To: quiltnet
Subject: Six-Hour Baby Quilt


Thu. 19 May 1994
From Carrie Bryan:

(Here's the) 6-Hour Baby Quilt! The instructions were first posted
a couple of years ago and I kept a slightly juiced-up copy of it.
Here's the "recipe":


       -----------------------------------------
       |                                       |
       |--+---------------------------------+--|
       |  |-+-----------------------------+-|  |
       |  | |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*| |  |       |1|2|3|
       |  | |#|*|#|     |#|*|#|     |#|*|#| |  |       |2|1|2|
       |  | |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*| |  |       |3|2|1|
       |  | |     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     | |  |
       |  | |     |#|*|#|     |#|*|#|     | |  |       |1|3|2|
       |  | |     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     | |  |       |3|2|1|
       |  | |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*| |  |       |1|3|2|
       |  | |#|*|#|     |#|*|#|     |#|*|#| |  |
       |  | |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*| |  |       |1|2|3|
       |  | |     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     | |  |       |4|1|2|
       |  | |     |#|*|#|     |#|*|#|     | |  |       |3|4|1|
       |  | |     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     | |  |
       |  | |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*| |  |       |1|2|1|
       |  | |#|*|#|     |#|*|#|     |#|*|#| |  |       |3|1|4|
       |  | |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*| |  |       |1|5|1|
       |  | |     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     | |  |
       |  | |     |#|*|#|     |#|*|#|     | |  |       |1|2|3|
       |  | |     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     | |  |       |4|5|1|
       |  | |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*| |  |       |2|3|4|
       |  | |#|*|#|     |#|*|#|     |#|*|#| |  |
       |  | |*|#|*|     |*|#|*|     |*|#|*| |  |       |1|2|1|
       |  |-+-----------------------------+-|  |       |2| |2|
       |--+---------------------------------+--|       |1|2|1|
       |                                       | blank is plain block
       -----------------------------------------       fabric


Six Hour Baby Quilt
40" x 48" If you want a bit larger play with your borders.

18 9-patch blocks, 17 plain blocks

yardage (44" fabric):
for 9-patch blocks:
for 5 or more colors: 1/8 yd each, OR 1/3 yd for 1, 1/8 yd for 4
4 colors: 1/3 yd for 1, 1/8 yd for 3
3 colors: 1/4 yd for 2, 1/8 yd for 1 OR 1/4 yd each OR
1/4 yd for 2, leftover plain for 1
2 colors: 1/3 yd for 1, 1/4 yd for 1

for large squares: 1/2 yd
for inner border: 1/4 yd
for wide border: 1 1/8 yd
for backing: 1 1/2 yd
binding tape: 6 yd

Cut 2x44" strips across the fabrics you have chosen for the 9 patch blocks. Sew strips together; press. Cut strips 2" wide again. Join into 18 blocks; press well.

From the fabric for the large square, cut 2 strips the same measurement as your finished 9-patch. Cut 17 squares out of the strips.

Stitch 9-patch and solid squares into rows according to diagram (above). Press each row towards 9-patch. Sew the rows together.

For the inner border cut 4 strips 1 1/2" wide. Attach longer sides first, then short ends. For outer border cut 4 strips up to 8" wide. Again sew on longer edges first, then short edges.

Attach binding tape on edge, all the way around; mitre the corners.

Lay out backing wrong side up, then batting, then top. Pin or hand baste, then quilt or tie.


Suggested placements for fabrics:

The number codes to the right in the diagram above are suggested placements of fabrics for the 9-patches. The number code

1|2|1
-+-+-
2| |2
-+-+-
1|2|1

for instance, suggests that you use fabric #1 in the corners, fabric #2 in the edge middles, and the same fabric for the center square as you use for the unpieced blocks. The number codes are there to suggest possibilities and neither to increase complexity nor to limit you. The possibilities are actually endless. There are six suggested because of lack of space.

It would be most traditional to use the same pattern of fabric placement for each nine-patch, but I don't see why every 9-patch can't be different if you want it to be.


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Last revised April 3, 1996
Lena A. Davis (lena@mit.edu)