Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Crazy Fun 9-Patch Quilt Question

A question came up in a discussion about making a quilt top with Crazy Fun 9-Patch blocks—would it make any difference if one of the blocks was made incorrectly—ie: not having the three diagonal patches the same pattern?

Here are samples of the two blocks:

Correct:















Incorrect:



 In general it could be said that there isn’t really a right or wrong in making them, but according to the instructions in the creator's tutorial, doing it the “right way” results in three diagonal patches matching patterns (the yellow in the correct image).

 Granted, the blocks are scrappy in design, and none of them match another in colors or patterns, but they do have a directional matching in those three patches.

When you assemble them all together they can create any number of overall patterns, like the one below:


This is 20 blocks( 4 x 5) oriented in 5 chevron rows, every other row mirrored on the one before it

















This is the look when all the blocks are oriented the same way, using incorrect blocks:



 This pattern is at least as attractive as the “correct” one.





The Crazy Fun 9-Patch Quilts don’t turn out quite this even in reality, because all the blocks are unique in their cutting and sewing patterns, but they do have the visible diagonals in each one that does show in the overall quilt top.









Here is what one might look like with one off block done in the incorrect way:



The upper left is obviously not right, and there is no way to orient it to make it fit. Some may not care, since it’s a scrappy look overall, but it can drive some people crazy...and not in a fun way.