Scrappy Blue Spinning Nines

     This is the last regular season Project Quilt Challenge of the year.  This Challenge might be the hardest of the year.   We usually are given a theme and then after that we decide on fabric and design.  This time we were told what size fabric we had to use.   This throws a wrench in my thought process. It makes me think out of order.  

     I first started this challenge thinking I was going to make an ISPY quilt.  Then as I went threw the charm squares I had packed away, I decided to to use a pile of blue floral fabric as my base.  

     I won this pile of charms about 2 years ago.  I knew it wasn't my style so I couldn't decide what to use with it.  So it went in my Charm square drawer, where it sat till now.  I had 54 of them.  

    I then started to ponder what to do with them.  In the same stay I found the squares were white and blue squares that looked good with it!!  I had to cut more, but that was fine!! I only had the exact number I needed for the quilt.  I found a few more charm squares of dark blue and white.  My decision was made!!  I went to my stash and found a country blue I knew would be perfect!  Then as I was looking I also found a scrap of white with Blue dots.  The 4 fabrics blended with the floral well!!

    While I was choosing fabric,  my thought went to a pattern I bought from the blogger that hosts project quilt.  I knew then it would be the perfect one to alter to fit this challenge!!  It is called Spinning Nines.  I am really wanting to do the pattern in batiks, but this will do for now!!

     To make the quilt,  you must first sew the desired amount of nine patches together.  I decided to make 4 rows of three blocks.  Every other row had a rotation of the layout.  This used up everyone of my floral blocks.

     The Next step was very easy.  I cut the blocks in an "X", from corner to corner. 

     I rotated the blocks so that there was a random layout of diamonds around the quilt.   Some of the floral kept appearing next to each other but I just let it.  For a few I tried uniformity,  but then realized it did not work. 

     After sewing 4 triangles together to form new blocks I sewed the quilt into rows.  Then all together. 

     The quilt seemed small and I still had extra charms.  So I cut them in half and made a 2 inch border for the quilt.  The quilt ended up being 42x54. 

     I used the country blue as the binding.

 

     For the backing, I did not like any of my normal yardage.  As I dug threw my bigger pieces, I found a bigger piece of green from the same error. When I put it up to the blues, it looked just right!!

     I am still watching a section of Leah Days FMQ video every time I make a quilt.  The lesson I watched for this was a 3 loop clover/flower with stippling. It took me till I was almost done to really get the feel of this.  I do love how it turned out.  They are not perfect, but it works!!

     The hardest part and the step I need to learn more about was sewing the triangles back together.  The center ended up with humps from the 4 points.  I guess this will be my next lesson to teach myself!!

     I hope you enjoyed this season of Project Quilt as much as me.  I always enjoy the adventure and the challenge to try something new!!  Best of all,  I completed all the projects again this year just using my stash!! 

     Sadly,  this quilt is going to Mrs Doris from the little hospital I work at.  She is the newest victim of the dreamed word cancer.