Our quilt block of the month for March wasn’t really a block….
It was all about using plain, old, square blocks in different patterns to create fun quilt tops. And today I want to show you how to make one of my favorite quilt blocks, the nine patch.
But….I’m going to show you the total cheater way that I make them…
A nine patch quilt block is exactly what they name implies that they are…one block made out of 9 smaller blocks. Simply 3 rows of 3 blocks. But instead of having to cut out 9 blocks for each block there is a faster way to put these together and I call it my cheater way.
There are so many fabric pre-cuts on the market today and for the most part I don’t use them…but then…I was given one of these rolls…that had strips of 2.5 inch wide fabric. At first I was like what am I going to do with this? But then I one afternoon when I was planning out another nine patch quilt I realized this pre-cut would be perfect!!!
So here is what I did I selected 3 strips of the fabric and sewed them right sides together down the entire length of the fabric.
And it’s a long way to sew! Each of the strips are 2.5 inches wide and then are 44 inches long. (So…if you want to make the strips yourself instead of buying a pre-cut roll just cut your strips 2.5 inches wide and then the length will be the width of your fabric from selvage edge to selvage edge.)
One you have three strips sewn together you need to cut the up! So cut up your long strips into 2.5 inch pieces like in the photograph above.
You will then repeat this process as many times as you would like so as to get a great variety of strips to mix and match into your 9 patches! (For the quilt shown in this post I did 10 different strip combinations.)
Once you have your all sewn together and then cut into 2.5 inch strips choose 3 different strips and sew them together!
When I sew mine together I sew them right sides together and pin them before I sew.
I have so much fun mixing and matching these strips and I think you will to.
Once your blocks are made, square them up and either sew them all together, put sashing in between them, or do what I did with this quilt an add solid white blocks in between them.
If you make your blocks the same way with the same measurements I made mine (and you use a quarter inch seam allowance) you will end up with blocks that are 6.5 inches by 6.5 inches…so if you want to add solid colored squares in between your nine patch blocks simply cut those at 6.5 inches as well.
It really is a fast way to make these blocks! And even though they are so simple to make I really do love how they look.
-liZ
This quilt is so cute! I swore off any quilts until I was a grandma (I sew baby items for my shop and have done one quilt–when I was in my early 20’s). However, I love the cute little jelly rolls and all the fabrics already working together. I am thinking I really need to start one of these! So easy! In all that free time…..
Simple is sometimes the best – love your quilt. Would also be cute if you had some small yardage of the fabrics in the jelly roll to use for the plain squares. Or if you like to applique, you could applique some cute shapes on the plain white squares. The possibilities are endless – love the 9 patch quilts. Thanks for sharing!
You totally need to start one!
In all that free time 🙂
-liZ
Applique on the plain squares would be so fun!!! Or some embroidery even!
-liZ
Use novelty prints for nine patch, then solid fabric for alternate block. Embroider on the solid block. Sometimes I copy the design in the fabric (enlarge it) then embroider it. Very cute baby quilt
If you were to number each square of the nine patch across
123
456
789
and made squares 2, 4, 6 and 8 out of the solid fabric, you would have a single Irish chain!
I just made one and it turned out really pretty!
Although I don’t notice the repetition in your quilt, I am going to make shorter strips to sew into the rows of 3. My quilt is smaller and I think I would notice. I have cut strips of about 10 inches.
And because I want slightly smaller squares,my strips are 2 1/4 in. So I will only have 4 strips the same over the quilt instead of 16.
How much fabric for a full size quilt?
Can i just ask – does the thread not come unstitched when you cut upwards across the three strips of fabric??
I love your quilts. However your site does not let me pin it to Pinterest or copy and paste to save on my computer. The only way I can save it for later is to print out the webpage, which is a total waste of paper.
1 jelly roll is about 2 3/4 yards
No it doesn’t. When you sew the next seam crossing that seam it locks it. I wondered what to when I got back to quilting and discovered quilting had Changed!!!!
Copy and paste the info you want an when you paste it, from computer, into word you priny only what you paste, ie if you want to remove pics after u paste you just backspace or highlight and cut out. On mobile you have optin to print only pages,you accept by check makrk the pages you want. Every phone is different, but copying and pasting can be done on phone if you have printer access through wifi again you just share with that printet prgam and selet what pages to print.
Anyone know size of quilt including border and binding
I’m making a 9 patch quilt 90.5×90.5 with nine different patterns how do I calculate how much material I deed to buy?