Friday, January 15, 2016

mini nines

Welcome to finish it up Friday!
This, my friends, is a stack of 340 mini nine patch blocks. That means that I finally have enough blocks for a decent lap size quilt! Oh, happy day! If I could do cartwheels, I would at least 100! :)
I started making these blocks back in July of 2013. Each 9 patch finishes at 1 1/2'', which means those little squares within the 9 patch are 1/2" finished....give or take. (So tiny! So crazy!) Precision piecing is not my thing, so these blocks nearly drove me to the brink of insanity--a few times!
I've learned a lot about myself through the process. One of those things is that I have more stubbornness than good sense. (hahaha!) I also know that these blocks are going to make one fabulous quilt top! So, here's to a little (or a lot) of perseverance!!!

If you care to leave a comment today, I would LOVE to hear about a crazy project that you have taken on....how you are faring with it, or how long it took you to finish. :)

And just to show you that I'm not the only crazy one...a friend of mine told me about a quilt pattern called are you kidding me? Don't you just love the name? It looks like a LONG term project as well. (Yikes!)

Now it's your turn to share your finishes for the week! Thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday!

84 comments:

Carie @ Space for the Butterflies said...

WOW - I think we can safely say that you may have justified the Crazy in Crazy Mom Quilts, that is insanely small! But at the same time so very very beautiful. Are you feeling tiny quilting whiplash and heading off to make a giant single block bed quilt to balance it out?

Miss Alissa said...

Wow! Wow, that is some perseverance! I made a paper-pieced Lego Star Wars quilt for my little brother without a pattern. I look at it now and think what was a thinking, I can't believe I finished it. Good job and keep going, you are on the home stretch :D

Stacey @slostudio said...

These are adorable! Love these blocks!!

Jade said...

Oh my goodness. I remember when you started this project. I love these little blocks. My current project of insanity is a mini made up of 1" four patches, made up of (4) 1/2" HSTs, made up of tiny scraps from another quilt. Is it weird I've considered making another Shimmer quilt just to have another bigger mini HST quilt??

Colleen said...

funny to hear you say 'Precision piecing is not my thing,", when I can see you do it beautifully. I guess we never stop learning about ourselves. and yes, it is going to be FABULOUS !

Melissa Corry said...

Oh my goodness, that is so stinking adorable!!! I love all of those baby nine patches ;) The first quilt I ever made was a 12 block, Santa throughout the year quilt. It had an applique of Santa on every block. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. As if it didn't take forever to cut out all of those pieces, but them to stitch them all done. And of course, I used paper as a stabilizer, because I didn't know any better, and then to rip it all out. I was so happy to be done with that. But I learned a lot, and it was a gift to my MIL, who still puts it on her bed every Christmas ;)

Brooke said...

you are amazing!!

looking forward to the finished quilt!

Bernie Kringel said...

I am fairly tame when it comes to my projects. You clearly are not!! This is wild. I remember hearing about this earlier. So glad you have all of your blocks now. What a feeling of satisfaction (relief?) you must have. It will be a fantastic quilt.

Unknown said...

I'm really impressed! I have a completely hand sewn quilt I started 14 years ago. But it goes through long periods put away until I feel like I can deal with it again! I haven't tried anything this small though. I may pull out my hair doing that! I can't wait to see it all put together!

Tami Von Zalez said...

Yeah, I won't be tackling "Are You Kidding Me" any time soon but it does look like a lovely quilt.

I'll be quilting away on MLK Day so I hope to link up with your Friday finish next week!

Ann said...

I'm still plugging away at the Glitter quilt from Jen Kingwell's book Quilt Lovely. I love it and it's going to be awesome when it's finished, it's just cutting all those weird shaped pieces and the construction of the block is pretty time consuming. I do think when I'm done though it will be the most beautiful thing I will have ever made!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

love those mini 9 patches - sometimes simple is best!

Amanda said...

What a happy pile of quilt blocks! It just makes me smile :o) Thanks for sharing with us!

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

Those are SO great!! Love them - and what a great little stashbuster!

Anina said...

So cute! I'm piecing tiny blocks right now and precision piecing isn't my strong point either, so I can relate.

em's scrapbag said...

I love, love, love these blocks. They are going to be a wonderful quilt. My current insanity project is a hand pieced hexie star. Been working on it for over a year.Slow but steady wins the race. Right?

Robby said...

That website has a number of lovely designs, and a whole lot of crazy going on. Love your 9-patches, they're so cheerful which is just perfect for this time of year.

Stitch This said...

Oh how I love your scrappy mini blocks! My craziest project is still going on, I am making a king size quilt hand sewing hexagons. I have all my center flowers done ( I think) yeah, I too am a bit crazy.

