Here's how I made a Wonky 9-Patch using bias tape to add another design feature and eliminate a few construction steps
Supplies:
9 coordinating fabrics for each set of 9 blocks
1/2 inch bias tape (make your own or purchase) in coordinating color(s)
Very lightweight fusible non-woven interfacing
1/4" fusible tape (like Lite Steam-a-Seam 2) or fabric glue
Cut the fabric:1. Stack the 9 fabrics and cut an 8 1/2 inch square from all of them (a nice sharp rotary blade makes this easy)
2. Cut 9 pieces of light-weight, fusible interfacing into squares of the same size
3. Cut the stack of fabric into 9 sections by angling your ruler across the width twice and across the length twice, changing the angle each time. OR, iron a freezer paper pattern on the top fabric and cut through it and all of the fabric layers if you want to match a particular pattern.
Lay out the blocks
4. Choose one piece from each of the 9 stacks. Lay them out in the correct position on the BUMPY side of the fusible interfacing. The edges should just touch. When you are finished, the entire piece of interfacing will be covered.
[I put the fusible on top of a finished block to make it easier to see placement in the photos]
5. Lightly press the pieces in place with a dry iron (you may want to switch some of the pieces later; this makes it easy to peel them off).
6. Repeat for the remaining 8 blocks. When you are happy with your fabric choices, press everything well using a bit of steam and a teflon pressing sheet if you have one.
Add bias tape
7. One seam at a time, press a piece of fusible tape over the center of the seam (or run a thin wiggly line of fabric glue). Position a piece of bias tape over the center of the seam. Use the same bias tape for all seams, or choose something different for each one. Keep going until all four seams are covered in a block.
8. You can edge-stitch the bias tape down as you add it, or do as I did and stitch the bias tape down when you quilt the completed top
Assemble the quilt top
9. Sew the blocks together as you would for any quilt (you will have 9 at this point), or go back to the beginning and make more, as I did.
10. OR, attach the blocks to each other using more bias tape. It helps to lay the blocks out on fusible batting at this point to keep everything in place when you add the fusible tape and bias.
11. OR, add sashes to the blocks and then sew them together. I added two, 2 1/2 inch sashes to each block in different locations to add to the “wonky” look of the quilt.
Quilt
12. After you assemble the quilt top and layer it with batting and backing, edge stitch the bias tape through all layers, if you didn't do it as you assembled each block and then add additional quilting appropriate for your fabric. Rather than edge stitching, use decorative stitches that are wide enough to keep the bias tape firmly in place.
