Exploring 4 in 9 - Why that name? Borg influence?
12-23-2019, 01:50 AM
#1
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Posts: 808
Exploring 4 in 9 - Why that name? Borg influence?
Before I start, let me just say, don't tell me none of you Trekkies had the same thought, lol. (Non-trekkies see the bottom.)
When I read MamaLinda's post Four in Nine Patch, ( Four in nine patch ) I wondered why it had that name. (I will also mention that it is a Barbara Douglas design.)
Anyway, I looked at the picture and still had no clue. Of course the experienced quilters amongst us will say that it is because the 4-patches are made into 9 patch blocks. But, of course, that is not what I noticed first. No, to me it seemed like it was because each 9 patch block had 4 colored squares! Or, wait, was it 4 white squares?
I attempted to test my theory I graphed it out, and marked the 9 patches:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]621206[/ATTACH]
This didn't help, because every block in the first column along the left side violated either rule.
So, I decided to graph it in just blocks of color or white, and fill in the missing pieces of the pattern in the corners and edges. I ended up with this:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]621207[/ATTACH]
And upon further investigation, I found that it is made of only 3 blocks!!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]621208[/ATTACH]
And!!! Each of them has four white blocks of the nine total. Super nerd win.
So, what did I learn from this exercise, besides how to waste time? You don't have to follow the rules through the entire quilt, you can make a Design Decision to alter it for whatever reason. And then you have this: (Picture used with permission of Mamalinda)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]621209[/ATTACH]
Also, that it is a pretty easy repeat that sort of reminds me of a crochet or knitting pattern, which opens the door to all sorts of possibilities.
Row 1: *1 4-patch, 2 plain, 2 4-patch* repeat to end of row.
Row 2: *2 4-patch, 2 plain, 3 4-patch* repeat to end of row.
Row 3: *1 plain, 3 4-patch, 2 plain, 2 4-patch, 1 plain* repeat to end of row.
A note to satisfy the actual knitters and crocheters: This pattern is really only correct if the row is a complete set of 2 or more repeats, while the pattern pictured is only 1 2/3rds repeats. But you get my drift. If we can write a quilt pattern as a knitting pattern, why couldn't we design a quilting pattern that is a fabric translation of a knitting pattern? Hmmmm. Interesting.
Interpretation for the Trek Challenged: In the TV series Star Trek Voyager, there is a character whose name is Seven of Nine, and she is a (former) Borg drone. The Borg went around "assimilating" anyone who crossed their path, and they were Very Scary. (You may have heard someone say, "You will be assimilated," or "Resistance is futile," which were often the last things people heard before they were, you know, assimilated.) More here in Wikipedia, if you are interested. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_of_Nine She was played by Jeri Ryan who was also one of Jethro Gibbs' ex-wives in NCIS, which I think was an absolutely hilarious bit of casting.
When I read MamaLinda's post Four in Nine Patch, ( Four in nine patch ) I wondered why it had that name. (I will also mention that it is a Barbara Douglas design.)
Anyway, I looked at the picture and still had no clue. Of course the experienced quilters amongst us will say that it is because the 4-patches are made into 9 patch blocks. But, of course, that is not what I noticed first. No, to me it seemed like it was because each 9 patch block had 4 colored squares! Or, wait, was it 4 white squares?
I attempted to test my theory I graphed it out, and marked the 9 patches:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]621206[/ATTACH]
This didn't help, because every block in the first column along the left side violated either rule.
So, I decided to graph it in just blocks of color or white, and fill in the missing pieces of the pattern in the corners and edges. I ended up with this:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]621207[/ATTACH]
And upon further investigation, I found that it is made of only 3 blocks!!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]621208[/ATTACH]
And!!! Each of them has four white blocks of the nine total. Super nerd win.
So, what did I learn from this exercise, besides how to waste time? You don't have to follow the rules through the entire quilt, you can make a Design Decision to alter it for whatever reason. And then you have this: (Picture used with permission of Mamalinda)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]621209[/ATTACH]
Also, that it is a pretty easy repeat that sort of reminds me of a crochet or knitting pattern, which opens the door to all sorts of possibilities.
Row 1: *1 4-patch, 2 plain, 2 4-patch* repeat to end of row.
Row 2: *2 4-patch, 2 plain, 3 4-patch* repeat to end of row.
Row 3: *1 plain, 3 4-patch, 2 plain, 2 4-patch, 1 plain* repeat to end of row.
A note to satisfy the actual knitters and crocheters: This pattern is really only correct if the row is a complete set of 2 or more repeats, while the pattern pictured is only 1 2/3rds repeats. But you get my drift. If we can write a quilt pattern as a knitting pattern, why couldn't we design a quilting pattern that is a fabric translation of a knitting pattern? Hmmmm. Interesting.
Interpretation for the Trek Challenged: In the TV series Star Trek Voyager, there is a character whose name is Seven of Nine, and she is a (former) Borg drone. The Borg went around "assimilating" anyone who crossed their path, and they were Very Scary. (You may have heard someone say, "You will be assimilated," or "Resistance is futile," which were often the last things people heard before they were, you know, assimilated.) More here in Wikipedia, if you are interested. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_of_Nine She was played by Jeri Ryan who was also one of Jethro Gibbs' ex-wives in NCIS, which I think was an absolutely hilarious bit of casting.
12-23-2019, 08:39 AM
#4
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Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Beiseker, Ab Canada
Posts: 494
This is awesome. The "knitting pattern" reference doesn't work for me because I struggle so much with knitting that I just don't bother (why work on something for 5 years and have it be all sized wrong, when you can sew something with knitted fabric and have someone wear it the next day?) but the process you went through to figure out the pattern is mind boggling for me at this point in my quilting career. I love the Star Trek reference though - got that one right away. 
The way you have "taken this apart" I can now see the 4 of 9 much clearer. Thank you
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