2026 Murder-Mystery Quilt Along – a “whodunit” MQAL
The theme for the 2026 Murder-Mystery Quilt Along (MQAL) that I’m taking
part in is “Murder in the Alps”. This is more or less my first one but more on that below.
For the un-initiated a MQAL is a type of of social quilting project where the fabric requirements are given but no images of the finished project. Instructions on how to make components/blocks of the quilt are given at a set schedule. Most often weekly or monthly. I’ve seen individual pattern designers, fabric shops, or fabric designers all release or sponsor MQALs. There are also MKALs (knit alongs) and I assume MCALS (crochet alongs). I have done a MKAL before but no MCALs, I assume they exist though hah. The term is pronounced as “m-cal” and I think it’s neat that all versions can be pronounced the same whether Q, K, or C. Isn’t English the “coolest”; in all realness huge props to all those out there who learn to read & write in English the spelling of it is considered one of the most difficult to learn.
This MQAL is a little different in that each month you are also sent a chapter of a murder mystery that is written specifically to accompany the quilt. Clues to the mystery are hidden within the construction and process of making the quilt. Then at the end of the year you can submit your guess for who the murderer is. Correct guesses go into a drawing where you can win some quilting swag. I had a ton of fun with the MKAL I did (that one had no prizes) several years ago when my knitting obsession was in full swing. People would ask me “what are you making?” and my response would be “I don’t know. Not yet, I think maybe a shawl???”. They always seemed puzzled even once I explained the MKAL experience.
Now this isn’t the first MQAL I’ve signed up for but it is the first one I’ve been able to actively participate in (at least as of 3 months in). A few years ago I signed up for my first one ever “Murder of the Viking” but IRL things went to crap very fast and refused to let up for the entire year and I never was able to even read any of the chapters or complete a single block. I’m hoping I can also finish that project this year since I did at least download the chapters and blocks at the end of the year before I lost access to the site. Oh and I have almost all the fabric already purchased as well.
I want this page to kind of be the nexus for the project. Updating it throughout the year as the chapters and block directions are released. With some dedicated posts for each months block design linked since I think dedicated monthly posts will keep me accountable and not fall off the M-MQAL train.
Oh and Murder-Mystery is a new genre for me as well. Since I was a pre-teen I’ve pretty much exclusively read Science-Fiction. Unless it’s part of my Japanese immersion which so far hasn’t included any murder mystery. This is probably random for a blog mostly focused on being a novice quilter but if you know of a good murder-mystery in Japanese that is around N3 level (middle-school level I’m guessing -.-) hit me up with your recommendations! Or middle school mystery novels in general and then I can see if it’s been translated into Japanese and where it’s available to read.
With all that said; on to the blocks:
January: Block 1 “Golden Mirror”
Status: Complete
Fabrics: Parlor Diamonds in Peacock, Farmer’s Daughter Handmade in Raindrop, Pieces of India Tiger Stripes Teal, Sparkler in Alpine
Post: Coming soon~
February: Block 2 “The Jade Box”
Status: May need to remake
Fabrics: Sun Print Topography in Lemon, Sun Print Woodland in Golden, Parlor Diamonds in Peacock, Sparkler in Alpine
Post: Coming soon~
March: Block 3 “Dangerous Fan”
Status: In progress
Fabrics: Sun Print Topography in Maple, Parlor Diamonds in Peacock, Farmer’s Daughter Handmade in Raindrop, Pieces of India Tiger Stripes Teal, Sparkler in Alpine
