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Backing your 9 Patch Sampler with a Disappearing 9 Patch

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Today I am going to show you an option for backing your 9 patch Sampler.

You can purchase special backing fabric which is wide enough to cover the back of your quilt but you often find that you cant find anything suitable.  Eventhough I had purchased some backing fabric, I decided it might be fun to show you a pieced back.

I decided that I would make one more 9 patch block using plain black and white.  I cut 5 x black 21″ squares and 4 x white 21″ squares.  They were a bit too large to photograph in total.

I plan to use this 9 patch to create a Disappearing 9 Patch Block.

The Disappearing 9 Patch Block is a very popular block as it is simple in construction but looks interesting and varied.

Normally you would make a Disappearing 9 patch block by making your 9 patch. You would then cut it vertically and horizontally through the centre like this:

Now because my black and white squares are so large, I’m going to cut them up before I make my 9 patch.  My tapes show where I will be cutting:

So I now have 4 x  black 21′ squares,  1 x black square cut into 4 x 10.5″ squares and 4 x white squares cut in half.

I will now sew each quarter by joining the small black square to a white and the large black square to the other white and then join them to form our quarter block.  I will repeat that to complete all four quarters.

I now turn the quarters to choose a layout.  Here they are all facing the same way:

and here the opposite large black squares are tuned towards the centre or corners. I will now join the 4 in this layout to complete the block and hence the backing.

My completed Disappearing 9 Patch Block all ready for a good press.

I am really pleased with my Disappearing 9 patch – I think it will make a great backing for my 9 patch sampler!

Until next time

Nanny xx

All tutorials for the Quiltalong can be found here.

Make an Ohio Star Quilt Block from Charm Squares

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Today we will be making Block number 15 in our 9 Patch Sampler, the Ohio Star.

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

LIGHT:  5 x 5″ squares

DARK:  3 x 5″ squares

OTHER:  1 x 5″ square

LET’S SEW!

  1.  Take a DARK and an OTHER and make into HSTs using our narrow 1/8″ seam again
  2.  Take a LIGHT and a DARK and make HSTs using our narrow 1/8′ seam again

3.  Rule a diagonal across the LIGHT/DARK squares

4.  Place the LIGHT/DARK squares on top of the DARK/OTHER squares with the seams on top of each other.

5.  Put a pin  through where the line meets the seam and then turn it over so you can see that the pin comes through at the same point on the other square

6. Pin along the seam line – the pin will lie across the line you have drawn

7.  Stitch either side of the line using our narrow 1/8″ seam and cut on the line (as you do when making HSTs) and you will have Hourglass squares

with perfect joins


6. Trim your Hourglass squares by:

Placing the 2.25″ mark on your rule on the point where all seams intersect

where the unpicker is pointing

8.  Trim the top and side .

9.  Now turn the square and repeat using the 4.5″ line along the side and bottom and the 2.25″ mark on the centre point again. Trim the other two sides.

10.  Organise your squares

11. Sew your 9 Patch and press.  Admire your Ohio Star.

Great job!  You are a STAR!

We now have one more block to go – can you guess what it will be?

Until next time

Nanny xx

All links to the Blocks can be found here.

 

Make a Card Trick Quilt Block from Charm Squares

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Today we are going to make a Card Trick quilt block from charm squares.

 

 

NANNYNOTE:  If you are following along with me using Charm Squares be warned – today we are going to break the rules!  Ooh – ahh!  So read the instructions carefully.   WE ARE GOING TO BREAK THE 1/4″ RULE – we are going to do our seams only 1/8″

If you are not using Charm Squares you might like to cut 5.5″ squares and be a ‘goodie two shoes’.

WHAT YOU NEED:

LIGHT:  4 x 5″ squares  (Spot)

DARK:  5 x 5″ squares  (zebra)

OTHER:  5 x 5″ squares (black)

 

LET’S SEW!

  1.  Take a LIGHT / OTHER  and a LIGHT / DARK and make HSTs using a 1/8″ seam.  Place to the side till later.

2.  Repeat step 1  – DONT TRIM

 

We will now add an OTHER to each of the LIGHT/DARK  HSTs from 2

3.  Fold the OTHER along the diagonal (I have stitched mine so you can see)

4.  Place the OTHER RST (Right Side Together) with the LIGHT/DARK making sure that the diagonals make an X

5.  Stitch either side of the diagonal using our narrow seam

6.  Cut and press.

7.    We will now repeat that process adding a DARK square to each of the LIGHT/OTHER HSTs

8.  Sew, cut and press

9.  Take the remaining DARK and OTHER Squares and make HSTs using our narrow seam – DONT TRIM

10. Turn these RST so that the OTHER covers the DARK with the diagonals on top of each other

11.  Place a pin Through the seam of the top square and check that it is going through the seam underneath as well.

 

and bring it back through the seam – the pin will lie along the seam.

