March 15, 2023

Playing with Nine Patch Blocks

Sometimes I like to take a traditional block and play around with it in EQ8 to see how I could use it in a more modern quilt design. Today I thought I'd share the results of my time playing with the super traditional nine patch block.

How to make a Nine Patch block


First, let's make a Nine Patch block. You'll need 9 squares that are all the same size, either all different or 5 of one colour and 4 of another. I used 2 ½" squares for mine. Arrange the 9 squares in a 3 x 3 layout as shown.
Nine patch quilt block tutorial | DevotedQuilter.com
Stitch the squares together into rows. The finished rows should measure 6 ½" x 2 ½". Press the seams open or press them towards the outside squares for rows 1 and 3 and towards the middle square for row 2. That will make it easy to nest the seams. I pressed my seams towards the blue squares.
Nine patch quilt block tutorial | DevotedQuilter.com
Now stitch the rows together to complete the 6 ½" square Nine Patch block. I pin at the intersections to help me get them to line up nicely. I usually press these seams open, but you can press them to one side if you prefer.
Nine patch quilt block tutorial | DevotedQuilter.com
That's it! It doesn't get much simpler than a Nine Patch block!

Nine Patch blocks in modern quilt designs


Now that we know how to make a Nine Patch block, how can we use it in a modern quilt design?

My first thought was to separate the blocks and give the quilt some negative space.
Playing with Nine Patch blocks - DevotedQuilter.com
I quite like it. It's still pretty traditional looking, but it makes for a fun scrappy quilt that would be really quick to put together.

Then I decided to try adding some tippy triangles around each Nine Patch block. 
Playing with Nine Patch blocks - DevotedQuilter.com
I really like that! I love that it gives the design a lot of movement, even though the Nine Patch blocks themselves and the finished blocks are all straight.

Then I decided to try combining blocks in different sizes, with the larger ones tipped, and the tipping alternates direction from row to row.
Playing with Nine Patch blocks - DevotedQuilter.com
That's definitely my favourite of the three designs! It feels playful and fun and now I can't wait to make it someday. This, my friends, is how my to-make list grows and grows, no matter how many quilts I make!

Do you have a favourite of the three designs? 

8 comments:

  1. Oh the last of the three designs is definitely my favorite as well; plus it has a lovely rich and bold background!

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  2. The last is definitely my favorite.
    But if the middle one used shades of a different color for the background of each one that might sway me in that direction.

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  3. The second pattern is my favorite, but I think I'd like black and white as my background.

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  4. Design #2 grabbed my attention right away!

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  5. I like the second. It has subtle movement.

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  6. I find that there is already so much chaos in the world and running around in my brain, that I don't want the blocks all haphazard. I need peace. So no tossed blocks for me. Thanks.

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  7. Well, I can’t decide (shocker) between the second and third. At first I really like the third for the reasons Yvonne said about the rich background, but then I do like the transparency and how your eyes go wiggly (grin) when you look at the second one. This is how we get hundreds of quilts in our EQ files right?!

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