Tutorial Tuesday - Disappearing Reappearing Nine Patch

There are lots of different variations on the Disappearing Nine Patch out there -this is mine - the Disappearing Reappearing Nine Patch (now known as The Cheshire Garden) made with charm packs. (This is where I first got the idea - then of course I had to change it!)

Supplies:
4 charm packs
(I used Moda's A Morris Garden -which has 40 squares per pack, which gave me enough for the 12 blocks, and the middle border with a few leftovers. To calculate the number of charm packs you need please use the following formula: 12x9=108. Divide 108 by the number of charms in each pack of your chosen fabric line and see how many that gives you. Add one full pack for the middle border. In my example 12x9=108/40=2.7(3)+1 =4 charm packs)

1/4 yard fabric for inner border (cut 5 1" strips x WOF)
1 yard fabric for outer border (cut 6 5" strips x WOF)

Instructions:

Center:
Assemble random charms into 12 scrappy 9 patch blocks. (Please keep in mind when choosing your fabric placement that the corner blocks will remain full size, the middle side blocks will be cut in half to form rectangles, and the center block will be cut into quarters to form 4 squares.)

Cut each block in half both lengthwise and horizontally through the middle, forming 48 blocks.

Lay the blocks out 6x8. Rearrange the blocks to your liking. Many Disappearing Nine Patch patterns show you spinning the blocks to form a random pattern (an image search on Google will show you all sorts of possibilities). I chose to keep the block orientation the same and just swap blocks around so that I had a little "four patch," a larger "four patch" and a running rectangular "plaid" effect.

Stitch the blocks together into rows and the rows together into the center top.

Inner Border:
Sew the top and bottom inner border in place.
Cut the 5th piece of inner border fabric in half and attach half to each remaining inner border piece.
Stitch in place. Press.

Middle Border (made from charms):
Cut the remaining charms in half vertically, keeping the fabrics in the same order separated into 2 identical stacks. I chose to remove the fabrics used in my inner and outer borders from this middle border to allow for maximum contrast.

Place the two cut stacks side by side, and "shuffle" by removing five or six fabrics from the right hand stack and putting them in the bottom of that stack.

Take a rectangle from each stack and sew them together on the short end. Continue until the stacks are gone. Press.

Divide these new bigger rectangles into two stacks, attach together and press again.

Repeat until you have 2 sections long enough to attach to the LONG sides of the quilt. Stitch those in place. Press,

Stitch remaining sections to the SHORT sides of the quilt. Press.

Outer Border:
Same as inner border - although length will need to be added to all border sections.

Finishing:
Add batting, backing and binding, quilting as desired.

(sorry about the delay in illustrations and PDF availability. We're working on it, but the paying gigs are taking priority)