Friday, April 10, 2015

Excitement lives here!

I was contacted by the Editor and Publisher of Quilter's Connection, Canada's only magazine for quilters. In addition to the magazine there is a free monthly newsletterEach month, they  feature a pattern, usually created by one of their staff members. However sometimes they like to feature a quilt designer or blogger that they have come across with interest. (insert drum roll here) Apparently they came across my blog and have requested permission to feature my pattern for Cherry Blossom! How exciting is that? Very exciting! I had been looking my quilt and 15 minutes later there was the email from Quilter's Connection! Such a coincidence!

Cherry Blossom by Karen H 2013
Free pattern available under Patterns by Karen H

I love this quilt - it is certainly one of my favourites.  All of the nine patches were made from scraps. I cut them up into 1 1/2" squares and arrange them on a 6" square of flannel. I keep a stack of these flannels beside my sewing machine and I use the nine patch pieces as leaders and enders when I am sewing. As I finish each block I give it a press and toss it in a box of other nine patches. I have literally hundreds of these nine patches and have made at least a dozen quilts with them! To make Cherry Blossom I dipped into my stash of 3" nine patches and pulled all the pink blocks. When there were no more pinks I pulled oranges, then golds and finally reds.

Close up of Cherry Blossom quilt

Here you can see the Zebra Girls and Zebra Fellow on the quilt. I did the quilting on my domestic sewing machine.


Another example of what I've done with the scrap nine patches is my Baskets and Nine Patches quilt which is a reproduction of an antique quilt that was in a Quilt Engagement Agenda from the 1980s. I didn't have to make a single nine patch block for this quilt - they were all taken from the box of completed scrap blocks! This is another quilt for which I've published a free pattern under the tab Patterns by Karen H.

Baskets and Nine Patches by Karen H 2013

This third quilt is also made from scrap nine patches. I call it Piccadilly to the Nines because there is a feature fabric in the quilt and it is called Piccadilly. The quilt is short one border in the first picture; you can see the final border in the second picture. There are loads of little churn dash blocks in this quilt and they are just a variation on the nine patch!

Piccadilly to the Nines by Karen H



This is a fourth quilt made with the scrap nine patch blocks. You will also see some little churn dash and shoo-fly blocks. The half square triangles (HST) were made with 2" squares. I hate to waste fabric so rather than trim larger blocks down to 1 1/2" for nine patches I used them to make the HSTs.  I also used leftover strips - two 1" strips sewn together yield a 1 1/2" strip from which I can cut 1 1/2" squares. There are all sorts of ways to arrange the pieced squares and HSTs. I had a post about them here.

To The Nines by Karen H

So there you have it - I'm not just about hexagons. I also love the humble nine patch! If you use your small scraps as leaders and enders you will soon have a good sized pile of blocks that will be ready to turn into something fabulous! The variety of fabrics will add depth and complexity to a quilt!

Until I post again, happy sewing!
Karen H

28 comments:

  1. Love all the quilts. Congratulations about your quilt in the magazine!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Karen...how awesome!! Congrats!! I'm so happy for you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Awesome-I am so excited for you-big hugs-a well deserved recognition

    ReplyDelete
  4. How exciting Karen! What fantastic news. You deserve the recognition!

    ReplyDelete
  5. You have a very generous heart to share your lovely patterns and tips. I have already started my nine patches so I can make your quilt. Your recognition from your quilting magazine is very well deserved!! Good job!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm so happy for you. These quilts are all wonderful and you've shown what can be done with the humble nine patch with such creativity!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Congats, that's wonderful! I love scrap quilts and yours are just beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Congratulations Karen how exciting. Well deserved for all you do for the community of Quilters.
    Bunny

    ReplyDelete
  9. Heartfelt congratulations on being recognised and published, it must very exciting for you. Your generosity is awe inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Congratulations Karen .Quilters Connection should be humble to have one of your quilts in there Magazine.Your generosity knows no bounds.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Congratulations. I understand your excitement. The Cherry Blossum quilt is a beauty, I like the others too. It is a day for you. Groeten van Dientje

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is fantastic .... oh, Hexie Queen!!! Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Congrats on being published!! Love all of your 9 patch quilts. Cherry Blossom is awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Many, many congratulations Karen and recognition that is so well deserved!
    I hope they will pay you something because cash in hand = more fabric afterall
    LOL

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hey fame at last! :-D
    I am very pleased, you deserve some recognition as you are always so generous about sharing your ideas and advice. I adore my Soupcon quilt,(it is always much admired) and dream of taking part in another quilt-along one day.
    I would like to ask one question, which others might also find useful. When you make these little blocks, do you have any special way of pressing the seams ?

    ReplyDelete
  16. A well deserved recognition, Karen. So glad for you. Now I'm just a tad confused. Why do you match the squares with a six inch flannel block - is that for the four patches? - wouldn't 4 1/2" squares do? Hmmm. All the quilts are beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Congratulations on being featured in the magazine. I haven't seen that magazine here but will sure look for it. I do the same with nine patches and have a basket full. Your quilts are always beautiful and really appeal to me. It's a well deserved honor Karen.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Congratulations Karen, what exciting news and such an honour!! I loved the walk through your post viewing your 9-patch quilts - well done!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Congratulations on being selected to appear in your Quilters Connection magazine. That is an honor and you truly deserve it. These are all great quilts. I love 9 patches too. I may use one of your wonderful free patterns to put my scrap 9 patches to use. Thanks so much for sharing..

    ReplyDelete
  20. Many congrats Karen on this exciting news. I´m sure it´s not the only quilt of yours that we are going to see published. Hope you have been out celebrating.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Congratulations on your well deserved recognition!! I want to make every one of your beautiful designs--nine patches are on the to-do list!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Congratulations on your well deserved recognition!! I want to make every one of your beautiful designs--nine patches are on the to-do list!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Quilter's Connection is my favourite quilting magazine. I look forward to Cherry Blossoms being published in an upcoming edition. Congratulations.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Congratulations on being chosen to feature in the newsletter. I love all these quilts, they really encompass the original meaning of patchwork.

    ukcitycrafter@live.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  25. Congratulations!! I'm so excited for you! All of your quilts are so pretty. It will be a wonderful article and I'm sure they will come back for more Karen!

    ReplyDelete
  26. More inspiration!! Love the spontaneity you achieve by making the 9-patches with nothing in mind. Congrats on the magazine opportunity!!

    ReplyDelete
  27. just saw this! CONGRATULATIONS! there are no coincidences praise and glory be to God!! Big HUG Karen!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I am just catching up on reading emails. Congratulations!!! I am SO happy for you!! You must be over the moon. Hugs from me. You SO deserve this!!! These quilts are all so beautiful! Thanks so much for MORE inspiration. I will have to start thinking about doing spontaneous blocks with bits and pieces, and see what I can put together someday, from them.

    ReplyDelete