Sunday, February 28, 2016

Nifty Nines Quilt-Along - Daisy Chain!


Hi, all!

Welcome to Week 5 of the Nifty Nines Quilt-Along!  If this is your first time here, take a look at what you've missed...


Week 1 - Lattice Play...


Week 2 - Time For Chevrons...


Week 3 - Easy Peasy Giant Disappearing 9-Patch...


and Week 4 - Great Granny Grunt!

Each week's quilt utilizes nine-patch blocks in a different format. All the quilts are relatively easy, can be made from scraps, and are approximately 60" square or thereabouts, the perfect size for a lap quilt.

This week's quilt is no exception - it looks complicated, but is actually very simple!


So let's get started - here's the tutorial for Daisy Chain!

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Nifty Nines Quilt-Along
Daisy Chain

Size - Approx. 60” x 60”

Fabric Requirements:

Background fabric - 3 yards.  This can be all one fabric, or a mix of several light colored solid fabrics if preferred.  From the background fabric, cut:

50 6.5” squares
200 2.5” squares

Scraps or a mix of fabrics totaling approximately 2 yards.  Cut 450   2.5” squares from print fabrics.

Block Construction:

There are two basic blocks that form the body of this quilt.  

Block A looks like this: 


Block A is a simple 9-patch, with the print squares in the corners and the center.  Make 50.


Block B looks like this:


Block B is a simple snowball block.  To make this block, take a 6.5” background square and lay it right side up.  Lay a 2.5” print square right side down on each corner, lining up the outer edges.  Stitch from corner to corner of the print square, across the corners of the underlying background block.  If you need to draw a diagonal line on the print square to make this easier, please do.  You may find you are able to eyeball the straight line.  


After you have sewn the corners on, trim the outer part of the corner off 1/4” from the stitching line.**  Press the print corners out, making your square block a square again!  Make 50.

**NOTE:  You can make yourself a bunch of “bonus HSTs” with Block B by stitching a second line of stitching parallel to your first stitching line and about 3/8” to 1/2” towards the outside corner of each print square before cutting, and then cutting between the two lines of stitching to create your snowball block.  You will then have a tiny HST left over (mine trimmed out at 1 3/4”) to play with afterwards!

Quilt Construction 


This is the easiest kind of quilt to me - a simple checkerboard.  Alternating your 9-patch blocks and your snowball blocks, lay them out in a 10x10 grid.  The chain forms right before your eyes!  Sew your blocks together.  

TIP:   When I’m working on an easily assembled quilt such as this, I will lay it out on my design wall, then pull off a column of blocks to work on at my sewing machine.  Starting at the top, I will pull off the left top block in my left hand, and the block next to it in my right hand.  Continue down the column, laying the blocks in your hand on top of the one you are picking up.  Then go to your machine and lay the two piles down to the left of your machine in exactly the same orientation (right on right, left on left).  Lay the right hand block on the left hand block, face down, pick up the pair and sew the seam.  Do not break the thread!  Chain piece all of the blocks in your stacks this way.  Now I will usually go to the top pair of blocks and put a pin in the top left block so I don’t get the top and bottom mixed up.  Press if you want, alternating seams right and left, or just go ahead and sew your pairs of blocks together at this point, finger-pressing the seams to each side as you go.  Then take it to the sewing table, press your seams, and put the column back up on the design wall.  Do each column this way, then sew the columns together.  Easy peasy!

Quilt as desired, bind, and you are done!

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I really enjoyed making this quilt - the beautiful colors and light, spring-y feel of the Chez Moi Mimi fabric I used made for a happy quilt.  I also used up several different light shades of solid cream fabric that I had in my stash.  I think it adds a little depth to the quilt to have some slight shade variations in the solids!  

I also did some playing around in EQ7 with a totally different fabric combination...


