Simple Nine Patch

Made with lots of scraps!

Trying to organize my scraps that are smaller than a fat quarter, I decided to cut them up into usable strips and squares. If the scrap was longer than 12 inches I cut strips, usually 2.5 inch in width by the length of the scrap. Then 1.5 inch and some 1 inch strips. These are good for creating blocks or for borders. The strips that are smaller than 1 inch are put aside for donation to my quilt guild. If the scaps are less than 12 inches in length, I cut squares. Starting at 5.5 inch squares and then moving down to 4.5, 3.5, 2.5, 2, and 1.5 inches. For the 2.5 inch squares, I grouped them in 2's, 4's and 5's into separate bags for 9 patches and 4 patches. The rest were placed into a separate container and will benefit from being sorted into light and dark or low and high contrast. I don't have a great many of  the 5.5 inch squares so there is no plan yet for that size. The smaller squares  are grouped by size only and will be used for something scrappy. Its easy to grab a few of the small squares and sew 2 together and then into 4 patches as a leader and ender project while working on another quilt.

The following quilt started with the 2.5 inch group of 5's and 4's at January's Quilt Weekend earlier this year. I completed lots of the 9 patches. They all came together  with my favorite white polka dot fabric for the lattice. Then it was all bordered with the variable width strips sewn into a piano key like border in rainbow colors.

This quilt now has a home. It has been gifted to my niece's best friend for her high school graduation. During the school's award night, she and I both appeared in black with white polka dots. She had on a dress and I had on a matching sweater. So of course the binding had to be black with white polka dots. She has now gone off to college and is studying music. The backing of the quilt is black with G clefs for her major in music. I wish her the best of luck in her studies in her first year of college!

Linking up with crazy mom quilts.

This is the first finish I was able to complete for the 3rd Quarter of the 2018 Finish Along as hosted by Leanne at she can quilt. Here is the link to the ambitious list I started the quarter with.