Making the Quickest Nine Patches...Ever!

The Great Nine Patch Celebration Exchange has been going on over at Julie K Quilt's blog and she mentioned that Mary of Quilt Hollow showed a super easy way of making nine patches that is quite ingenious.

But Julie..... I'd say my way is the very best of all. I didn't have to lift a finger and look what arrived at my house! This tiny, absolutely perfect, blue and white nine patch wonder of a miniature quilt and it measures just 9"x 12".

Thanks to JulieK who sent this in a snail mail package saying it was made to honor the challenges faced by families struggling with Alzheimer's. Her lovely note came with instructions "to do with it as I saw best." I told her for right now, it is giving me joy as it rests in a little sewing basket on top of my treadle sewing machine.

For now, it is bringing me joy and I admired it as I phoned home and talked to my mother over the weekend. I feel so blessed that she is still able to carry on a phone conversation with me at all. She may not be able to walk, to to use her arms, and can barely use her hands, but she still remembers who I am and still laughs at all of my corny, silly jokes. Knowing that my mother is still here, still able to connect on some level with me is still a huge blessing. During this healing time from the loss of my father, it is wonderful to have any and all moments of happiness and joy.

It is truly amazing how a quilt can lift the spirits and remind you that others, do indeed, care.

Directions for a different way of strip piecing quick and easy nine patch blocks and cutting them into strip sets:



Basically, the idea comes from a free pattern and looked like this above.Following the strip measurements, as well as the laying out pattern, there is a simple and accurate use of the strips, and the simplest number of seams needing to be sewn. It truly is a great idea and quite fast.

Step 1:
Combine 2 1/2" x 44" dark strips (A) and 1--2 1/2" x 44" lighter strip (B).
See diagram for placement.
Make one strips set. Press toward dark.

Step 2:
Sew 1 - 2 1/2" x 28" dark strip (D) to light side of strip set.

Add 1 - 2 1/2" x 14" (E, on far left) light strip to dark side of strip set.
See diagram for placement.

Strep 3:
Cut 10 - 2 1/2" pieced strips across from top of sewn sections.....
see top of diagram for 6 1/2" dark/light/dark sections,
which now measure 6 1/2" widths across and

Cut 5 - 2 1/2" pieced strips from the newer ligt/dark/light
see E sewn section in bottom section of diagram, left side.

Step 4:
Lay alternating nine patch strip sets, as shown and sew seams.

Free quick and easy super fast nine patch quilt pattern:
Warm Wishes Quilt for Project Linus: free pattern pdf

Other free quick and easy and super fast nine patch tutorials:
http://www.moonlightquilters.org/tipninepatch.htm


Michele Bilyeu Quilts With Heart and Hands for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) Join in my Liberated Quilting Challenge...and buy or donate a quilt, today!! We are changing the world...one little quilt at a time.Michele Bilyeu blogs With Heart and Hands as she shares a quilting journey through her life in Salem, Oregon and Douglas, Alaska. Sharing thousands of links to Free Quilt and Quilt Block Patterns and encouraging others to join in the Liberated Quilting Challenge and make or donate small art quilts to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) Help us change the world, one little quilt at a time!