Kelly & Stephen said...

Yay for your finish! I love projects that push the limits of sanity. I've had more than one! When I first started quilting again I thought it would be fun to make 9-patch blocks from 2" squares - enough for a bed sized quilt. It took a year or more but it's one of my favorites. Currently I am making a pickle dish quilt (gypsy kisses from Material Obsession 2) and have been working on it for almost a year and I only have two finished blocks to show plus an assortment of pieces. I call it my 2 year pickle dish but really it's gonna be closer to 5! And I love it!

Darlene said...

Love the blocks. I saw a quilt pattern called "Oh my gosh" a combo of nine patch and churn dash (small) It took 2 years but is wonderful. Keep on quilting, it is about the journey not how fast you got there.

Izzy said...

Oh my goodness - that is insane!! My 1 and only crazy project was my 2nd quilt ever - 48 blocks with a flower appliqued (6 petals and a middle), all without fusible web because I had no clue it existed. So pinning each petal, sewing around it with a zigzag stitch, unpicking because it had moved... You get the picture! That quilt left me with a serious dislike of applique! :-)

Thimbleanna said...

Wow Ms. Crazy! This is awesome -- it's going to be a VERY cool quilt!!!

Ioleen said...

These blocks are so happy and fresh looking. They are going to be one awesome quilt.

Kat said...

I adore those mini nines! Can't wait to see how you put them together. My crazy projects is this crumb quilts, a la your scrap vortex but with more color organization. I'm into the quilting at long last, about 70% done. Hoping to get it finished in to for the spring quilt show locally.
http://katandcatquilts.blogspot.com/search/label/crumb%20slabs

Janelle said...

Very fun little blocks. My hat's off to you for attempting it.

I am currently (and for the last two years) making a scrappy king-sized double wedding ring quilt for my sister. The center blocks are the only consistent colors. It was suppose to be a joint effort with my mom, but very quickly fell to me. We mis-calculated the number of blocks needed, so I've had to re-evaluate my original plan, watch several versions of QAYG to make it do-able, and am finally heading back to it after a 6 month "I Hate You, You Stupid Quilt" break. Hoping to have it done before summer.

Live a Colorful Life said...

This is definitely going to be an awesome quilt!!

Crystal_235 said...

Wow!! Can't wait to see the finished quilt!

Jan @Cocoa Quilts said...

As a beginner in quilting when I first looked at these blocks I thought how cute. Then I read the details and saw how small the blocks are and I was amazed. I can't even imagine that tiny size. That size is the size of some of my seams being off. Wow is all I can say. I can't wait to see the finished quilt.

Ellomee said...

Those are some small blocks! Can't wait to see them put together? Do you know the layout? I think they would look fantastic on-point.

I have a WIP that I've help off for nearly 7 years... It's a BOM project and the setting squares have lots of little pieces. I started when I was pregnant with my daughter and it will probably be finished (maybe) when she gets married. HA!

Cara said...

You know... You have enough blocks for that Are You Kidding Me quilt, if you just accept sashing around your individual 9 patch where she doesn't have any. With a solid sashing, it could make for an interesting lay out with your blocks.

Cathy Tomm said...

I have a few crazy quilt blocks underway. The first one is Pineapple log cabins 4 1/5"sq and 43 pieces in each block. I am not done but I know I am more then half done for a large quilt. I set the project aside over the holidays but will get back to it in the next few weeks. It takes me about a month to get 25 to 30 blocks done.

Schulz Family said...

Wow you are so more dedicated than I. I look at other peoples work and start all enthusiastically and then that is it. So much un finished as mine all end up with "are you kidding me". Especially appliqué, which I love the look of but oh so do not have the patience.

Lucy | Charm About You said...

crazy indeed! It will look amazing though! I started some teeny tiny hexies ages ago and made about 6 hexie flowers before going mad! I still want to do something with them but I won't be sewing tiny again if I can help it :)

Christine S said...

That is dedication! You've given me a great idea, but mine won't be quite THAT small :)

Anja @ Anja Quilts said...

Your blocks are amazing. I can't imagine sewing such tiny pieces. Wow. Can't wait to see them pieced together. Good luck.

Kate said...

Oh my, they are so tiny! You are incredible.

Anita said...

Amazing perseverance! The quilt is going to be stunning! I am working on the 1930s Farmer's Wife. I just finished a block last weekend for an upcoming tutorial that had me saying "are you kidding me?" too. But I did it and it looks great. :)

Smultronbo said...

WOW thats is a really impressive amount of blocks. I am sure it will look awesome as a top and turn out astonishing (spelling?) as a quilt. You are such an inspiration. Thanks for sharing with us.

