Let's Play with Some Nine-Patch Blocks

This month in my Small Quilt groups (Yahoo and Facebook - take your pick. See sidebar for info on joining) we're making small nine-patch blocks and putting them together into small quilts.

For the small blocks (3" finished), cut nine 1 1/2" squares. Larger block (4 1/2" finished)  is made from 2" squares. (For six-inch blocks, cut 2 1/2" squares if you like working with something a bit larger.)

It will be fun to see what everyone comes up with. I'll admit I love playing around with simple blocks more than challenging ones. Hence the nine patches this time. I get enough of the other kind working on my Dear Jane quilt. You can easily get one of these cuties finished in a month. 

I haven't actually made too many nine-patch quilts. Two?

Eliza Jane's nine-patch (see my website for pattern) 

Free pattern on my website

I do have a bunch of nine-patch blocks I made more than a few years ago for 2 quilts. One will be a simple throw and the other will be a small doll quilt. But - what a surprise - I haven't gotten around to sewing either one of them together yet. At first, I was waiting to find the perfect background fabric for setting the blocks. Should I go with light or dark? Indigo, red or tan? Stripes or a shirting? 

I decided upon dots for the small one based on this quilt I have always loved from am older book written by the Little Quilts ladies -  Celebrate with Little Quilts. 

Isn't it the sweetest thing? Mine will be very close. Lots of blues. This may be the month I finish this one.

For the larger throw quilt, I made 6" blocks and was inspired to do this same kind of background seen in the sample below. Some of you may remember that I spotted this quilt at a Country Threads booth at a quilt show a few years ago, fell in love with it's simplicity and was even able to find the same lovely fabric to use (Old Savannah by Paula Barnes).  I've only got 20 or so blocks done so far but I know for sure it's one I will finish eventually. 

My blocks are a tad more colorful  : )   Hope it works.

Finding ways to incorporate my favorite fabric, new and old,  into simple, unpretentious quilts, large or small, can be so much fun. I hope I've inspired you just a little.

So, if you're up for making a small nine-patch doll quilt this month (or any quilt. any month), join us in the Small Quilt Talk Yahoo group or the Small Quilt Lovers group on Facebook (info on blog sidebar) to see what we're doing. We'd love to meet you and inspire you with our creations.