A nine-patch block is one of the most versatile and one of the most commonly used quilt block. It is, as its name tells you, a block which is made up of 9 equal-measuring fabric pieces. Different types of permutations and combinations possible with this block make it a very interesting patchwork block.
If you think that you have to sew all those small fabric pieces one by one to make this block, you cannot be more wrong. The quilting experts of yore have already found many means of making your quilting life easy and the nine-patch. one of the most popular blocks. has not been left out.
The method used in sewing this block is called strip pieceing – It is just a matter of cutting fabric strips and then joining them together in different ways to make this block.
How to make a 9-patch block
You need to cut strips from your light colors and dark colors for this. Cut out 3 strips of dark color strips and 3 strips of light color strips.
Dimensions of the fabric strips for the nine patch block – Cut out 1 1/2 inch strips for a 3 1/2-inch quilt block. Cut strips of 2 1/2 inches strips for 6 3/4 inch block
Join them in this sequence.
Light-Dark-Light
Sew with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
This is what you get.
Press the seam allowance open first and then press to the dark color side. You may also press from the front of the fabric with the seam allowance pressed to the dark side. Do this always. This will align your small fabric blocks correctly.
Dark-light-Dark
After the strips are joined, cut these into pieces – the measure should be equal to what you cut the strips into. If you cut the strips 1 1/2 inches, cut out 1 1/2 inch wide pieces from the joined sections.
Depending on how you are joining the nine-patch you will need to cut and arrange the fabric strips accordingly.
A slightly different arrangement of the fabric pieces will get you an altogether different looking block.
You can find a slightly different way of strip piecing the nine patch block in this youtube channel here
Related posts : Names of different quilt blocks ; How to sew a log cabin quilt block.