I am happy to be back i the blogbusiness again after being abscent for like 10 months.

I think my biggest project so far is the pinapple quilt I am linking up today. A project I actually started in 2012 when I went to a course and learned the block. When I first saw the pictures or the course I knew instantly what I wanted to do. A quilt for our bedroom as a topper for our bed. Started in 2012 and finishedin 20xx who knows when. But atm its sitting in the ongoing projects box. :P

Have a great weekend. We are freezing over here with currently -21 celsius so its a good time to stay warm sewing. Take care!

Kate Chiconi said...

I think the craziest quilt I've ever worked on is the one I write about here:
https://talltalesfromchiconia.wordpress.com/2016/01/15/foot²freestyle-january-progress-report
We are working to a deadline in the biggest and most final way, but the joy, enthusiasm, generosity and goodwill of all participants is outstanding, and we WILL make it happen.
Your tiny nineys are unbearably cute, and will make such a sweet and happy quilt!

Frances Meredith said...

These are just the sort of projects that pull me in. I have done the Nearly Insane quilt and now the Dear Jane. A small piece always becomes a big piece in the end!
Lovely work.

Unknown said...

OK Amanda... I have just spent 2 days trimming a box of batik scraps( that I inherited) because of your book! Is this my next step into insane quilting? As I cut and cut all I could think about was how this will look in a quilt. I am secretly very excited ...Thanks for all your inspiration...Val

beth s said...

Have FUN putting them all together! HOW fun!

Nancy said...

I don't know about crazy, exactly. Those little blocks are a great way to use 1" wide strips. And they ARE fabulous little blocks! Thanks for hosting the link-up.
Nancy. (ndmessier @ aol.com, joyforgrace.blogspot.com)

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

You are a better man than me! But those are some seriously gorgeous blocks. Can't wait to see them grow into a quilt. Great job!

Mary Marcotte said...

I love quilting, but I'm not into (my making) really small blocks. I can, however, appreciate others' really, really small blocks. Your little nines are just so cute and fun. I can't wait to see these finished and quilted!

Jennifer Fulton Inquiring Quilter said...

Such a cool, crazy idea! Those blocks are so small, I doubt that I would have persevered as you did, but those blocks will make such a great quilt. Awesome!

S Staum said...

I remember you shared these tiny blocks at Camp Stitchalot in August 2013! I can't wait to see your finished quilt! Congrats on hanging in there!!

Sarah said...

I love your little tiney blocks! Over Christmas I saved all the corner triangles from little star ornaments I made, and turned them into 1" hour glass blocks. I'm not usually one for mini quilts, but this time I made one and I LOVE it -- 420 teeny tiney pieces. :) sarah@forrussia.org

Jennie @ Porch Swing Quilts said...

Oh my gosh, those are awesome and oh so crazy! My crazy project is still in the dreaming stage. I really want to make a pickle dish quilt. I'm hoping I get brave enough for it!

Helen in the UK said...

Huge congrats for persevering, it's going to be awesome! I think nine patches with one inch finished squares are small enough, but they are huge compared to yours :)

house on hill road said...

you are crazy! in the best way, though!!! xoxoxo

Kristin said...

I have multiple insanely stupid never ending projects going on. Things that are tiny and use up scraps and have no master plan. It's ok, though. I've accepted that I am a process person. I get satisfaction from doing just as much as finishing! =)

barbaradougherty126 said...

My insanity is just the use of my time, lol. I can't finish one thing, lol. I kid, of course, but I do find myself starting proojects before others are done.

I love the little squares! Love it, can't wait to see it when it is done!

Anonymous said...

Those little nine patches are amazing!! I don't have any truly crazy projects on my plate, although I do have a t-shirt quilt that I am working on that is a little tricky since nothing is the same size and the shirts are OLD.

Can't wait to see the final quilt -- I'm sure it will be gorgeous.

tisha @ quiltytherapy said...

Holy camoly, those tiny blocks are terrifying and awesome.

margaret said...

i started a 2 1/4" hand pieced grandmothers flower garden in high school. It is in a bin. i look at it every once in a while.

Angela Atkins said...

I remember when you made the first post about those. I made two of them--and then moved on. You have WAY more perseverance than me.

Spangled said...

I started an I spy handpieced hexie - 1.5" hexies. I gave myself tendonitis working on it. I will have to take all the chunks of finished hexies out and see if I can make anything with it - without too much hand sewing, natch. Maybe it will be a baby quilt.

Jittina said...

I think your tiny 9-patch quilt is going to be gorgeous. Can't wait to see it!
The Omigosh quilt is on my 'someday' wish list. Here's a link to it: http://suegarman.blogspot.se/2008/01/teeny-tiny-pieces.html (it's the third foto).

