Crazy about quilting

Finally! After years of thinking about trying my hand at making a quilt, I have completed all of the blocks for my very first one! I took a class last week with my Bernina sewing posse, and learned how to make a "crazy nine patch." It is incredibly easy to make these blocks! I snapped pics along the way so you can try it, too.

First, here is one of the finished blocks:

This quilt uses 36 fat quarters. I chose 12 each of red yellow and blue 1930's inspired fabric.

Once you've chosen your fabrics, wash or rinse, dry them, then give a liberal spraying of starch and iron them so they're nice and stiff.

Using a rotary cutter, cut them into 36 squares. Mine are 12" but you can go bigger if you like. Divide into four stacks of 9 squares with the colors arranged red yellow blue red yellow blue, etc.  But vary the order and which color is first in each stack, to assure a random scattering of color across your quilt.

Put one stack on your mat with the edges aligned, and make an angled cut like so:

Make sure the bottom edge of your strip is at least 1.5" from the corner.

Now take the TOP piece from the narrow stack and put it at the bottom of the stack like so:

Now take the top piece from each stack, put the right sides together and sew a quarter inch seam along the edge you just cut. Working your way down the stack, sew each pair together in the same way, making sure to keep them in a chain, until you finish the last one in the stack. Then open them out one by one, clipping the thread between them as you re-stack them in the same order. Align the edges again and make another angled cut like so:

This time take the top TWO pieces from the narrow stack and move them to the bottom:

Same as before, put the right sides together of the top pieces and sew along that edge, then open out and put back in the same order.

Now press your seams to the middle, making sure you don't change the order or orientation of any of the blocks. Align your blocks and make a cut like this:

Take the top THREE pieces from the narrow stack and move them to the bottom of the stack, and sew pieces together as before. (I won't show photos of every step)  Then open up and re-stack in the same order, align the edges and make one final angled cut like so.

****This time you're going to move the top SIX pieces from the narrow stack to the bottom.***

Same as before, put right sides together and sew along the edge, then open out and re-stack. Press seams to the middle.

Make sure to keep each stack together. When you arrange the blocks on the quilt you will need to have them still in their original groupings.

Now do the other three stacks the same way, then trim all of the blocks down to a uniform square size. In my case, 10".

I'll have to save the info on how to do the sashing and so forth until a later post, since I haven't learned how to do that yet! But here are the pattern combos for my other three sets of blocks:

Its probably a good thing that I'm doing this particular quilt for my first try. And these colors are really making me very happy! I am still waffling on what color to choose for the sashing and border, but I'll settle on something eventually.

Have a great weekend folks! We're off to get Mexican food!

Cheers,

Jenny

Comments

[laurie]

Wow! I am amazed and inspired. I can't wait to see them all together.

[Jane]

Thanks for the tutorial and I absolutely LOVE your fabric choices!

[Alvina]

What a GREAT tutorial. I've always wanted to learn the art of quilt making. Thanks Jenny!

[~Vicki]

We just got back home from eating Mexican, and what a fabulous treat to see this quilt you're making and the tutorial tor it. Those colors make me happy too! I can't wait to see how it all turns out!

[Amy]

I just love the fabrics! My mother is passing all her quilting supplies on to me - fabric, books, tapes, magazines and even the oak quilting frame my father made for her years ago. Right now I'm picking away at a vintage reproduction "honeycomb" quilt and it's been a lot of fun.

[Jenny V]

I love your blocks! I like this version of the 9 patch much better than the traditional one. What great fabric you've found too! I can't wait to see the finished project.

[manda]

The quilt's going to be beautiful - I can't wait to see it!

[Tiel S-K]

good for you.

be warned...there is no turning back. Soon you will find yourself with piles of fabrics set aside for quilts you want to make. And you will be starting another before the next one is complete.

the colours are great together. can't wait to see the results.

[violetismycolor]

Quilting is one thing that I have never tried. I have to admit, since I love to sew, that I have been tempted. I am afraid of getting addicted, unfortunately. And I have so many projects on my plate right now that I just CAN'T get another crafty addiction...

[Aubrey Tell]

These look so great! And fun. Thanks for the tutorial. I'm definitely going to save this for a quilt one day.

[Vintage Wine]

They`re lovely! Someday I want to try and make a quilt to, but right now I`ve got enough things to do to keep me busy :-)

Mexican food sounds delicious! I love it :-)

[lauradodson]

oh! i love this quilt. i wanna make one for me. thanks for sharing.

[Melissa]

this is so pretty! I love the fabrics you chose and while the technique sounds tricky, I guess it's one of those "just follow the instructions and it will work" things!

Can't wait to see your finished quilt!

[Dawn Castro]

I love the quilt blocks!! I quilt also!! Like they say, once you start you'll never stop!! Might i suggest using a red for a small border around the blocks themselves.(Just a plain red) And then for a larger boarder go wild!! You could take one of the fabrics that you used for the backing!! I can see your quilt with red binding!! Maybe a yellow backing!! Sorry getting carried away!! I look forward to see how your quilt turns out!!

[lazylol]

Wow - I love it! The tutorial is just want I needed to see. I want to learn to quilt but there are no classes in my area and after searching the internet I haven't really found anything as good as yours. i am crossing my fingers that you will tut the next stages too!

[katiek]

thank you THANK YOU for this post - I am going to print it out so I can have the instructions to hand because I really want to try this out - this is my first visit to your site - HI! the red background is l-o-v-e-l-y and I look forward to the Next Quilt Lesson - from a complete beginner!
take care

[KJ]

Thank you so much for sharing this tutorial! My grandma was a quilter, but unfortunately, she passed away before I was old enough for her to teach me how. I've always wanted to try it...and after I get a sewing machine, I will definitely give this a go.

