/Scale
• Medium Size Print/Scale
• Small Print/Scale
• "Too close to Background"
• and Tone-on-Tone/Solids

Ideally, you should have a few fabrics from each category.  Directional is not required, but if you have them, I have a place for them.

Color & Quilting 101 Class

If these terms confuse you, I will give a mini lesson below.  However, I highly recommend you consider taking my Color & Quilting 101 Class. I have one scheduled for Sunday, June 7th at 3pm EDT and Wednesday evening, June 17th at 6pm EDT.  Sign up here: ENROLL IN COLOR CLASS

Okay, let's separate your Large Prints and keep those together.  I will let you know when a block would work best using a Large Print.  

Seperate your Directional Prints, again I will let you know when it is best to use them: 

Medium Prints:

Small Prints:

Next, let's isolate the one "too close to Background" fabrics.  There will be a few places for these, but you will need to be careful.  Once again, I will let you know when it is best to use these. 

That should leave you with your Tone-on-Tone and Solids.  Keep those together:

Easy, right!

What if you used mostly tone-on-tone?  Let's hope you selected a wide range of color, if you didn't go with a variety of print/scale. 

My suggestion would be to group them into Complementary Color or Triadic color groups.  Additionally, my recommendation would be to put these together when assembling your blocks in the next couple of weeks.  If these terms confuse you, I will give a mini lesson below.  However, I highly recommend you consider taking my Color & Quilting 101 Class.

You will want to use a Color Wheel or the 3 in 1 Color Tool.

For my alternative selection, Alison Glass' Sun Prints 2020, they hit the entire color wheel.

So, I went ahead and paired colors from the opposite side of the color wheel. Basically, a Split Complementary color plan. There may be a few Blocks I will go with a Triadic color plan, but for now, I'm going to keep them with their complementary partners.

Blue Violet (12), Golden Yellow (24) ,Violet (13), Yellow (1)

Orange (21), Turquoise (9), Yellow-Orange (22), Cerulean Blue (10), Orange-Yellow (23)

Red-Violet (14), Chartreuse (2), Purple (15), Yellow-Green (3)

Fuchsia (16), Spring Green (4), Magenta (17), Green (5)

Blue-Red (18), Blue-Green (6), Red (19), Aqua Green (7)

Plus, I have the Black ang Greys that I will keep with the "Too Close to Background" Category.  

Background

Okay, last let's talk background.   If you haven't selected it yet, remember it needs to be a high contrast to your fabric selection.  So, take your Fat Quarters to your local quilt shop or your stash.  Pull your background options and lay out a few different prints on your background.  If you have a fabric with a touch of a background color, make sure to lay that fabric on the background options.  Even if you aren't planning on using that fabric in your quilt, it will help you determine the best background color.  You may want to go with a shade similar to what the designer used.  

Now that we've sorted, now it is time to press and treat everything with mist of Best Press or another sizing/starch product.  

To see how I do this, watch my YouTube Video from Tutorial Tuesday, Week 2- Part 1:  Watch Here: Michelle's Preparing Fabric YouTube Video

I've created a Facebook Group that will be of great inspiration to keep you going.  I highly recommend if you are on Facebook to join.  I always have a group for the Mystery and the members are so inspiring!  The new Facebook Group, for this Mystery, is Holiday Solstice Mystery Series. 

Please. PLEASE, answer the screening questions.  If you do not, you will be automatically declined to the group.   If you want to invite friends, who want to join in on the fun, feel free to get them involved!  However, make sure they subscribe to my weekly newsletter, and then send (IM or email) them the link to the group.  If you invite them through the group, and they don't answer the questions and end up being auto denied.   

Okay, I think that is it for this week.  Next week will bring Clue #1.  So, get busy if you haven't selected your fabric.  Hopefully, the steps above will help you look over your fabric options and make you more comfortable with your selection or to make your selection. 

Stay Safe & Keep Stitching,

Michelle