Isn't that fun?  I think it might be the perfect way to use some of those black and white fabrics I have stashed away!  I think the possibilities are endless with this design - possibly even playing with more negative space for a modern look.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

As always, remember that if you want a PDF version of this tutorial, please leave your email address in a comment below and I'll send one to you.  And if you make one of the Nifty Nines quilts, please post a picture to the Flickr group - I'd love to see what you make!

Just one more week of the Nifty Nines Quilt-Along - I hope you'll come back for a little more inspiration before the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge begins!


Hugs!

Sarah

31 comments:

  1. I love how complicated this looks. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. These ideas are so inspiring. I'd love to have a pdf version of each one you've done. I'm working on starting a quilting ministry at our church and we have a lot of beginners including some teens. These patterns would be just perfect to start them off.

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  3. This is one of my favorite patterns, I've made it several times. It's simple and goes to together in a flash.

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  4. Really pretty and a wonderful pattern to use up a ton of scraps.

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  5. Very pretty quilt that looks complicated to make. I think a two color quilt would be beautiful. I would like a PDF pattern. Thank you.

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  6. I love this pattern, it's so perfect for scraps and looks so wonderful when it's done.

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  7. This was the first pattern I did for my first blog post for a swap group (ugly brown bag). It is a great pattern for scraps or even planned.

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  8. This quilt would be great in 1930's fabrics.

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  9. Sweet! This is a lovely design and so useful. Thank you :-)

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  10. Love this one! Definitely on my to-do list now =) Thanks for sharing!

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  11. Please send me a PDF version for the daisy chain. brownj6610ATverizonDOTnet

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  12. Please send me a PDF of daisy chain. Knolljameskimber@gmail.com Thanks!

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  13. This is right up my alley. Make me look all clever, but not too hard. Please send me at PDF at bolderbakerATgmailDOTcom And, thank you for creating these patterns for charity quilts, and thank you for generously sharing them.

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  14. May I have the PDF please. I just love this quilt.
    sue52g@gmail.com.

    Thank you

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  15. Thank you for all your work to create these beautiful patterns. I would appreciate a PDF pattern for Daisy Chain sent to quiltgrane@gmail.com

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  16. This is so pretty! And thank you for giving us a look at the alternate fabric version. I was actually trying to visualize this in my head before I scrolled down to find you did it for me! Please send a PDF.

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  17. This is a wonderful design. I would like a pdf please. Thank you for your generous sharing and God Bless you. samuels.ma@gmail.com.

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  18. Sarah - this quilt spoke to me this morning. I just got an Accuquilt cutter which will be perfect to cut out all those blocks. And I love the idea of making it scrappy. Can't promise when it might be done, but I'm on it!

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  19. so pretty! Love it. Please send me a PDF. Thanks!

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  20. Hi Sarah, Once again, a WINNER. Please send a pdf

    fuzzyacres1@msn.com

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  21. please send me the PDF for this pattern - I'm thinking that this has to be my fav of the bunch so far - can't wait to dig into my 2.5" bin! cakilliany@hotmail.com

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  22. Please send me a pdf version, I love this pattern. Hedy.hahn@gmail.com

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  23. Lovely quilt. Please send a pdf to me. smurray at symbol frontier dot com

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  24. Please send me a PDF version. senstrings@yahoo.com

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  25. Please send me a PDF version of Daisy Chain
    baskladon@gmail.com

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  26. Ok, send me this one too please. It definitely very easy. I may have to make this one too. I really have enjoyed all of these quilts. Thanks for sharing these.

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  27. Very nice - your directions are so clear! junedodge at gmail dot com thanks

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  28. Would love a PDF.
    bren.workman@gmail.com

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  29. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  30. Is it too late to request a PDF of your pattern? I just found your blog and I’m loving all your quilts.
    natjermom@gmail.com

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  31. I love this quilt! I'd love a PDF copy. ❤️

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Comments make me smile!! If you want a PDF of a pattern, PLEASE leave your email address in your comment, or email me directly at salliesue57 (at) gmail (dot) com!