Easy 9-patch Quilt

I recently made 2 quilts inspired by this quilt made by my grandmother in the 1950's.





This has long been one of my favorite family quilts, maybe because I was with my grandmother when she bought these two fabrics at the Ben Franklin dime store in Frankfort, Kansas. I was just tall enough to see over the wooden counter as the fabric was pulled from the bolt and measured. This is the only quilt she made that wasn't sewn from her collection of fabric pieces, which included cut-a-ways from a local apron factory. She used a heavy flannel sheet instead of a cotton batting and the backing fabric is the same solid blue as the front. Originally, the blue fabric on the back was turned to the front for the binding, but a dog chewed one side of the quilt and I repaired it by cutting off the damaged row and rebinding the quilt. The quilt now measures 54" x 80". My mother gave the quilt to me in the late 1970's.

I can't help but favor this block where the bird is fussy cut; never something my grandmother would have done intentionally - she was all about doing things efficiently and quickly. 

 

This versatile simple pattern is great for scraps as well as 2-color quilts. I used plaids to make a veteran's quilt. I cut the quilt out to bring to August Friday & Saturday Sewing, made a test block, and then another, and somehow it was finished before our sewing days!

Then I made another 2-fabric quilt, and used blue for the binding.

So today I have cut out another quilt for a veteran and I will sew it on October 13 & 14, and not let myself finish it before then, but it's always a good idea to make one test block.

 

I updated my grandmother's quilt to make it fast and easy to cut and sew. (cut multiple layers at a time)

 

You will need 1-1/2 yards of two fabrics (allow extra for the binding)

 

Cut 18 squares of each fabric:  6-1/2" x 6-1/2" (1 won't be used)

Cut 13 strips of each fabric:  2" x width of fabric

 

Sew light and dark strips together to make strip-sets.

From the strip-sets cut:

58 rectangles 6-1/2" x 3-1/2"

Make 24 4-patches, 3-1/2" x 3-1/2"

 

Piece it in rows, then join rows together. See below.

 

Finished size is 42" x 60"

 

The End

🙨🙨🙨🙨🙨🙨🙨

Happy Sewing