There has been quite a bit of interest in the Disappearing 9 Patch quilt top I made a couple of weeks ago. That humbles and surprises me, the new quilter that I am (thank you.) When I started a new one for our Little Gal who is turning 5 tomorrow (sob), I thought I’d photograph the process more closely for you. I only recently learned about the Disappearing 9 Patch from another blog, but I’ll include how I went about the process in case it’s helpful to someone.
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First, select your fabrics. If you’re like me, the decision takes a while, so just hang fabric swatches up like laundry on a clothesline, adding one/taking one down every time you walk by until you notice that you’re not taking any off anymore. That’s what I do.
Or you could be less indecisive and just go to the fabric store and choose quickly.
Cut the fabric into squares. I cut 4″ squares, but you can choose another size. I forgot to take a photo of the little squares. Sorry. You can imagine 4″ fabric squares, right?
If you want to make a doll quilt like mine, which is about 18″x13″, you will need 27 squares. I used 9 different fabrics (see them above), so I cut 3 squares of each fabric.
Is that too much math for you? It is for me. Let’s not do any more math.
Sew the squares together, to make “9 patch” quilt blocks, which are each 3 squares wide by 3 squares long. You’ll see what I mean in the photos below.
Square up each 9 Patch. I like this part. It allows me to get the piece back into a square shape. After the way, I iron (lumpily) and the way I sew (crookedly), it is a lucky thing indeed that I can square up the piece. I squared my pieces to about 10-11″, I think. Just get them square again.
Cut the 9 Patch in half. Oh, yes. I did just say that. You can hold your breath but don’t close your eyes.
(I used a rotary cutter. That’s what that pizza slicer-looking thing is doing there.)
Cut the 9 Patch in half again. Yep, again. Keeping the pieces together in their original position (as if you hadn’t cut it already), cut it again, this time across).
See? They are cut and they look still pretty. Now catch your breath again.
Turn the cut pieces in any direction you fancy.
Arrange all of the pieces in the order you find most pleasing. The indecisive person that I am, I spend quite a while turning the squares, adjusting, counting (oops, I mentioned math again), and worrying over them. This time, our 10yo daughter said, “Mom. It’s fine.” And I said, “I’m obsessing again, aren’t I?”
She wisely kept silent.
Sew the pieces together.
As in the other quilt I made, I worry that you experienced quilters might giggle-snort into your coffee when you see my multitude of blips, tucks, and, ugh, a complete misalignment (I don’t like to pin things before I sew them). Look at the photos below after you set down your cup.
I love the Disappearing 9 Patch for the way it covers up glaring errors, like those I make while quilting. It’s a good design for new quilters like me.
Add embroidery (if you like), batting (if you like), a backing fabric…then machine or hand quilt the piece. Then bind the edges as you like.
I’ve loved embroidery for years, so hand quilting is appealing to me. Blissfully ignorant of any quilting rules (there are some, right?), I am freehand-quilting, going in a square here, creating a little trail there, and making tiny plus (+) signs there. I know I have much improvement to make in my stitches, which should be even & tiny and not wonky & big like they are. In embroidery, we don’t deal with such thick layers.
Here’s a peek at the quilting and embroidery progress so far:
Photos by Lori Seaborg, February 2008
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Love the colors.. thanks for the pics/tutorial!! I will have to try that 😉
Thank you for introducing me to the disappearing 9-patch! I love it! I will be making a quilt for my DD17 this year. She likes this pattern too! I think one of the full squares in each block will be white or cream muslin with a dab of embroidery in it. What fun!
Beautiful! And you make it look so easy. I might just have to try it. By the way, I’m Samantha’s sister.:)
Thanks for visiting, gals! And Drewe Llyn, what a beautiful idea to have some solid embroidered blocks. Please blog that when you do it; I know I’ll love it.
That looks really great! I am interested in learning how to quilt (by hand because I don’t own a sewing machine). Do you have any how-to posts for beginners?
