Perenially Blooming Nine Patch

Blooming nine patch is an intriguing quilt pattern. It gives the impression of a color wash with nothing but 9-patch and same-size solid squares! The pattern was first published in 1996 by Blanche Young with her daughter, Dalene Young Stone, in their book Tradition With a Twist. Another daughter, Helen Young Frost, continued the tradition in her book, Radiant Sunshine & Shadow.  

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Tradition with a Twist, Helen Frost created a beautiful NEW quilt in colors of the sunset. Also, scroll down for two FREE patterns from fabric companies! 

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Perenially Blooming Nine Patch by Helen Frost, quilted by Kris Neifeld

The Blooming Nine Patch is the most popular quilt from Tradition With a Twist, and thousands of quilters have made one. Each solid block alternates with a nine-patch that uses the two adjacent fabrics, creating a subtle transition from one fabric to the next, as shown in the closeup photo below.  

You might also enjoy this free Luminous Nine Patch pattern by Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download!)

You might also enjoy this free Vintage Blooms pattern by Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download!)

Image credits: Photos of Perenially Blooming Nine Patch were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Tucson Quilters Guild show. NOTE: Quilt Inspiration is an Amazon Associate, meaning we earn a small commission if an item is purchased from any Amazon link on this page. (There is no extra charge to you.)  Thank you for your support of Quilt Inspiration. 

 

Blooming Nine Patch: A Perennial Favorite

Did you ever construct a quilt which looked really challenging, but was incredibly fun to make? The blooming nine patch is one of those intriguing patterns. Each fabric square alternates with a nine-patch that uses the two adjacent fabrics, creating a subtle "color wash" transition from one fabric to the next. (For more blooming nine patch quilts, see our original post from 2011!)

Note: Please check out our eBay shop for great bargains on jewelry, patterns, and collectibles!

Kaffe Blooming Nine Patch by Pat Morris, quilted by Athena Taylor

The Blooming Nine Patch design was first published in 1996 by Blanche Young with her daughter, Dalene Young Stone, in their classic book Tradition With a Twist.   Another daughter, Helen Young Frost, arranged the design in concentric diamonds, much like the Amish Trip Around the World pattern.

Pat Morris says, "It's a fun quilt to make using alternating nine patches and plain squares. I used Kaffe Fassett Collective fabrics assembled in a kit by All About Color Quilting.  It was machine quilted using edge-to-edge computerized quilting by Athena Taylor." (Can you see the nine patch blocks in this closeup photo?)

 The Blackhole, made and quilted by Debra Kaweske 

 Debra Kaweske says that this stunning quilt, made in beautiful batiks, was inspired by the photo of a black hole.  The photo made her want to create an original quilt which would transition from a bright inviting center to a vast outer space. The lovely details and quilting can be seen in the closeup below.

 

Note:  For those who love batiks, Robert Kaufman Fabrics has a free "Luminous Nine Patch" pattern for the Kasuri collection, shown below. To download the free PDF, CLICK HERE! 

Image credits: The original quilt photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Tucson Quilters Guild show. 

Modern Quilt Month: Bento Blast

It's Modern Quilt Month here at Quilt Inspiration! We'll be posting a new modern quilt each weekday... we hope you enjoy our photos! Today's fun quilt is a "Bento Box" design.

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Bento Blast by Nicole Wegleitner, quilted by Penny Boese

Bento Blast was based on a Nine Patch Bento Box quilt pattern by Janet Wickell. Nicole Wegleitner says, "In 2020, I was inspired by my best friend's mother, and decided to take up a quilting hobby. This is the first quilt I ever made and it took roughly 6 months from start to finish." The greens and blues make a lovely complement against the bright white and gray squares.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2023 Quilt Fiesta (Tucson, Arizona).

Free pattern day! Kim Diehl quilts

Folk art quilts are the coziest quilts around!  And Kim Diehl is one of everyone's favorite designers.  Her quilts emphasize traditionally-inspired patchwork designs, often combined with appliqué.  

NOTE: This post has been updated. Please CLICK HERE for free patterns for Kim Diehl quilts!

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Image credits: The photo montage is a derivative work that is the property of Quilt Inspiration.

More Scrap Quilt Inspiration !

It's time for some scrap quilt inspiration! What a great opportunity to sort through your stash and use your imagination to create beautiful blocks from remnants of fabric. Here are some of our favorites !

(Note: please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns and collectibles ! For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !) 

Spiderweb by Amy Witherow, California

Amy explains, "The quilt front was started in Jean Impey's class, 'Spider Web'. The quilt back was started in Fern Royce's class, 'Working Small.' Obviously, I wasn't working small here, but part of the class was about using scraps, and I had a bunch of half-square triangle strips. I decided to see what they'd do in a Log Cabin design."

We recognize many of these fabrics, including some Kaffe Fassett favorites! The secret to this quilt's success is to have enough neutral off-white background so that the viewer's eye can easily see all the different fabrics in the foreground. These blocks are nicely spaced so that each individual block stands out clearly, with plenty of contrast.

