Jumbled quilt

When I was designing my Twirligig quilt I made a few blocks that would not work for that quilt.  That quilt needed contrast between the fabrics to make the pattern stand out which the rejected blocks did not have.  So, I decided to make a few more of the rejected disappearing 9 patch blocks and came up with Jumbled.  Though it may look complicated at first glance, it is super easy.

I used the same Kaffe Fassett fabrics, the same 9 patch block construction and cutting method as Twirligig and came up with a totally different quilt.  I just changed how I arranged the 4 parts of the disappearing nine patch after I cut each block.  I did not sew the 4 pieces of each block back together to form the traditional disappearing nine patch block.  Instead, I used each of the parts as it's own block in my Jumbled quilt.  So,  the nine patch actually became 4 new blocks.  The blocks are arranged in an alternating pattern which I think makes a great scrap quilt!

For the quilting on this quilt, Linda of L&R Designs used her version of a design called Wonky Feathers.

Nickel Gumball quilt

In my sewing room sits a gumball machine.  Our grandchildren love putting in pennies and getting gumballs out.  I think every one of them has gone through the stage where they only want a certain color of gumball.  So they keep putting in pennies until they get the color they want.  Right now Macy only wants pink gumballs.  The gumballs in that machine with their bright colors along with this polka dot fabric from my stash was the inspiration for my Nickel Gumball quilt .

To make a gumball, I started with nickel square,of course, and made a snowball block.  I wanted to arrange the gumballs randomly so I designed a block where the snowball was not in the center as shown below.  All I had to do was rotate the block to create the random layout that I wanted.

Linda of L&R Designs used a pantagraph called Double Bubble to quilt my Nickel Gumball quilt.  Here's a close-up-







Twirligig quilt

I recently discovered the Disappearing Nine Patch block.  Not the concept itself but the now common name for cutting up a nine patch block and rearranging the pieces.  Since I have been doing alot with my idea of the Nickel Nine Patch block which is a nine patch made from nickel (5") squares or strips, I thought I'd try the Disappearing Nine Patch technique on the Nickel Nine Patch block. And Twirligig was born!

I used scraps of my Kaffe Fassett fabrics most of which I already have cut into nickel squares.  When I realized that I had six colorways of the same print, I decided to use the print in the center of each Nickel Nine Patch block.  Here's pictures of how I did it-

  

This easy technique can create very interesting designs that look complicated.  Try it, you'll like it! Remember that old saying from the seventies and maybe a commercial?  Now I'm dating myself but I've already told everyone my age anyway.  Ha!

I wanted an overall quilting pattern for my Twirligig quilt and as usual my long arm quilter gave me more than I expected.  Linda of L&R Designs came up with a custom design that she calls Cockscomb Meander.  The variegated thread was the perfect choice also.  Check out her blog to see more inspiring quilting designs.