Also, I love how the colors of your quilt and even the cutting mat match your blog colors. :) Even if it was just a happy accident, it's still all beautiful together.

Take care,

KJ

[Jenny]

How inspiring! I LOVE the fabric colors...they seem to be so you!

[Jes]

Oh my goodness! This is really fabulous. I saw a lot of "off kilter" type blocks at a quilt show a few weeks ago and I loved them. This is really helpful. I love the 30's fabrics too, very nice!

[Gina]

How exciting. I love the fabric's and colors you chose. I'm still thinking about starting that first quilt of mine. Thanks for sharing the step by steps. I can't wait to see the finished quilt unfold, It will sure bring sunshine on those cold wintery days to come.

[blair]

I love the way the colors work together in this. You make it look incredibly easy Jenny, and I know its not.

[anyberg]

just lovely!!!

[Suzy Lorenzen]

These quilt blocks are amazing! My mother has been a quilter for some time now, and we finally put my artistic talents and her crafty talents together and she is finishing up a quilt I helped her design. I know nothing about quilting, but can not wait to see our finished result and I also can not wait to see what your quilt looks like all assembled!!

[Alison]

I love your tutorial! I have been quiltling for 15 years and still find that there is always more to learn. I had been wanting to do this "stack and whack" method for a while. I think when I get my Heather Bailey inventory for my shop I will try this technique! I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll do for your quilting. Your color/fabric choices are great! I also love 30's inspired fabrics and am obsessed with collecting them. The past few weeks I have been doing nothing but quilting... it's addicting! Take care and happy quilting!

[yoonie]

Just love them to bits!!! Hmmm, sounds like my next tote bag.

[jen]

You are as much a GEM for sharing this technique as you were for sharing the Big Top alpha circles :-D Thanks EVER so much!

[Angela White]

beautiful---i have been wanting to start quilting--this actually looks fairly easy---i'm going to make this quilt along with your tutorial---PLEASE, don't stop til it's done....otherwise....well, i'll have a pile of quilt squares forever. thanks for getting me off my chicken butt to try this. as i finish the quilt, would you mind if i link yours to my blog and maybe show my progression?

[Tami]

Have you gotten any further on this WIP?? I can't wait to see the finished project.

[allison strine]

Wow, I'm impressed! Great colors!!!

[sara]

Wow! Thanks for the awesome tutorial. I'm working on my first quilt right now too...it's a lot of fun. I wish I had more time to work on it.

[Izzy]

Hello, your quilt is beautiful, I hope you found QNN on the net and watch the quilting videos 24 hrs a day LOL..

[Donna Martin]

I am visually impaired (legally blind) and have stayed away from blocks with corners that must meet but I think I will give this crazy block a try. I've printed out the turtorial so I can enlarge it on my printer so I will be easier for me to read. I like that I can make the initial blocks as large as I'd like. For a visually impaired person ssmall pieces can seem too challenging. I absolutely love the color choices. The blocks do make me smile. I think I may do blue and yellow also with just one red square for the accent color. thank you so much for the inspirational turtorial.
Hugs and Sunshine Wishes, Miss Donna

[Pam]

Thank you! I work with Project Linus (making quilts for children in trauma) and this is a wonderful quilt for that. Thank you for your clear instructions and pictures. Here is a site for more scrappy patterns; she also includes step-by-step instructions along with pictures. http://quiltville.com/
This helps so much--thank you! Pam

[jennifer Paganellli]

way cool pattern!! Thanks for sharing this haven't been by in a long time love to visit it's always exciting...Jennifer

[Margie newheart]

I have quilted for 30 years and just looked at this Wendy and I love it..Off to get some fabric, where I don't know but it will be fun...

thanks : margie

[Kim Sherrod]

Jenny- Is it ok to use this tutorial for the Doll Quilt Challenge ( on Flickr) quilt for August? I think this is a fabulous tutorial for stack and whack and will allow the doll quilters to learn new skills! Please let me know. Thank you! f9419235449@netzero.com

Calamity Kim

[Anna]

This is awesome! I just started a beginner's quilting class and have been extremely frustrated by the precision and exactness required to get my blocks perfect. The best part is that I already have a lot of 1930's fat quarters so it will be easy to make a quilt like this! Yeah!
LOVE your blog by the way!

[erika]

This is wonderful! Thank you for the tutorial.

[Lydia]

I love these kinds of blocks. I've also made them where every time you re-sew a slice to the larger piece, you put a narrow (1" cut) strip of black between the two pieces. Or you could put bias binding over the seams. Either way gives you a sort of "stained glass" effect. One thing, if you wanted your color distribution more random, instead of a row of blue-blue-blue, then a row of yellow-yellow-yellow, then a row of red-red-red, it's as simple as changing the order you stack your squares to something slightly less regular. Instead of blue-yellow-red-blue-yellow-red-blue-yellow-red (or whatever), try blue-blue-red-yellow-red-blue-red-yellow-yellow. Just as a for instance.

[Stacy T]

LOVE LOVE LOVE It!! The colors, tutorial, the pattern.. Oh my! great work!

[michelle]

beautiful!!! where did you find these fabrics?

[Dee]

I loved your totorial, just finshed all my blocks. Any more information on the sashing, this is my first quilt. Any information would be great. Love your site.
Dee

[angelines]

Perfect tutorial, could you put a translator in your blog? Regards from Spain

[De]

I love your tutorial. Thanks so much. I wanted to make a 9 patch baby quilt from flannel for my new grandson. Do you think there will be a problem with the fabric stretching and warping? Do you have a picture of your finished quilt to share? Thanks again!

[linda]

this would have to be the most amazing and beautiful quilt I have EVER seen. I absolutely adore it