Wonky Nine Patch no. 2 by LaNelle Wilkinson, California

LaNelle writes, "Since 2012, I have periodically made wonky 9-patch quilt blocks and saved them for a 'someday I'll finish this quilt' project. In 2018, I finished a queen-sized quilt for me bed and had blocks to spare."

LaNelle continues, "Those leftover blocks inspired me to make this smaller quilt  (size 50 x 77). I love the bright colors, and the quilt makes me happy." We too love these pretty colors, which provide a contrast that really makes LaNelle's quilt sparkle.

Adventures in Sewing by Bonnie Bobman, quilted by Cindy Stohn

Bonnie says, "Clean out time ! Starting with no plan, each round was determined based on the existing layout. Piecing it in the studio, an RV, and ironing on a campground table made this quilt a travel memory."

One of the fun things about a scrap quilt like this is looking at all the different fabrics, remembering where they came from, and remembering which projects they were used for. There are lots of intriguing prints and varied colors in Bonnie's quilt.

Scrappy Strings by Celeste Johnson, Arizona. Quilted by Melissa Turner

Honorable Mention winner in the Scrap Quilt category at the 2019 Quilt Arizona Show,  Celeste notes, " I saw a similar quilt on Pinterest and thought this quilt would use up my large collection of strings. Ha Ha, this quilt barely made a dent in the scraps."

Celeste cleverly used her black and white scraps to make very contemporary sashing pieces. The sashing does a great job of making the clear, bright pastel colors of the blocks really "pop'' into the foreground.

Quilt of Many Colors by Carol Kananen, California

Carol states, "At the last quilt show, I bought six fat quarters of single color batiks. Then I went home to "shop" in my batik stash for coordinating prints. I sewed strips together from light to dark, and this is the result."

Carol's quilt is size 29" x 35", which makes an eye-catching wall quilt, as well as a very colorful table-topper. The variety of warm and cool hues makes it perfect for all seasons and home decors.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2019 Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association show (Spiderweb, Wonky Nine Patch, Quilt of Many Colors, Adventures in Sewing) and the 2019 Quilt Arizona show (Scrappy Strings).

Happy 4th of July!

We're celebrating America's Independence Day with a concert and a tribute to red, white and blue quilts!  Here are beautiful flag quilts that caught our eye. The Old Glory design, below, is made with 11 different 6" quilt blocks.

Old Glory, 36 x 57",  by Connie Fittro, quilted by Donna Goldberg

The blue field is made with six different Ohio Star blocks in traditional prints, while the red and white blocks include Dutchman's puzzle, sawtooth star, bow tie, spool, four patch and and nine patch blocks.  This patriotic quilt is based on the Old Glory pattern by Yellow Creek Quilt Designs.  Donna Goldberg used feather, swirl, and loop quilting to highlight the white areas. 

Long May You Wave by Judy Pedersen (Arizona) 

Keep Our Flag Waving Forever by Elaine Mason

Proud American by Cheri McGunagle, quilted by Jeannie Rogers

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2018, 2017 and 2016 Quilt Arizona shows (Old Glory, Proud American, Long May You Wave) and the 2012 River City Quilters' Guild show (Keep Our Flag Waving Forever) .

O Canada ! Canadian Nine Patch quilts

What are Canadian Nine Patch quilts?  They are quilts made by Canadians to honor the country's 150th anniversary in 2017.  Each of these outstanding quilts incorporates a nine patch design, either overtly or in a subtle way.  The quilts represent Canada’s history, geography, and culture as expressed by each artist. Since Canada Day is coming up (July 1), we wanted to share some of these wonderful quilts.

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Maple Leaf by Susan Therrien (Winona, Ontario, Canada)

Maple Leaf was hand appliqued, machine pieced and quilted, and paper pieced. Susan Therrien says, "I am proud to be Canadian! Finding a variety of symbols representing life in Canada became the inspiration for my Canadian Nine Patch." The nine-patch center of the quilt, inspired by clip art from the web, reflects the many aspects of Canadian heritage and cultural activities.

The red Maple Leaf and small quilted leaves are internationally recognized as symbols of Canada.

Canadian Tartan by Rebecca McAlpine (Oakville, Ontario, Canada)

This map quilt was inspired by the Canadian Nine Patch theme, the map of Canada, and Scottish heritage. All of Canada’s provinces and territories have official tartans. The Canadian Tartan quilt is a map of Canada with each province and territory depicted by its tartan as registered in The Scottish Register of Tartans.

The Tartan map of Canada is on a background of the Maple Leaf Nine Patch. The quilt is bound in the national tartan, The Maple Leaf. The Canadian Maple Leaf tartan was designed by David Weiser, for Canada in honor of the country’s centenary in 1967. If you look closely you can see the maple leaf block in the white-on-white background, shown below:

Modern Hudson Bay by Joanne and Jenna Prokop, quilted by Leslie Prokop

Machine pieced and quilted, Modern Hudson Bay is a modern interpretation of the iconic Hudson Bay Blanket. This quilt uses a variation of the traditional Nine Patch to illustrate Canada’s patchwork history.

