Nine Patch Quilt | susies-scraps.com

Making Nine Patches

Hello Dear Friends, and Readers and warm welcome to today’s post. I would like to share with you today one of the blocks which makes patch working so enjoyable. I believe one of these things is making simple blocks like nine patches, which is what I am sharing with you today.

Making Nine Patches is very simple and quite rewarding. The process is quite meditative. Especially when using my treadle. Singer 201K Treadle C1947Today I am using solids in navy and white which really highlights the contrast that the nine patches can achieve. Revealing that a simple block can become part of the dynamic of an overall quilt top pattern.

These little nine patches can be used in so many different ways on their own or as part of an overall pattern with other blocks. A good example being nine patch and snowballs which has been an popular pattern over the decades. Charmed Nine Patch and Snowball Recipe

This becomes a good opportunity to test out your seam allowance skills. Ensuring that they are accurate gives a good result. I always like to do my blocks, where possible, using a scaffolding method, whereby the pieces of the block are hinged together by the threads which helps to create sharp nesting of the pieces within the block.

Let’s get to it.

Block size block size 5” x 5”

Seam allowance 1/4”

Requirements for Making a Nine Patch

For each nine patch requirements are;

Five of 2” x 2” navy squares

Four of 2” x 2” white squares

Plan on making two at a time to enable chain piecing.

Making the Nine Patches

Lay out the pieces so that the navy squares are in each corner and one in the centre, and the white squares are in between to make the nine patch.

Begin with a navy square covered with a white square. Sew using a quarter inch seam. Do not disconnect, now follow with a white square covering a navy a navy square, again do not disconnect. Now cover a navy square with a white square and sew down using the quarter inch seam allowance. Do not disconnect. Continue by making a second set in the same manner so that you can chain piece the blocks.

Disconnect the first set of three sets of squares, open them up and now add from the top a navy square to the upper right corner a white square to the blue centre and a navy square to the bottom right corner.

Continue with your second set chain piecing the second block in the same manner. Now you can disconnect the first set and sew down the two centre seems ensuring that it seams are nicely nested with the seam allowance facing to the dark side of the fabric.

these nine patches can be used on their own to make a top or they can be incorporated as I will be doing as these are going to form the cornerstones of my current machine piecing project