#6 Extreme Sudoku

#6: Extreme Sudoku

Finished: 2/11/12

Techniques: Nine Patch, narrow sashing, stitch in the ditch

Size: 10 1/2" x 10 1/2"

Description: A very simple design. The fun was in the design process.  A Sudoku puzzle is nothing more than nine different nine-patch units put together. If you assign a different color to each number one through nine, you can put the squares together in the same way that a Sudoku puzzle is formed. So first, I had to solve a Sudoku puzzle. I chose an "Extreme Sudoku" puzzle in the Feb 2012 issue of Dell Logic Lover's Logic Problems. I like the extreme ones because not only does every row, column, and nine-box square contain the numbers one through nine, but each long diagonal does as well. The puzzle I worked from is shown here.

I thought about choosing prints to represent the different numbers, but I decided to go with a variety of mottled fabric. They read as solid colors, and I like the effect. I then had to assign colors to the numbers, but my choice wasn't random. I started with the center nine-patch, and made sure that my color choices there displayed the most amount of contrast between light and dark colors. Then, following the puzzle, I had my assignment of colors to numbers. Piecing the mini-quilt was pretty easy with chain stitching. Once the nine-patches were pieced, I placed narrow pieces of black mottled fabric as sashing between them to represent the thick lines in the puzzle.

Overall, I was pleased with the alignment of the squares. Many of the corners were perfectly aligned! But sadly not in every case. Ah well. Good enough. I look at this small quilt and think how spectacular it would look as a big bed-sized quilt. But with 1" finished squares, it would take a long time to finish one that size.