Sarah Craig said...

Your tiny blocks are absolutely wonderful! I haven't (yet) taken on a crazy project, but have got the bug right now to make not one, not two, but THREE My Small World quilts, one for each of my grandkids this year. I'm fairly sure I've lost it, but time will tell if I can get them all done by Christmas! At least it will use up my scraps - or at least some of them!

liniecat said...

Incredible tenacity and yes, they will be wonderful all melded together.
Congrats and good luck with them for the Big Little Join Together!

JoAnne in southern California said...

They are beautiful! Congratulations for keeping on "keeping on"! That block is what I made for my guild name tag. I love the nine patch but I wasn't going to make more than one of those little nine patches. What an accomplishment! It's a treat to see.

Karen said...

Gonna be so cool----and totally explains the Crazy in Crazy Mom Quilts!

Leanne Parsons said...

Those blocks are fantastic, and will make a gorgeous quilt! I don't save anything smaller than 1 1/2" square, but maybe I should start going smaller :)

Unknown said...

You have the patience of a Saint to get this far. Really looking forward to seeing the finished quilt - just hope it doesn't take nearly 3 years to do so. I might have dementia by then. Good luck.

Mary Jo said...

Oh yes; my crazy project is the farmers wife quilt that I started in 2008. 110 6" blocks that I am just now sewing into rows. I will be very glad to finish this quilt. I do like small bl i cks sometimes. Yours are tiny. It will be a beauty, can,t wait to see it.

Paige said...

Going to be fantastic!

Cathy Melancon said...

Oh my!! You have given a new meaning to crazy!! Your blocks are so adorable and they look perfect!!! Good luck and I can't wait to see the finished product!

Anonymous said...

I couldn't believe how small those pieces are. Looking forward to the quilt.

Granny Maud's Girl said...

These are great! You almost make me want to change my minimum sized salvaged scrap from 1.5 inches to 1 inch. Almost.
Daftest thing I have tone? I finished all the blocks for a Dear Jane quilt last year. I basted it last January and have so far hand quilted three blocks. Yes, three. In a whole year. Embarrassing, really.

Linda said...

I cannot wait to see this one finished!!! It is going to be so fantastic! I actually finished a quilt this week, but I didn't get it blogged. I also pulled out my "one block wonder" and did some more piecing. I have just about half of it pieced now. Only 86 more to go, LOL.

margaret said...

trying to picture you going the cartwheels, hope all 100 have been done. The blocks are going to make a wonderful quilt certainly a labour of love making those tiny nine patch blocks

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

Love your blocks. I am making E. Sitar's Basket of Scraps - 2 inch 4 patches. Also did the Sentimental Scraps - 3 inch 9 patches. Still need to put the quilt together. But I do like your blocks yes will make a beautiful quilt!

ChezVies said...

wow..you're amazing Amanda. This is so pretty <3

Anne / Springleaf Studios said...

That's certainly one big pile of quilty goodness. It will make a sweet scrappy quilt. I always love how a munch of blocks look all piled up. Feels like progress is being made.

Mrs Christine Collins said...

Not insane at al!!

There is another quilt named Omigosh

it's nine patches, four patches and tiny churn dash blocks

Lara B. said...

Wow Wee - those little blocks are just so darling Amanda Jean! I don't think you are crazy at all, nope! :)

vscharp said...

I love the tiny blocks. Can't wait to see the finished product. Carry on!!

New Salem Homestead said...

Ha! I started sewing those mini nines with you and got 14 done!You are an inspiration to dig them out and get going again.

FlashinScissors said...

Wow! Hi Amanda Jean, this is my first visit to your blog. These are so cure! I have stitched some 1/2 inch blocks ages ago but hadn't found anything to do with them. I am now inspired!!
I will be back to visit, often!
Barbara xx

Rene' said...

Those are some pretty little nine patches!!! I can't wait to see them put together!!

Barbieann said...

Your craziness is inspirational ! I just love those adorable 9 patches. I'm thinking I've just been inspired to start, yet, another scrap buster quilt! CRAZY!

Dawn Brown said...

Im in my third year of english paper piecing small hexagon flowers. I take them with me everywhere and have hundreds. Have always thought i would make a quilt top by randomly throwing flowers onto solid backgrounds and stitching where they landed, pulling all the blocks together for a quilt. Someday but love the handwork so not hurrying at all!

Love your blocks and can't wait to see the finished quilt.

SarahZ said...

I just finished a tenet tiny triangles quilt! 400+ tiny HSTs later....ha! And it started out as a pincushion, because of your pin cushion blog hop :) Seemed pretty crazy at the time, but I love it., :)