Destroying the 9-Patch

The best time to be fooling around with a new project is often when you should be doing something else!
I should be getting ready for my teaching trip....and I am!...but I found a set of 30--6" squares in my scrap basket. And lately I've been reading about the Exploding 9-Patch or the Disappearing 9-Patch (and I am sure many other names, too!). So I just had to play.

Chop, chop...these are one quarter of some of the original blocks

My camera was having a temper tantrum and lost the original pictures of the 9-Patch blocks. But I have every confidence in you, Dear Reader, being able to imagine a 9-Patch block, cut down the middle top to bottom, and then side to side.
That makes the center square come out as a little square along with half of each middle side square. They now look like a sashing with cornerstones, and the original corner squares get to be the big stars of the show.
For those of you fooling around with the math (I know you are out there, and you know who you are!), it's possible to make 3 blocks from 27 squares...so 3 squares went back in the scrap basket. But since each 9-Patch would be cut into 4 pieces to equal 12 new units, I knew the 3 blocks would end up as a square/rectangle when done.
That's pretty advanced math for me!

The chopped up blocks begin their Dance of Frustration.

You know what I mean here...they all look great! But wait! There are two that I don't like together, so I have to move them...but wait! Now there are too many reds together, so another trade....every time you move one, it makes the whole thing worse.

Is this arrangement better? Who knows?

You can fret over this stuff for days and it will never come out right. I am sure about that, because after you decide you like the arrangement, when you start sewing the blocks together you'll get them out of order anyway. I certainly do.
Just sew them and get over it!
All anybody ever sees is the final product, not your painful deliberations.

Today's mantra: At least this part is done

There's something about having it sewn that makes it look better, although there is also something about taking a picture that makes you want to do it over again!
I am avoiding any temptation to reverse-sew and move these blocks!
It came out about 24" x 32", so I can put on a nice 2" inner border and a 4" outer border to make a great child-size quilt for my guild's charity!

Another win-win-win: scraps used up...need for sewing fulfilled....charity project started!

Group Quilt Projects

This is my President's quilt, a signature gift from my guild. No, that's not laundry under it...that's a pile of crochet items for another charity!


At some time you will likely be involved in making a group quilt project (though you try to avoid it!).

In a guild this is liable to be a raffle quilt or a gift of some kind (for charity, President, member or family). Quilts are popular and traditional fund-raisers, so you may be roped into to making one for any group!

I know you are rolling your eyes right now! But I have some help for you.

Group projects are notorious for having such a variety of workmanship that they are difficult to assemble. While part of the "charm" of a group-made quilt is that variety, the process can be an excellent learning process. Quilt guilds should encourage their membership to imporove skills, though not at the hands of the "Quilt Police".

You really cannot expect someone to do better unless you give them some idea of how.

I wrote the following handout for my guild several years ago. It has appeared in the newsletter and been available to pick up as a flyer. Since we are starting in our President's blocks for this year, it will go in the newsletter and on the website.

I'll share it with you now.
If you'd like to use it for your own group, please be sure to include my website and/or blog when you copy it.

http://www.PatchworkPie.blogspot.com/
When you’re making a block for a group project….
HOW TO CHECK YOUR BLOCKS
BEFORE YOU HAND THEM IN:
1. Check the directions or call the leader to find out the CORRECT SIZE OF THE BLOCK. You may want to know both measurements: The finished size (how big it looks when sewn into the quilt) and the unfinished size (from raw edge to raw edge). The unfinished size is what you will be checking. It will be 1/2" larger than the finished size, to allow for the seams.
2. Measure your block on each side to see if it is right. It must be within 1/8" to be usable.
3. The edges should be straight. You should not have any sections sticking out uneven from the others.
4. If the block is not right, check your 1/4" seam allowance first. If it is too small, you can just re-sew the right size. If it is too big, you have to rip out the seam and then re-sew it.
4. If the seams are OK, check the strips cut for the block. Sometimes it looks right but is too narrow or wide. Even if you cut exactly, an inside layer may have been off.
5. Too-small blocks can be marked and used in another project where they don’t matter.
6. Too-big blocks can be taken apart, re-cut & re-sewn…..if you feel like doing that much work!
If you decide to just trim off an oversize block, it cannot be more than 1/2" too big. You will need to very carefully take the same amount off EACH of the four sides.
7. You cannot trim down a block that has a point at the outside edge. If the pattern does have a point at the edge, be sure there is 1/4"seam allowance beyond it.
8. When the block looks nice and is within 1/8" or perfect, then you can proudly hand it in!
CHECK BEFORE YOU SEW:
You can avoid “reverse sewing” an entire block by checking the UNIT SIZE before completing the whole block. If you measure and make sure of the correct size whenever you sew two things together, you will be correct through all the steps.
Thank-you for your work on all our guild projects. It really is appreciated. Nobody expects all the blocks in a group project to be exactly the same or to be perfect. But they should be the best you can do.
By following these guidelines, now you know how to do your best!
www.SunnieQuilts.com