I made the first blocks for this quilt at my usual January retreat in 2018--two years ago! At an invitation from Pam Buda to strip piece our blocks and then swap our duplicates to get more variety more quickly, how could I say no? Though I admit that I wondered at the time if I would ever actually get one made. Lo and behold, I even made this larger than the pattern called for. I never dreamed I would have that much patience!
In the pattern every block is an uneven 9-patch, but after I heard that Lynn Hopkins (who works at the shop where I was participating in the Circa 1880 club) was going to put some little baskets in his quilt, I couldn't let that idea go. After a bit of pondering I thought, "Why just baskets?" Hence the "rogue blocks" were born. I added 7 actual "rogue blocks," and then I included 8 of what I like to call "surprise centers"--a 1" block in the center of the uneven 9-patch.
Here they are on display--and if you are looking for perfectly matched corners and no cut off points, go somewhere else. I wasn't that concerned about those things. Feels more "Circa 1880" to me if things aren't quite so precise.
First up: Rogue blocks
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFacktfxzfmLfc3nDHBuUVFrEceC1MB6CHFhepNkFv9oKLyo3qYPl1PcGMRKpusEJiNQMmCVsuLuw6HDQpcVXzaz16i0ULC0g3rZUn1e6K9Ahh8jRZY91rP9SIFmhTIAb5upmUppAoZnZh/s200/IMG_3739.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZPaTDMgioo8BNBBou0HUV2cDNh7SGb8iYZnsLDFzqD9NkIhynCfcNxXncgDgA_NyomhgtGvDQhxfpZiZ50-HT2nFyeE2RiTkTepOAnBtQRCQ5jRlHTIcaqbQMQj_u0-Hnoza4Gq_EkPi/s200/IMG_3729.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSmBp3L8AgIqDBRu22JCbGuhAK1odDFGvhdNNGg9LGo-qT-io9dxWHmR4EpLHrrPsCjq5F_U8SGkDa-iD5wlLy2EF5gUlrFYSY5pBj9kB9LpnYfqG3yDktmXRY2Y9_6xxSbfrdaHGcM9e/s200/IMG_3732.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvd2xTBLf3bWwolsfUHvPMA0z6Meg1dWWkZdgw_6o48JtWvdoJsAhdZYb1e6eSJGZPfWHA6hxDcA1gcXZo-C06NXiBfZMecdBn54sRNn_kLAUo3CZ8gB2Bm_ffmX0OBXUH9N_nCwapFGK/s200/IMG_3740.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyv-ZzaFmeDn_9ddn_BJSuub-O33kMomB26I7txvzpmhpUC3wy1Wu26UWx-TAZndXUtlCzm3rdGImxjG1PitpjSzjfzbsvGZo453H_5uFE6r5huNs58NKS8jUWUv-NbjiySyhDhtG3yH7K/s200/IMG_3742.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSR9lG1QKmZog9Fx_Lar8qigG7DEq3-GKl3EGLYH30efgNfBPRKcn2kIeZtOpK7iMFg9Tpw7RCklT9MYCaCAj_mfrfXWGEoywlK1J-i_sHrUlg62cVEu4wnAGQZveguPSGR9CSt3cumihl/s200/IMG_3735.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZE-R2q98Q0ap6U_YhJY-nPBuWT49teOm-Z66ZPnflCLziJbez-Jyg6401Nr74hivj0jpci9CfFf4axQPyDcWepDNBVHPpZJng9W5I3iAkBYxmjMW_ENDGPs-Vg-6IWNcFnyYMu7HqHf6z/s200/IMG_3737.jpg)
Blogger won't let me position photos like I normally do, so these look pretty random.
Next up: Surprise Centers
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanOxncOeacsZCzU6Gcu5_myNp8Q2lz0Vcd0Y-J8akDwpg8sPRCbXyogBMsu6UqrWwdZ9k-goB44d50Esz19QcamLedmlb_bnTKm2Nb9dw-DjyhvIPYGJqpmmi4JCHhVCj4CJDHmrR4dnt/s200/IMG_3730.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW47ZVX8WSN1iZdDKr4mBXFBXLSlanL6iMxG4KIzGagr0ogaSBqU8J2Pjf8Qy3-2llq64IOGtk_jQCLT7uX-hB29yOU64_btJujTIcTlEhDJZ3mgFS3o-PGZ-PadN62BsMlSinpcJWgTbI/s200/IMG_3741.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBL7tZwHlbiirQIxWmVWEyOjpNnYjQI80icTOtFXfO5T2VyS-HjyJptL4Kz5BVQ5mrSfZ4Anpn1pRCM-TR_c3jDxHr5_4AB8GnpICBPgme0kKQueyzwLhSVs8TUB5CtyQGP3bAY41XMrN/s200/IMG_3736.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Fc4khV6FF-stp9fP1iFmgokkr0J5IlAakIf3RdOjDBZQVc6Q_hHxMODyEy6e6Ek121nrg1sdLcQhkoeYsnwtbE87aO1nUP5lNDucbtpJlosz_tqdjc8V70dTxCk3W6sCK7-mDcicE1eW/s200/IMG_3733.jpg)
This has been the mainstay on my design wall for 2 years, and I am thrilled that I had the opportunity to swap with Pam and a few friends. Now I need to decide what will live here for the next two years. :)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTMM27Hd-62nuYkLy5xkpraV7sgusStB9pXBEL4G_65LmgI76KVvLx4edMFpOPzu6CWzaWOi9RZJAz6WrR-pm_AZlSHO2YqzMYbZwADe36JfBNlEiUrbApMYR_j-3m-VZJVEtwlnpHGoc/s640/IMG_3728.jpg)
I didn't think I would get to go to my winter retreat this year, but within the last few days the persistence of family and friends has come together and the way opened up--how could I say no? I know Mom is in good hands, and it is only 30 minutes from home, if there should be a need. I am on my way today and SO looking forward to it.
Until next time,
Janet O.