The obsessing works – it looks beautiful!
My 4yo daughter and I trekked to the fabric store today to find just the right materials to make her babies a quilt. Thanks for the tutorial!
This is so clever. I am definitely going to try it out
I love this quilt…I am going to have to try it!
I love this quilt pattern and how easy it is! I’m a self-taught quilter too and I’ve added teaching quilting to my kids classes this summer – sometimes feel inadequate, but love sharing what little I know and helping to keep the craft alive!
Thank you for this tutorial. I haven’t made many quilts, only 2 and one was 15 years ago, so this will be very helpful.
Wow, what a neat idea, and the end result looks much more difficult than it is! And what a wonderful way to use up scraps! I am most often very impatient when trying to finish a project (guilty of not pinning more than once or twice!) but I am also much more please with the results when I force myself to take my time and do it properly! (which isn’t often!) I like your project, found you through Creative Chicks!
I used your directions to make my own quilt for my niece, and I’m so happy with how it turned out. Thank you for your directions, I would have been lost without it! I just posted my pics on my site.
I can hardly wait to try this! I too am a new quilter so it is perfect for me. Loved the step-by-step photos and the the way you used humor in the directions. Well done!
Thank you for sharing your quilt pattern and directions. I like the pattern so much that I plan on making this quilt for our second great grandchild.
Hi! What a lovely tutorial for this block, thank you! I have put a link on my blog (acardaday.wordpress.com) to this tutorial, I hope that ‘s ok. I love your blog, it really is just pure lovely :). Hope you’re having a nice day. Love Nova
Missing myPlayroom
As promised yesterday heres a quick snap of the quilt top I pieced together on Wednesday.
Looking at the picture I can now see a cluster of big red squares. Oh well, its a scrappy quilt so I neednt be so precious. This is …
Love the colours and love the pattern
You are very funny!
We have a lot in common in a don’t pin/can’t sew straight/ironing-challenged way. So good to know there are other quilters (well, at least one, anyway) like me.
Starting my funky nine-patch tonight. Thanks for the inspiration!
If you post your "funky nine-patch," I'd love to see it, Tina. I'm so happy somebody else is challenged in the same ways as I am!
~ Lori
I really love the way that you select your fabric using a clothesline. I’m really going to have to try that approach. I loved reading your post. It’s great!
Thank you for visiting and commenting, Krist. It was an impromptu idea at the time, but one that I use quite often now! ~ Lori
What a great idea! I have only ever made nine-patch quilts, so I’m definitely trying this!
I’m fairly new to quilting as well and this looks do-able. Thank you so much for such an easy to follow tutorial – with fun wit as a bonus!
Please let us know how your quilting comes along. And definitely post photos if you can! Thanks for stopping by, mg. ~ Lori
Thank you for sharing your how to do dissapearing nine patch instructions. I found them easy to follow and a very entertaining read. Good work. I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks, Darilyn! I hope you'll share your results!
Thanks so much! I did this and blogged about it here: http://aloadofcraft.blogspot.com/2010/03/crib-quilt.html
Thank you so much for sharing your quilt with us, Star! It is beautiful!
Oh my gosh – I have a load of Kaffe Fassett and white fabric and have been looking for the perfect pattern. Thanks a bunch – I’ve found it! Love love love love love THIS!!!
I can't wait to see what you create, Cathie! I'm jealous of your stash, by the way.
It’s great to hear from you and see what you’ve been up to. In your blog I feel your enthusiasm for life. thank you.
Very cute. I could totally see doing this, then turning it into a bag rather than a quilt! You did a great job!!
Great idea, Lana! Thanks for coming by!
I love this! Thanks so much for sharing. I was really intimidated to quilt, but this pattern was easy to follow. I posted a link on my blog ziggycrafts.blogspot.com
Thank you for writing, Liz! Your blog is great!!