I’ve seen many people on various forums ask questions about changing things on a quilt pattern. They ask, “Can I do this?” as if something bad will happen to them if they do something as wild as adding a border or removing a border or changing colors or sizes, or whatever.

Whatever your project is that you are working on - it’s yours. If you are using a pattern, the pattern designer has no control over what you do with it - and they don’t care - I promise! (And if they do…well, what can I say? I wouldn’t think they would. I won’t mind - I promise!)

If it’s a quilt along - you can change it up a bit! Just beware that changing sizes might give you problems with things fitting.

If it’s a mystery quilt - if you don’t like the “reveal”, you can change it!

Yes, you can. It may take a bit of work but you can.

A few years ago I did a mystery quilt. It’s been quite a few years ago now. It was my one and only mystery quilt that I’ve done (apart from the one I designed last year).

I didn’t have time to make the parts as revealed weekly—instead I waited about 4 weeks before I got started. I then worked fast and furiously to make the components. I went to the computer the next time thinking that there would be a new clue - and the reveal was already out.

I wasn’t very happy with the quilt I saw.

(I suppose it is best to go into a mystery quilt with no preconceived ideas. Or maybe I’m just not a “mystery quilt” person. I don’t know yet. Maybe I should try a few more. My problem, of course, is that I have so many of my own ideas, that I’m running out of time to make them!)

Anyway.

After I swallowed hard and muttering under my breath (I was surprised at my own reaction but I was actually angry - angry I had spent all that time and money on it), I took the measurements of the pieces I had made into my Electric Quilt program and designed something else that I did like.

This is what I came up with using some/most of the components we were instructed to make:

I did leave out the 4 patches that were supposed to be the centers of the blocks - instead I put a solid 4.5” cut piece of pink. Since then these pieces have been used in various of my 2” strips and squares quilts.

I added sashings and cornerstones to give a point of focus. For me the problem with the other quilt was that I couldn’t figure out where to look.

This version, with the black and yellow, it helped create a place for the eye to go. It was still a lot busier than I would normally do—but that’s okay, isn’t it? I suppose one of the purposes of a Mystery Quilt would be to expand one’s own horizons!

I also added a border I was tickled with. It was fun to do!

I was trying to use up some of the scraps at that point on the border.

But because I had made the blocks bigger, and added a lot to the blocks - in the form of sashings/cornerstones, I still had leftover pieces. I went ahead and made up the leftovers into a lap size quilt in the design that was given us.

Here is that one.

(I don’t know where this one is currently, so I couldn’t get an updated picture outside on my clothesline.)

I’m showing you these pictures to help you realize that you, too, can do this same thing!!!

No need to apologize. No need to feel bad.

You have pieces from a quilt that you don’t like? Or maybe you don’t like a mystery quilt once you see it. No one is forcing you to finish it as it is.

While you may end up liking it more once you are finished - you don’t HAVE to make it like the person who designed it.

Let yourself go from any sort of guilt you are putting on yourself! Make it into an opportunity to become your own designer! Why not? Let it go. Learn. Change things to make YOU happy.

I will say that I was part of a “quilt along” on Facebook (it was a sampler quilt) where they actually didn’t allow people to show the variations of the blocks. They wanted ONLY the ones that showed as the designers designed them. While it was the prerogative of the person who started the group, I thought it was a bit onerous and so did many of the people who were adding a bit of flair to their blocks - as they were reprimanded. Oh well. But they were expressing their creativity. Nothing was wrong with that and I thought many of them were quite clever! They were just asked not to show them in the group. (I think it was so it wouldn’t confuse people - especially newbies - who didn’t realize that those were their own additions.)

Oh…and I had leftover pieces from those two quilts I had made - and so I made up this one:

I was just desperate to use up most of the scraps as I had spent a bit of money on gathering fabrics just for the mystery - the first time I had done such a thing on such a scale for someone else’s idea! (I love the colors so it wasn’t like it was a hardship to buy pinks and blues and yellows!)

Since that time, I’ve collected fabrics - but they are for things I want to make - either gifts or just ideas I have!

Anyway…this blog post was started back in 2019. :) Guess it’s time to finish it!

Have a great day wherever you are reading!

Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store here!

Here’s one of the beauties we have!