Lupine and Laughter: Mystery Musings

Hello Friends and Welcome Back!

This morning, my community opened a millennium time capsule, prepared for us back in 2000!

Nothing inside was mind boggling, but the contents painted a beautiful picture of small town life at the turn of the century! Gas and grocery receipts giving an idea of the cost of living; newspaper and cassette recordings of local radio stations to share important events in from the time; pamphlets from schools, churches, and local politicians speaking of their hopes for the future; a pair of bills—$1 and $2—which had recently been replaced by coins.

It also included some historical pieces acknowledging events around the previous millennium, including a local newspaper from 1900, and a photograph of the local armoury building taken in 1918.

It was really interesting to see what the community valued at that time, and what they wanted to pass ahead to us today! I'm really glad I took the time to see the capsule being opened and I look forward to getting a closer look at some of the objects once they're on display at the library!

And though the history of one's community is both interesting, and important to acknowledge once in a while, I'm sure it's not why you've come to visit me today Friends. So let's shift our focus back to quilting!

Lupine and Laughter

A few weeks ago, I shared the colours and fabric I've chosen for a new mystery quilt along called Lupine and Laughter, this year's Winter quilt along designed by Bonnie Hunter!

I promised myself I wouldn't start stitching this new project until I had finished piecing last year's Old Town blocks, but I have been downloading each new step as they're released, translating the instructions into my own colours, and speculating on how the pieces might go together!

Over the weekend, I finally finished piecing all of the units needed for my Old Town quilt, so I've started to look even closer at the Lupine and Laughter instructions, and to think a little more about where each of my fabrics should land in the pattern!

Let's take a look!

My Lupine and Laughter and Old Town quilts are based on designs by Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville.

Disclaimer

Before going any further, I want to acknowledge that I don't have any inside information on the final design of the Lupine and Laughter pattern. Everything I share is speculation based on the information presented in the instructions and my own experience working with Bonnie Hunter's patterns.

If you don't want to read speculation on the outcome of this mystery quilt, stop reading now, and consider returning to this post in a few months when the quilt along is finished to see if my guesses were anywhere close to accurate!

Puzzling Out The Pattern

Before looking at any instructions, many folks who have participated in Bonnie Hunter's past mystery quilt alongs have noticed that she alternates between straight set and en pointe block layouts.

Straight set refers to blocks that have been laid out in rows and columns that run parallel with the outer edges of the finished quilt. They may use sashing or be placed side by side like a checker board:

En pointe is a setting where the blocks are tipped up on one corner like a diamond. This setting can still used sashing or be made without, but now the edges of the quilt cut through the blocks rather than running parallel to them:

Looking back at past years, I can see they are right about that pattern:

On Ringo Lake (2017) en pointe

Good Fortune (2018) straight set

Frolic (2019) en pointe

Grassy Creek (2020) straight set

Rhododendron Trail (2021) en pointe

Chilhowie (2022) straight set

Indigo Way (2023) en pointe

Old Town (2024) straight set

Knowing last year's pattern used a straight setting, I feel safe assuming Lupine and Laughter will be an en pointe quilt!

Another thing I take note of is the number of units being made each week, and whether they are made in sets or fully scrappy.

For the sake of example, let's pretend we've been asked to make 36 quarter square triangle units.

If the instructions read "make 9 sets of 4 matching quarter square triangle units" that suggests that we will be making 9 blocks containing 4 quarter square triangle units each, as shown on the left.

But if they say "make 36 quarter square triangles", it's much more likely that those units will be used for sashing or borders, as shown on the right.

The number of units is the same, but you get a completely different effect!

Looking at the actual units being used in this pattern, I think the week one quarter square triangle units will be used in an A block, the week two flying goose units will be used in the outer border, the week three half square triangles will be used a combination of both A and B blocks, and the week four half rectangle triangles will be used in B blocks.

Here are a few ways the B blocks could be pieced using just the units we know about so far:

Bit after playing around with these units and thinking about how the A block units fit around them, I'm beginning to think it's not actually an A and a B block, but some kind of A sashing and B block.

Of course, we won't find out for sure for a few more weeks!

Friends, it's been a lot of fun to share some of my thoughts on this mystery quilt along! Even if I haven't started the piecing yet, I can still take joy in unravelling the mystery as it's released!

And please let me know if you've decided to work on Bonnie Hunter's Lupine and Laughter mystery quilt too! I would love to see your progress and hear about your thoughts and theories!

I wonder if we've come up with similar ideas?

Until Next Time Friends, Happy Quilting!

~VA