Founded in 1670, the Hudson Bay Company was at the center of Europe’s exploration of what would become the second largest country in the world, Canada. Driven by the fur trade, HBC was the driving force in developing the trade routes across Canada, connecting Newfoundland and the Atlantic Ocean to Vancouver Island and the Pacific.

True North by Karen Brown (North York, Ontario, Canada)

Machine pieced and quilted,  Karen Brown's Canadian Nine Patch quilt takes a modern approach to traditional blocks. You can see traditional blocks, such as the Maple Leaf, viewed from a perspective.  She says, "Learning from the past and building toward a future brings Canada together as a country at the top of the world."

O Canada in Morse Code by Susan Richard (Oakville, Ontario, Canada)

Susan Richard says, "I have always been intrigued by Morse Code, a special alphabet represented by a series of dots and dashes... In this strip pieced quilt, I used the combination of dots (replaced with Canadian maple leaves) and dashes to spell out Canada’s National Anthem, “O Canada”. Within the quilt, there are two places where the dots and dashes line up and appear as three mini Canada flags sitting one on top of the other. Each flag, composed of three pieces of fabric, creates a Canadian Nine Patch out of Canadian flags."

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2017 Houston International Quilt Festival.  The Canadian Nine Patch exhibit was organized by Leslie Prokop and Shelley DeHay-Turner in honor of Canada's sesquicentennial.

Heart quilts for Valentine's Day!

We're sending hearts and flowers to all quilters via this post ! Here are some beautiful quilts to warm your heart and inspire your own creative projects.

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Hearts and Nine by Ilene Atkins (Ontario, Canada)

Hearts and Nine was selected for the special exhibit, A Canadian Nine Patch Celebrating Canada’s 150th Birthday, shown at the 2017 Houston International Quilt Festival. The quilts were selected to represent Canada’s history, geography, and culture as expressed by each artist.

Appliqued hearts, placed in white blocks, are used to define the outline of a large heart in this quilt. Ilene Atkins says the heart theme was inspired by Canada's incredible "diversity, acceptance, wide open spaces, and friendly cities, along with many cultures and varied communities." Many different fun fabrics were used to construct the blocks.

Heart Sampler by Laurene Sinema, 1992, quilted by Una Jarvis

Heart Sampler, with nine different hearts, was in a special exhibit of Laurene Sinema’s work at the 2017 Quilt Arizona show. Laurene was a published author and she founded the Arizona Quilters Guild. It is entirely hand appliqued, hand quilted, and adorned with a border of heart-shaped leaves.

The pattern for this quilt was published in Laurene’s 1992 book, Applique! Applique! Applique! (still available in used books on Amazon).  The book teaches applique and decorative stitches, reverse applique (mola), stained glass and Celtic applique, Hawaiian, broderie perse, and shadow applique.

Heart Throb by Kris Lovetro, quilted by Debbie Stanton

Kris Lovetro says, "I had such a good time making this quilt, I made six of them, but this one in Kaffe Fassett fabric was the most fun." We love the way Kris set the pixelated heart within a neutral field composed from two different cream colored fabrics. The floral squares were quilted in back-and-forth loops, while the neutral background was quilted with an overall design of small hearts, shown below.

You can see more examples of pixel heart quilts at Blue Elephant Stitches; there is a free pattern for a bed size pixel heart quilt at Robert Kaufman Fabrics.

My Valentine by Angie Oswald

This cheerful quilt is hand appliqued, embroidered, and hand quilted. We loved Angie Oswald's choice of fabrics, which included some 1930s reproduction fabrics.  Angie says, "Hand work has become my favorite part of the quilting process."  My Valentine was exhibited at the 2017 Springville (Utah) quilt show; we're still searching for the design source.

Yo Yo Hearts by the Piecemakers Quilt Guild (Utah)

Yo yos make a great take-along project! In this clever but simple quilt, each heart was created from 16 yo yos.  The blocks and hand quilting were done by Linda Boyer, Marianne Breitenbeker, Cecile Eden, Kathy Lyon, JoAnn Mildenhall, Dawn Mumford, Cathy Prows, Diana Shurtlett, and Becky Young. It was made for the Ruby Jubilee of the Utah Quilt Guild, and exhibited at the 2017 Springville (Utah) quilt show.

Hearts and Flowers by the Knotts Quilting Bee Guild (Utah)

Another beautiful hand quilted piece in Utah's Ruby Jubilee exhibit! This sampler quilt combines pieced sawtooth stars, an appliqued vintage heart (in the center), four redwork embroidered baskets, a flying geese inner border, and appliqued flower vines on the outer border. The charming redwork embroidery really stood out on this quilt. (We're searching for the pattern source.)

Grandma's Love by Charlene Day, quilted by Connie Myers

This quilt was made with red and white gingham fabric; the small gingham squares were embroidered so as to create the shapes of hearts, then machine quilted. Connie Myers says, "My mother created 14 chicken scratch squares and I created the final two and pieced it. Mom saw the finished quilt 3 days before she died." Grandma's Love was shown at the 2017 Quilt Arizona show.

Image credits:  Photo were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2017 Houston International Quilt Festival, Springville (Utah) Quilt Show, and Quilt Arizona show.