 

12.  Sew narrow seams either side of the diagonal, cut and press.

13.  Admire your perfect Hourglass squares!

 

14.  Time to trim!

  • Trim the HSTs from 1 to 4.5″
  • Trim the squares from 5 and 6 to 4.5″ just like when we trim HSTs.  Just make sure that the 2.25″ mark is sitting on the join,

 

 

 

  • Trim the hourglass  by

Placing the 45 degree line on your rule (mine is taped) along the seam until the 2.25″ mark is on the centre – trim the right hand side and top

Turn and place the 4.5″ marks along the left hand side and along the bottom. Check the position of the 45 degree line and check the 2.25″ mark is centred.  Trim the right hand side and top.

14.  Organise your squares – if you have a directional fabric like my DARK (zebra) make sure you choose the right combination.  You will have spare squares but dont panic, just put them aside and continue.

 

15.  Sew your 9 patch.  Now that is some Card Trick!!

 

I hope you enjoyed making the Card Trick block.  Of course it can be made using different fabrics for the four cards –

this is one I made for my friend Ineke as part of a Block Swap.

 

I can’t wait to see how they look using your fabric choices!

Until next time

Nanny xx

 

 

 

 

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Make a Double 9 Patch from Charm Squares

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Today we are going to take a break from Half Square Triangles as we make a Double 9 Patch block from charm squares.

WHAT YOU NEED:

LIGHT: 4 x 5″ squares

DARK:  6 x 5″ squares  (my DARK is the check)

OTHER: 7 x 5″ squares  (my OTHER is Black)

NANNY NOTE:  As you can see there will be some wastage (opportunities)using charm squares.  If you would prefer to cut strips I will add details for you at the end of this tutorial..

LET’S SEW:

  1.  Take each of the DARK and OTHER squares and cut  strips (1 and 7/8)” wide.  You will have two at that width and a smaller strip left over that you will be able to use in another project.

2.  Join  strips DARK, OTHER, DARK  – do this 3 times.  You will see that they now will be 4.5″ wide

3.   Join strips OTHER, DARK, OTHER – do this 5 times

4.  Now turn so the strips are horizontal and cross cut each strip into (1 and 7/8)” strips (as in step 1)

5.  You will need  5 of the DARK, OTHER, DARK strips and 10 of the OTHER, DARK, OTHER strips

6.  We are now going to join the strips to make small 9 patch blocks

7.  Trim all blocks to 4.5″ and press.

8.  Organise your squares


9.  Sew your 9 patch and press.

NANNY NOTE:  If you prefer to cut strips you will need to:

  1. Cut strips:

DARK: 2 strips 10″ x (1 and 7/8)” and 1 strip 20″ x (1 and 7/8)”

OTHER: 1 strip 10″ x (1 and 7/8)”  and 2 strips 20″ x (1 and 7/8)”

2.  Sew the  10″strips  DARK, OTHER, DARK and the 20″ strips OTHER, DARK, OTHER

 

Now continue from Number 4 above.

That is our Double 9 Patch block all done!

 

I decided to use my Eiffel Towers again – I look forward to seeing your choices!

Until next time

Nanny xx

NANNY NOTE:  All previous block tutorials for the 9 Patch Sampler can be found at the end of the first tutorial.

 

Make a Birds in the Air Quilt Block from Charm Squares

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Today we are going to make a Birds in the Air quilt block using charm squares.  As with any of the blocks, you may choose to use a different combination of LIGHT, DARK and OTHER – there is no right or wrong!

 

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

DARK :  5 x 5″ squares

LIGHT:  4 x 5″ squares

OTHER:  2 x 5″ squares

LET’S SEW!

  1.   Make 2 DARK and 2 LIGHT into  HST’s
  2.   Repeat using 2 LIGHT and 2 OTHER
  3.  Take one of each of these and put aside (you will not need them here)
  4.   Trim the HST’s and the remaining  DARK squares to 4.5″
  5.  Organise your squares:

6.  Sew your 9 patch and press

NANNY NOTE:  You will have 1/4″ seams on the outer edges of your triangles.  A photo mishap meant that this was taken after it was added to the quilt top, hence it appears to finish at the points.

I really like this one!  Of course you can see that if you were using it in a quilt you could save a lot of work by cutting the large triangle formed by the DARK in this case as a single triangle.

Until next time

Nanny xx

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