October Challenge - 9 patch

For the Focus Through the Prism Challenge this month, our inspiration block is the basic nine-patch.

As soon as I saw that, I immediately had what I thought was going to be a great idea on how to do a somewhat improvisational version of a nine-patch quilt.  I couldn't wait to get started.  I had several pieces cut and sewn and up on my design board in record time.  Then I stepped back to admire how my masterpiece was coming along and .... I didn't like it.  It needed something and I couldn't decide what.   Maybe a print fabric.  But since I have set myself the additional challenge of only using Cherrywood fabrics for these projects, that was out.

After several days of deliberation, I finally decided to scrap the whole idea and go back to the drawing board.

I recently saw a great book by Karen Combs called Celtic Pieced Illusions.  I was very intrigued by how she was able to create so many wonderful, colorful designs using only three basic blocks; and one of those basic blocks is a nine-patch. Almost infinite variations are possible just by altering the fabric positions and block placement.

So that became my new plan.  I have only red and indigo left from my challenge bundle to use as focus colors.  With my recent failed attempt at red still fresh in my mind, I decided to use indigo this time.  I drew up a few designs and tried a few color combinations until I came up with this one.

I got the main part of the quilt top completed within a few days.  Then it was time to add the borders and YIKES, I had run out of the violet fabric!!!  Luckily, I had another piece of Cherrywood in my stash that was an almost identical color so I went with it.

On to the quilting.  I had so much fun.  I knew I wanted feathers in the indigo spaces and the rest just evolved.  I'm extremely happy with the way it all turned out.

I even came up with a name that would give a little credit to the book that gave me the idea for my design.

Indigo Illusion

Don't forget to visit the Focus Through the Prism Challenge website to check out all the other fun, and creative entries.