Crazy Nine-Patch Lattice Quilt

 
Did you notice that the total number of blocks required for the Nine-Patch Lattice Quilt is a multiple of 9?  That means it can easily be made with Crazy Nine-Patch blocks instead of regular ones!

 
Sets of 9 Crazy Nine-Patch Blocks are made with 9 different squares of fabric so, to make a quilt using the layout of the Nine-Patch Lattice Quilt, you would need 3 sets of 9 blocks (27 total).  You could make 3 identical sets (I recommend using 9 different 3/8 yard cuts and cutting 3 squares from each) or, like I've done here, make a scrappy version using 27 different fabric squares.

NOTE: The fabric requirements for these crazy nine-patch blocks are different than those for the strip-pieced blocks described in the original tutorial.  You can only cut 2 squares 9.5" x 9.5" from a standard fat quarter.

My sets of blocks each included 7 light to deep orange prints, 1 gray print and 1 orange solid (Kona School Bus, Orange and Tangerine).  The white is Essex cotton/linen and the binding is Kona coal.

If you want to make something similar and need some orange and gray prints to get your started, Fabricworm has a fat quarter set here.

How to Make Crazy Nine-Patch Blocks:

Instructions contemplate a 1/4" seam allowance, with all seams pressed open.

Start with 9 squares that are 2" larger than the size your want your finished blocks.  If you're making blocks to use with the Nine-Patch Lattice pattern, you'll want to use 9 1/2" squares (for 7 1/2" finished blocks) but you can use the same basic technique to make any size blocks you want.

 
Stack the 9 squares on your cutting table and make a wonky cut, about a third of the way in from the left side, creating 2 stacks.

Remove one cut piece from the top of the stack on the left and move it to the bottom of the stack. 

Sew the squares back together along the wonky-cut edge, matching pieces that are in the same position in their respective stacks.  So the striped piece and the tulip piece shown in the above photo get sewn together.  The two pieces that are under them get sewn together, and so on, until you again have nine squares, each made up of 2 different fabrics.

Note: If you want to end up with all 9 fabrics showing in each block, it's important to keep the blocks in the same order as you work. 

 

Restack your squares, aligning the seams you've just sewn.  Make a second wonky cut, this one about a third of the way in from the right side. 

Remove two cut pieces from the top of the stack on the right and place them at the bottom of the stack.  Use the same process from the last step to sew the squares back together, along the wonky-cut edges.

 

Once again, stack the squares on your cutting mat, matching seam allowances as best you can.  (You have a little lee-way, so don't stress over it too much.)  Turn the stack 90 degrees to the right.

Make another wonky cut, similar to the one you made when you first cut into the stack of squares, creating 2 stacks.  If your cutter can't quite make it, finish the job with scissors.  Try to make the cut as clean as possible, but don't stress if it's not perfect.  This is a very forgiving block!

This time, move three pieces from the top to the bottom of the stack on the left and, again, sew the squares back together.

 
Restack your blocks and make one final wonky cut, creating 2 stacks. 

Move six pieces from the top to the bottom of the stack on the right and, again, sew the pieces back together along the wonky-cut edge.

If you kept your squares in the same order during each step, you should now have 9 blocks that each include a little piece of each of the 9 fabrics.

Square up your blocks to be 1/2" larger than their finished size.  If you're making blocks to use with the Nine Patch Lattice Pattern, you'll want them to be squared up to 8" x 8".

 
Now it's time to admire your pretty blocks!  If you want to use crazy blocks to make the Nine-Patch Lattice quilt, just make three sets (27 total) and substitute them for the blocks described in the pattern.  All other instructions and fabric requirements remain the same.

If you make your wonky cuts similarly to mine, you'll notice that your finished blocks have two overlapping megaphone-like shapes.  When I laid out my blocks before sewing them together, I positioned them so that the small or large ends of the "megaphones" matched where the blocks intersected.  I think that helped to add some movement to the quilt top.

 
As always, if you make something with one of my tutorials, I'd love to see a photo in the Flickr Group.

ETA in response to comments: Yes!  The crazy nine-patch is an excellent "first wonky block."  If you're nervous about trying a wonky block, this is a very low-commitment one to try. (Plus you end up making 9 at a time, which means the quilt comes together fast.)

Comments

[Jessica]

great idea! it turned out really cute!

[Tracey]

oh my gosh, you make it so easy that I feel like running to my sewing room and trying this right away. I've been wanting to sew wonky blocks for a while, but have been too intimidated but that seems so easy!

Perhaps I could just start with a baby size quilt. Thoughts are running through my head...off to the sewing room!

Thanks!

[Samantha]

I love this! It's so fun, but not too complicated or time consuming--my kind of quilt!

[DianeY]

That is so cool and the finished blocks are just gorgeous! I gotta try this!

[Amber]

Oh - I love this one - need to finish my Map of the States block and then I'm going to do one of these - gorgeous!

[Evelyn]

Thank you so much for the tutorial! This is definitely going on my list of projects to make. Love it!

[Emilee Turner]

Oh. My. Cuteness!!! I haven't been brave enough to try a wonky/crazy block yet, but I think this one just might HAVE to be attempted!! So stinkin adorable!!

[wishes, true and kind]

Wow! This color palette is great, too, and I like the wonky variation. Now I'm going to want to try both!

[Rebecca]

Thank you for this tutorial! I love the organized yet haphazard quality, and I adore the color palette. I feel inspired, for the first time in several months, to create a quilt!
Thank You!

[Shruti Dandekar]

This is even more beautiful than the other one... i'm surely gonna try this...

[Jon]

great looking quilt!

[maranda]

Love it:) I will have to add this quilt to the list:)

[jerilyn]

When do you sleep? You are a machine lately! This is wonderful, as always.

[Cynthia]

Beautiful, and ditto the last comment. Do you sleep? Seriously? Do you, Ever? Thanks for the Great Partnership!!

[Blabby]

I love this one even MORE than the other nine patch! Thanks a million!

[Aniza]

Really love this idea...wonky 9 patch is brilliant for this lattice quilt.

[Nancy]

Crazy good! As always, your fabric combinations are great.

[mathea]

I love this. The wonkyness of the nine patches makes it so interesting, and the layout with the solid blocks in between makes it even better.

[Elizabeth]

I echo the comment about wondering when you sleep! Great work, yet again!

[Ruth]

Love it - totally going to try this!!!

[jess]

So great!
I love the pattern + randomness of it all.

[Beth Lehman]

you are so inspirational - look at how many people are jumping up from their screens to go sew!! i'm going up as soon as i reread the directions!

[andrea]

You always make such simple ways look so beautiful...

[janet]

I've done this technique before but I love it set against white and the additional blocks on the back. Well done tutorial.

[Wendy]

Adding this to my must try list... but first will be a t.v. tray ironing board - I found one at the thrift shop yesterday!
I'll add it to your flickr group!?