Then one day I discovered Disappearing 9 Patch with Layer Cakes. It was a blast to make !! I loved watching the way all the pieces came together and how the different colors would combine in ways I would never think of. It was challenging my sense of color. It was exciting not knowing what I would end with for a quilt top. It gives the illusion of a very complicated quilt ... but it is not !! I felt like a little kid with a new toy!! It was addicting!!
Another thing love about this process is that when I am having a bad day and need to spend most of my day in bed resting, I can still work on this. I use a bed-tray as a work surface. I cut up the layer-cake and then proceed to sort and select the colors/prints to put in each 9-patch block. Then the long process of pinning all the squares together with little itty-bitty pins. When I am well enough to be back on my feet, I can sew everything up ... assembly line style. On my next bad day, I again cut, sort and pin all the 9-patch blocks.
Part of what makes this possible is that there is NO pattern. It is great !! There is no real mental strain to do it ... not much concentration required. That too is great !! This process gives me a wonderful sense of accomplishment instead of feeling I wasted my day being flat in bed. What a blessing !!
My latest Disappearing 9-Patch was made with 2 Layer Cakes .... Oh Cherry Oh and Berrylicious by Moda. Two Layer Cakes was huge .... but it was fun !!
I think using one Layer Cake with a few coordinating solids was easier ... but I really like this result. I found some black fabric with red cherries all over for the backing, border and binding. It is going to look great !!
Waiting on the shelf is a Bliss Layer Cake (yummy) and on the wish list are Lily&Will (blue) by Moda and Origins by Basic Grey.
I know there are other patterns I can adapt to my "bad-day" needs but for now this is wonderful !!
Would love to hear from you guys ... love, Joanne
