Faintly Artistic

I am currently making a Granny Square quilt to use up some of my 2" squares from the scrap bin. I scoured the internet for tutorials, but came up with (I think) a simpler way of making the block that any that I saw. I'm sure others have thought of this, but I did not see anything like it. If someone else has posted this anywhere before, my apologies... (Note: You can use any size square you'd like, I just happen to be using up 2". This is more of a guide than an actual pattern.)

The first method involves placing 1 square in the middle, 4 around it, 8 around that, then 12 white (or other "background" color) around that. Like this...[ATTACH=CONFIG]573571[/ATTACH]

Then, you proceed to turn that block into a square by cutting off the 12 outer background squares so that they are now triangles. Like this...[ATTACH=CONFIG]573572[/ATTACH]

Which leaves you with 12 small waste triangles (yuck) and all edges are now bias. Double Yuck!!

I got to doing the math (I'm weird like that), and figured out that 12 wasted triangles per block, at 80 blocks equals 6 wasted 2" squares x 80. That's 4 square inches x 6 x 80= 1,920 square inches. A yard of fabric (36x42) is roughly 1,512 square inches. So, my little lap quilt was gonna waste over a yard of background fabric! There had to be a better way!!

So, the "no-waste" tutorials have you making 12 setting triangles per block; not something I was looking forward to doing...

I had my fabric squares on the design board (nothing sewn yet)...
[ATTACH=CONFIG]573573[/ATTACH]
and looked at sewing everything in long, diagonal rows, but knew I would flub up somewhere and sew squares together wrong and end up ripping. Then, it occurred to me that I was looking at a bunch of 9 patches like this...[ATTACH=CONFIG]573574[/ATTACH]

So, I am treating the center 9 squares like a 9 patch, then when I have the final layout the way I want it, I will sew the 9 patch between them. That secondary 9P will have those white background squares and the side square from each color block that it will be touching. Then, sew the 9P's together, and the only setting triangles will be around the edges of the quilt as each block will be on point.

I am still making the initial blocks, but as I do each step, I will post the "how-to" pictures. Most of you will be able to take off from this point though.

This is a great scrap buster pattern, just like the initial granny square crocheted afghan which allows you to use up those tiny balls of leftover yarns. I am mostly keeping the same fabrics in each round, but occasionally I have only a couple of squares left of some of the fabrics, so that round will be all the same color, but not the same fabric. My self-imposed challenge with this quilt is to not try to "match" every color perfectly, but to allow myself to play and use some more daring color combos.