First 2019 Finish

At long last, this simple 9-patch is finished!

60" x 72"

Way back when (20+ years ago), when I was still in a bee and participating in block swaps, I managed to accumulate in the neighborhood of 68 of these large 9-patch blocks. This was my first use of them--roughly 10 years ago I went through the pile and pulled the blocks that would complement the border fabric (which I lurve! Unfortunately, it looks washed out from a distance.) The posts were created from my 1.5" collection of squares, then strips cut from stash for the sashing.

Once the top was complete, it hung on my To Be Quilted rack, with the dark green flannel I had chosen for backing, for years. I'm in the midst of my 4-year "Just Say No/Get It Finished!" plan, so this was an obvious choice to complete. Besides, I want to love it on my bed, not just look at it on the rack!

I used the Terry Twist for the 9-patches (the 6:15 mark has a great shot of the overall plan of attack. I had to mark my paper pattern with a bright-colored reminder to head left at step 17, otherwise I want to keep heading down the right edge.) I also used different threads to match the fabric in each block.

I used the inner white strip of each sashing to subtly complete the wonky, rounded square design created by the Twist. That idea hadn't occurred to me until after I had done all the 9-patches, however. Ah well. Next time.

I took the round flowers from the border fabric as an inspiration for quilting the green and purple sashing strips. A simple vine of leaves completed the outer white strip, and 3 straight lines filled the maroon dotted-stripe inner border.

 
The label is stitched into the meandered outer border, with my name, the pattern, and the year quilted (2018).

"9-Patch" just under the maroon border

I claim this as a 2019 finish because it was on 1/12/2019 that the final stitch was put on the binding and the whole quilt chucked into the washing machine. I had been working on the binding in dribs and drabs throughout last year, mostly while listening to Saturday morning back-to-back airings of NPR's "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!" and "Ask Me Another" programs. There's a good listening hunk of Husband's talking heads political programs in there too, but at least we share the same views!