Nine Patch Quilt for Tasmania

This year Launceston Patchworkers and Quilters in Tasmania have been celebrating their 30th anniversary, culminating in their recent exhibition which by all accounts was an outstanding success with 160 quilts on display. Flowerpatch Quilters of Launceston in Cornwall, UK decided to send them a small quilt as a token of our friendship. Presents have been exchanged in the past and include quilts, fabric and most recently some wonderful bunting from the ladies in Tasmania. This is the "Flower-Patch" quilt that we sent and which was hung at the exhibition.

Each red flower was appliqued by a different Flowerpatch member onto a 3½” calico square.

This is the quick method used to make the nine patch blocks:
Sew with ¼” seam allowance.

Cut strips of fabric ½” wider than the finished size of each square in the block. (in this case 1½”)

Sew three of them together which will be cut to make the 3 squares on each side of the block and three others together which will make the 3 squares through the centre.

Press the seams away from the middle fabric on one set of strips and in the opposite direction on the other. This helps when you come to sow up the block.

Cut through the sewn strips at right angles making the set of three ½” wider than the finished squares (in this case 1½”)
TIP: When working really small if the seam allowance turns out a bit bigger than ¼” it makes a lot of difference. When these strips with seams in are sewn together the bulkiness can be a problem so it may be a good idea to cut these sets of three just a tiny bit over 1½”.

Sew these together to make the block, carefully matching the seams.

With a 1" border, and the binding, the finished quilt measures approx 30" x 24".

At Flowerpatch we do so love sewing our group projects - quilters are such a friendly bunch.

Happy stitching - Anita x