Diabolical Double Disappearing Diagonal Daydream

Or, Reyna Periodically Pursues Perseveration

My friend from work, Reyna from Bramble Brains, was kind enough to allow me to test her new disappearing nine patch quilt pattern, which I will call by its other name, D5, since I mix up the proper order of the words.

This quilt is so much fun. It looks complicated, but is a really fast make. I had Reyna help me choose fabrics for it – I love her eye for color. It’s a little offbeat, but her bundles always have a pop that I struggle to achieve. The fabrics are Kona Cottons, with the exception of the green Essex Linen. Gotham Quilts carries them all.

I have done a disappearing nine patch quilt in the past. Want to see it? You can find my halloween quilt here. It was quick and fun, but not as dynamic as this one.

We started with making nine patches. This is just my first set.

Then I made them bigger, and I started put them up on my design wall.

After that, you know how I work. I forgot to take more photos, because I was so excited. Here it is, all pieced. Look at how it glows, despite my horrible lighting situation.

Obligatory longarm shot.

I made the backing from some really soft yarn dyed fabrics, and I’d tell you more about that, but there was a lot of cursing. Piecing backings is my least favorite thing, so I skip steps and make mistakes. I think it is a woven by Carolyn Friedlander, combined with Alison Glass’ Mariner’s Cloth.

I quilted it using Diagonal Plaid, from Urban Elementz. It is one of my favorite quilting patterns – it looks entirely different when you change the scale, and is very versatile. The thread is a gorgeous variegated from Superior Threads called Fantastico Oak Tree (5126).

Here is the completed quilt. Isn’t it amazing? I quilted it using a Hobbs Cotton Heirloom batting, and it is just so soft and floppy. I just want to snuggle under it and take a nap. Unfortunately, now that my son/photography assistant knows how soft it is, it has been added to his quilt hoard. I will only get to see it on laundry days.

It’s big, too! It finished at 63″ x 84″. Reyna has expanded the size offerings since my test, so you can make it in four different sizes, from throw to queen. I made a twin.

It had a scrap baby, too, but I’ve shared that before. Check out Portals here.

Thanks, Reyna, for allowing me to test your pattern! It was so much fun watching this come together. And extra thanks for pulling these fabrics for me. You were right – my first pass wasn’t as good as this one.

A word of advice for all of my readers – cultivate a friendship with quilt shop employees, even if you don’t work at one. Look at the samples and bundles in the shop, and ask who puts them together. If it is someone in the shop, suck up to them, and ask for help whenever you can. Chances are good that they think pulling fabric is fun, and will help you make something that glows.

Happy quilting!