Monday, December 17, 2012

Disappearing 9-Patch Christmas Tablecloth Quilt


A friend and I each made one of these Christmas tablecloth quilts together.  To make this Disappearing 9-Patch Quilt, I cut nine different fabrics into 8" squares and made 9-patch blocks, with the dark green fabric in the center.  Then I cut each completed 9-patch block into four equal parts, by making a horizontal cut and then a vertical cut through the center of each block.  Next, I took the upper left quadrant and the lower right quadrant of each 9-patch and had them switch places.  Finally, I restitched each block to create the Disappearing 9-Patch block.

Here's how to make a tablecloth to fit your own table:  If you begin with 8" blocks, each Disappearing 9-Patch Quilt block will measure 22" square when finished.  (You lose 2" in seam allowances with 1/4" seams.)  Measure your table in both length and width and then add the amount of drop you want.  If you want a 6" drop, for example, you would add 12" to your length measurement and 12" to your width measurement.  I wanted my tablecloth to fit my table with all of its leaves, so my tablecloth is 3 blocks wide (66") by 6 blocks long (132").  Therefore, I made 18 Disappearing 9-Patch Quilt blocks.  (In the photo, my table does not have any leaves in it, so I've tucked part of the tablecloth under itself.)  
   
 
Close-up views of my Christmas tablecloth.


I backed my quilt with muslin.  Then, each Christmas, whoever is sharing Christmas dinner with us signs their name and the year on the back of the quilt in permanent black marker, creating a Christmas guest book!  The quilt tells a story of our Christmases through the years. 

Here's a recipe for some cookies that my mother always makes at Christmas.  I grew up with homemade cookies always in my home.

Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/4 cups flour
Sprinkles in Christmas colors or shapes

1.     Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2.     Mix shortening, sugar, vanilla, and eggs until light and fluffy.
3.     Sift together baking soda, salt, and flour and add to shortening mixture.  Mix thoroughly.
4.     Drop on ungreased cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with decorations.
5.     Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

18 comments:

  1. I love your idea of having your guests sign the back of the tablecloth. Disappearing 9 patch is one of my favorite patterns. Yours is beautiful.

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  2. Your Christmas tablecloth quilt is lovely. Great choice in fabrics. Love it! The signatures on the back are a great idea.

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  3. I absolutely love, love that fabrics!! what a treasure you have created - the signatures add just the right touch!!

    Blessings

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  4. Beautiful tablecloth Susan and I love the idea to have the guests sign it! And about that cookie recipe..got to try that one.
    Lisa in Georgia

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  5. Susan love your tablecloth .Would you mine tell how many 8in sq of each fabric you cut

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  6. I was wondering about that disappearing nine patch pattern that I see so often. I figured out it was something done by sewing and chopping. I love the idea of having signatures on the back. I could do that on family occasions with cloths I am already using.

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  7. Unknown, I've added further information to tell how to make a tablecloth to fit your own table.

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  8. I LOVE this tablecloth!!!!! And what a fabulous idea to have guests sign the back! Thank you for sharing this with us :) Merry Christmas!

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  9. I love D9P. The quilt is lovely, as is your new family Christmas tradition.

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  10. Absolutely LOVE the fabrics. That would make a gorgeous quilt, as well! Thanks for sharing with us!

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  11. What a beautiful tablecloth and what a neat idea to have people sign the back! Thanks for sharing.
    Freemotion by the River Linky Party Tuesday

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  12. What a novel idea - signing the back of the tablecloth! Love, love, love it!!!

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  13. I love these fabrics. I started a little Christmas d9p today myself!Really great project

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  14. Lovely and the cookies sound delicious. Even though my husband eats the store brand oatmeal cookies, I occasionally spoil him with homemade. Always looking for new ideas!

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  15. It looks so pretty.
    I really want to start making things for our own home over worrying so much about trying to make things in hopes of selling them.

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  16. Your tablecloth is absolutely beautiful...where did you find your fabric? So lovely.

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  17. Absolutely gorgeous! What fabric line is that? My daughter in law quilts too and she loves the toiles and line prints.

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  18. What do you use for your sprinkles to decorate

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