RBD Block Challenge + FREE Pattern
It’s week five of the Riley Blake Designs Block Challenge!
This week we’re celebrating the Nine Patch quilt block. It’s beginner friendly, y’all!
The Nine Patch quilt block has been around since the beginning of the 19th century and consists of nine equal sized blocks. The variations for this block are endless.
Bust out your RBD fabric stash, and sew along with me. Oh yeaaaaah!
Click below to download your own copy of my Nine Patch classic pattern. It’s FREE!
While doing some research on the Nine Patch quilt block, I found so many amazing tutorials, including a few from the legendary Nancy Zieman of Sewing with Nancy fame.
In her videos she demonstrates how you can create the block by joining strips together. Mind blown!
Here are some general instructions for the strip method:
You need fabric in two colors: one light and one dark
Cut your strips WOF x block size (for the 6 1/2’’ unfinished block = WOF x 2 1/2’’)
I had FQ’s, so my strips were 22’’ x 2 1/2’’
Pin right sides together, use a 1/4’’ seam allowance and sew your strips together (2 sets of 3)
One set has one light strip inside and two dark strips on the outside
One set has one dark strip inside and two light strips on the outside
Press your seams toward the dark strip on both sets
Pressing your seams towards the dark strip will help you nest your seams
Sub-cut the strips using the block size measurement (for the 6 1/2’’ unfinished block = cut 2 1/2’)
Arrange the sub-cut strips to form the block
Nest your seams, pin, use a 1/4’’ seam allowance and sew your block strips together
Press your seams toward the dark fabric
Oh yeaaaaah, now you have a Nine Patch quilt block
I found this method to be faster and surprisingly more accurate, but find a method that works best for you. I also incorporated a third color, making three sets of three strips total. See, the variations are endless!
If you love scrappy, one of Nancy’s videos shows you how to use various size strips for a scrappy look.
If you’re just joining the RBD Block Challenge, here’s what we’ve made so far:
Week 1: Churn Dash (tutorial by Amy of Diary of a Quilter)
Week 2: Log Cabin (tutorial by Rachel of Citrus and Mint Designs)
Week 3: Friendship Star (tutorial by Bev of Flamingo Toes)
Week 4: Economy Block (tutorial by Amy of Diary of a Quilter)
Be sure to follow the hashtag #rbdblockchallenge for more inspiration.
My quilt features Goose Tales by Janet Wecker Frisch and two of my favorite basics: Texture and Shabby. I chose Scaredy Cat by Amanda Niederhauser for the strip example above.
Both collections are arriving at your local quilt shop this month!
cut, sew, repeat…
the tattooed quilter
Introducing Miss Patch...
It’s my pleasure to introduce you to Miss Patch, award winning quilter, knitter, and stuffed cat.
Read her backstory below:
I knew I wanted to make something cat related, especially after wrapping up my Scaredy Cat blog post. During dinner one night, I took a leisurely stroll through Pinterest, looking at stuffed cat patterns and becoming increasingly inspired to make one. I convinced Jack to help, because 3D objects scare me!
Jack drafted a pattern from paper while I searched for the puurfect fabric. He applied stabilizer, traced the pattern onto the back of the fabric and passed everything over for me to sew. I turned the limbs right-side-out and filled with stuffing. Jack agreed to sew the limbs to the body, because I have no patience. He turned everything right-side out and I filled the body with stuffing. See, team work makes the dream work!
There she was! A beautiful stuffed, but naked cat.
Jack drafted a dress pattern and away he went—making the skirt, bodice, and belt. I embroidered her little nose, whiskers, and gave her lots of cattitude through her smile.
Completed, she’s roughly 16’’ tall and 8’’ wide. Her body is Riley Blake Designs Shades basic. Her dress is a combination of Scaredy Cat Grid, Pin Dot Halloween and Shades basics. For her facial details, I used a Lori Holt Happy Farm Girl DMC Thread Pack from Fat Quarter Shop.
Her mini quilt is 16’’ square. It’s quilted using Aurifl Monofilament Thread on my BabyLock Journey. I love the built-in serpentine stitch as well as my digital dual-feed foot. The digital dual-feed foot feeds the fabric evenly, gives me great controls and consistent stitches. To finish off her mini quilt, I added one more detail—hand-tied knots with Lori Holt’s Chunky Thread. So cute, right?
She entered her quilt into the Puurfect Points Quilt Show and guess what, she won first puurize!
I hope you enjoyed meeting Miss Patch and stay tuned, you’ll never know when she might pop back up!
cut, sew, repeat..
the tattooed quilter
RBD Block Challenge + Free FPP Pattern
It’s week four of the Riley Blake Designs Block Challenge!
This week we’re celebrating the Economy quilt block. It’s one of my favorites!
You can highlight several fabrics with this block, fussy cut the center, or make it scrappy! If the block is new to you, search online for a tutorial, bust out your RBD fabric stash, and sew your block.
Can’t find a tutorial you like, don’t worry.
This week, Amy from Diary of a Quilter shares her tutorial for a 6’’ and 12’’ version of the Economy block.
Check our her post for inspiration! I’m obsessed with her solid Economy block mini quilt. So good, y’all!
Foundation paper piecing is a great way to make this block. You can download the FREE patterns below.
Here’s what we’ve made so far:
Week 1: Churn Dash (tutorial by Amy of Diary of a Quilter)
Week 2: Log Cabin (tutorial by Rachel of Citrus and Mint Designs)
Week 3: Friendship Star (tutorial by Bev of Flamingo Toes)
Next week, I’ll be sharing a tutorial for the beginner friendly Nine Patch block.
Be sure to follow the hashtag #rbdblockchallenge for more inspiration.
cut, sew, repeat…
the tattooed quilter