"Earth Dance" is a ninepatch quilt created from Power Patches.

  A few years ago my friend, Alicia Hinton and I started a group called "Quilts for Kids".  We met once a month and made hundreds of 9-patch quilts to give to children in need.  We had literally truckloads of beautiful fabric donated to us, which was exciting!  The project motivated many to learn the basics of quilt making.  If you would like to get involved in a charity quilt group,click here

 ARRANGE NINEPATCH:  Find at least two different fabrics that you really like.  With your rotery cutter, cut nine 12" squares and lay them out in an arrangement that pleases you.

 SEW NINEPATCH TOGETHER:  Using 1/4th inch seam allowance, on your sewing machine, sew three squares together in a strip.  Then sew three more squares together into a strip; and then the other three.  Now press the seams of one strip so that they are facing one direction.  On the next strip, press the seams in the other direction.  On the remaining strip, press the seams in the other direction.

 With right sides together, sew the strips together to form the ninepatch. Iron seams in one direction.

 SEW BORDERS ON:  Using a 1/4th inch seam allowance, right sides together, sew a 3 inch strip onto one side of the ninepatch.  Then sew a 3 inch strip onto the opposite side.  Press the seams toward the outer edge.  Trim off the excess of the strips.

 Next, sew a 3 inch strip onto the top edge, and then to the bottom edge.  Press the seams toward the outer edge. Trim off excess.  Now you have completed the quilt top!!

 THREE LAYERS OF THE QUILT: BACKING, BATTING, QUILT TOP

Spread the 44"x44" backing fabric out on a flat surface.
Center and spread your 41"x41" batting over your backing.
Top it off with your 39"x39" ninepatch quilt top.

TYING YOUR QUILT:  Thread a long piece of crochet cotton into a curved needle.  Take a stitch at each intersection and in the middle of each square, pulling the thread all the way through except for about 2 inches.  Then, with your scissors cut off so that you have 2 two inch threads to tie.  Then tie a square knot.  Make sure that the stitch goes all the way through the three layers of the quilt.

 BINDING YOUR QUILT: On all four sides, fold the edge of the backing once, and then again to cover the edge of the quilt top, and pin through all three layers. 

 Then sew all the way around the edge.

 PRAYER OR DREAM POCKET:  Cut a small piece of fabric and press the edges under.  Machine hem one edge.  Then, with needle and thread, hand sew around the other three edges of the pocket onto the quilt back.