The Nine Patch Challenge

I spent Saturday evening with a few quilting friends. We weren't quilting, Pam hosted a "Girls Movie Night". It was a great opportunity to relax and laugh with friends. It was also my first chance to see Pam's wonderfully creative new home. The movies were fun, the food and wine were both enjoyable and the conversation delightful. There is nothing like getting together with "girls", no matter what your age.

Part of the conversation revolved around the summer quilting project that they are all involved in. This is the second year for the project and Jeannie, the ring leader for this event, has just announced this years details. I didn't participate lst year, but I wish that I had. I was totally captivated watching the process unfold over the summer. It was amazingly simple, yet viral at the same time.

Here are the details in a nutshell:

Browsing the Internet, Jeannie had read a blog where the blog owner had decided to ask her friends to join her in making one nine patch block each day for a specific period of time. (I'm pretty sure it was Crazy Quilting Mom's blog that started this whole thing). Just one block. The idea was that one block a day is do-able, not stressful and a simple nine patch is super easy. After about a month and a half they would have enough blocks for an entire quilt making just one block per day.

Jeannie suggested to her small circle of quilting friends that they make this their summer project. One nine patch per day, in any size, for the summer. She would then host a picnic at her home in August for show-and-tell to see what they had accomplished. Her quilting buddies thought it was a great idea. In fact they thought it was so good that they each told a few friends. Those friends agreed and told a few more friends. The nine patch project had gone viral.


As the local shop owner, very early in the summer I saw customers in the shop meeting each other before classes and clubs to show and share nine patch blocks. A few participants decided to use 1930's fabrics and make several identical blocks and then swap with friends. I was constantly overhearing conversations about how many blocks were finished, who was playing catch up and who was forging ahead. More than once customers heard each other discussing the project and were surprised to find out that others were participating. Nobody but Jeannie really had any idea how many people were at home making blocks!

Everyone involved was having great fun, using up their stash and enjoying being part of the secret club. A few people even stuck to the one-per-day mandate. Most played catch-up and made the entire weeks blocks in one evening or on the weekends. Some procrastinated and performed marathon sewing sessions so that they were not embarrassed at the end of the season picnic. Naturally there was one over achiever in the group. Bonnie actually produced EIGHT beautiful nine patch quilts made from fabrics in her stash.

The project was so popular and had grown in size so that the picnic had to be moved from Jeannie's house to a pavilion at the local community park! From what I heard and the photos I saw the project was a rousing success.

Now I am considering recreating the project right here on this blog. Do any of my virtual friends want to come out and play?

If you are interested - no more lurking! You have to post a comment letting me know that you want to participate. No pressure, I just want to know how many of you are playing along. I will post the details so that we can get started on June 1st.

I will happily provide simple setting instructions for those of you that need them. Then in August I will host a virtual quilt show so that you can show off your blocks or quilt or quilts that you have accomplished!

The quilt photos that accompany this post are quilts that were completed during the original 9 patch project online. Feeling inspired?

One simple nine patch per day - easy!

Post a comment by clicking on the "comment" button below this post. You can be anonymous if you like, but let me know what appeals to you about this project. Is it the one block per day? Is it the group event? Is it the idea of using up your stash or because it is easy? I'm fascinated by the appeal of this project. Of course if nobody agrees to participate online then I will know that the real appeal is the end of summer picnic!