Nine-patch blocks for Month One

[Renata L.]

At least for now, I'm hanging in there with the half-size version of the quilt. As Denise suggested a way to do nine-patch blocks using Billie Lauder's method, I tried it with my 1 1/2" nine patch blocks and they came out perfectly, no pain here! I really like this method for miniatures. There is one problem: Lynette Anderson calls for nine patches that are randomly picked colored squares, Billie Lauder's method is based on two colors only. So, in the end, if you want to remain faithful to the spirit of Lynette's pattern, Billie's method is not the method of choice. Too bad, because it was quick and easy... :S I am glad I tried it.

[Beverly C.]

Just checked out Billie Lau!der on you tube . . . . . she has some neat little tricks

[Rita C.]

Renata, I know exactly what you mean about the randomness of Lynette's blocks. But if you use a different pair of squares for each of the B. Lauder method then you will still have quite a variety of blocks - not the same I know, but another option. With these tiny 9-patches it's hard to get them coming out just right the traditional way, but it is possible. So to achieve Lynette's results we would have to cut individual 1" squares and piece them together very carefully. I think this might require my sewing machine with the straightest stitch and either a 1/4" foot with a side bar to help keep things straight or a credit card taped to the needle plate to guide the fabric through. I think it might also be best to press the seams open. Anybody else got a better way of doing these?

[Beverly C.]

I bought a pattern at a quilt show a few years back that required tiny nine patches. They recommended starching the fabric well for ease of sewing together properly.

[Renata L.]

By golly, I think I found another way to do the nine patch with a bunch of different random colors, but will have to try and see whether it works with such small pieces--I'm thinking we could use the washaway applique paper or any fusible washaway stabilizer, or even Golden Threads paper and then just pull it out. If using paper, I would shorten my stitch from 2.0 to 1.8 or shorter.

Here is the video with how to do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwYxwbbKens

I'm thinking two things. First, if it works, instead of making the nine-patch blocks, you could do the entire border at once. Secondly, later on you could make the mini-piano key border that way too. Any thoughts on this?

[Rita C.]

That's brilliant Renata - great find! It also reminded me that there is the show with Terrie Sandelin on miniatures where she does something like this too (it's in the 5 series somewhere I think). I am going to try a sample 9-patch with the 'Common Sense' method now and see if it works for me. Thanks for the link.

[Rita C.]

It is also the method that Paula Doyle advocates for tiny pieces - I remember her showing Ricky on one of the shows onetime. But Paula had a paper layout that you put under the fusible and the width of the printed lines allowed for the thickness of the fabric when it was folded for stitching.

[Renata L.]

Okay, I just tried making the miniature nine-patch using the instructions from the video I posted this morning. I did it on tracing paper because my fusible wash away applique' paper has not yet arrived. That said, it was super-easy to assemble and sew, I would definitely use a wash-away base because the block is too small to try and get tracing paper out of it after sewing the seams. The block measured a perfect 2" square (1 1/2" plus 1/2" for seam allowance).



I laid a sheet of graph and layout paper over which I put the tracing paper. Then I drew out a nine-patch block using the squares from the graph paper in the background. The size of each square was 1" because my final square was going to be 1/2". I glued the squares onto the paper with Elmer's school glue stick and followed the sewing directions in the video. What I don't know is how it would turn out with the wash-away fusible, but so far, so good.

On an aside, I mentioned in a previous post on the 2015 BOM Group that it took me a long time to figure out the colors and fabrics for my BOM. Then yesterday it all came to me--I took a picture of the fabric combination and put it into my quilt journal. This morning it snowed here in the DC area and I took a photo in the neighborhood. The colors in the photo were just like my quilt color selection! So I took it as an omen that, after so much hand-wringing, my color choices for the 2015 BOM were good! Or at least that is how I'm rationalizing staying on track from here on out! :cheer:

[Renata L.]

Great picture Renata, You should put it into one of those colour picker 'thingy-ma-bobs' that would give you the colour range - you might find a few extra colours that way that you hadn't realised were in the picture and may help round out your choices.

[E.M. T.]

Renata...good shot, good block...what Jelly Roll is that...Share, Please?

[Charae H.]

Ingenious problem solving, Renata!! Also, I love your color pallete! I bought the kit; probably will never do that again. I am having a bear of a time trying to figure out what colors are suppose to be what! It would have probably been easier to pull from my stash, but then again I sometimes forget how color challenged I am. At least I have finally moved beyond using "primary colors" exclusively! HA!

[Sherry B.]

Gorgeous colors, Renata! I am still contemplating what method I will use for these blocks.

[Renata L.]

Thank you all for validating my color choices--I'm really happy with them and have not had a desire to tinker further but I do like Rosemary's idea of running the colors through a color palette generator and see what it brings up. Marilyn, the jelly roll is at least two years old, but it is called Esprit de Noel by Moda. It's from the so-called French General line of fabris that Moda produces. I purchased it a couple of years ago because I liked the colors, then it sat there because I wasn't sure I knew what I would do with it. Now I have the perfect fabric in my stash for this project. Sherry, are you going to make the half-size or full-size version of this quilt? Charae, I almost ordered the kit myself so that I would not have to ruminate over fabric choices, but then I knew I wanted to make a Christmas wall-hanging and the kit would not have worked.

[E.M. T.]

:lol: :cheer: I tho't it looked like "French General"....they are so pretty !

[Sherry B.]

I am making mine full size (I think it is already going to be challenging making those 9 patch blocks so small and am tempted to consider another block in their place). I am using a barn instead of a house and am working on that right now. Also, mine will be scraopy - something that is usually out of my comfort zone, but this lends itself to it. Also, I am using raw edge applique on this center section. I will probably do needle turn when we get to the floral borders. It will be a few days before I am ready to post pictures.