If it's just the miter part that is getting you down but you like the look of the fabrics in that type of arrangement, you could switch to a Bright Hopes block. It makes a woven pattern when all put together.
It's a really easy block with partial seams. Here's how to make them.
http://quilting.about.com/od/piecing...tial_seams.htm You'd have to cut your rectangles down to 3x6, but the block would still finish out at 9x9 (don't know whether you were giving finished or unfinished measurements, sorry, so I just followed your lead).