Thank you for all of your comments on my most recent project ~ the Nine Patch Checkerboard Quilt! A few readers have inquired about what the best way is to sew and press seams of the Nine Patch blocks so that all of the seams nest when sewing blocks together into a quilt top, and so here today a quick and easy tutorial.
I have made each nine-patch block with just two fabrics (a light fabric, and a dark/er fabric) and I have alternated the layout of the fabrics; one Nine Patch block has a dark center fabric and matching corner fabrics, and the next Nine Patch block has a light center fabric with matching corner fabrics, thereby creating a checkerboard look when the blocks are alternated.
I have strip pieced the Nine Patch Blocks - making two blocks at a time :: one light block and one dark block.
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| Click on images for larger view. |
STEP 1: Using a 1/4 inch seam sew fabric strips together into two strip sets as pictured, and press seams towards the dark fabric (as indicated by the arrows).
STEP 2: Cross-cut both strip sets at 2.5 inch intervals ~ cut 3 units from each strip set:
Here is what the wrong side looks like - seams are pressed toward the dark fabric:
STEP 3: Arrange the 6 units into two nine patch blocks - one dark Nine Patch block (left) and one light Nine Patch block (right):
STEP 4: Using a 1/4 inch seam sew units into two Nine Patch blocks:
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| Each Nine Patch Block measures 6.5 inches x 6.5 inches including seam allowances. Each individual finished square measures 2" x 2". |
Press seams as pictured:
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| Dark Nine Patch block (left) :: Seams are pressed away from the center. Light Nine Patch block (right) : : Seams are pressed towards the center. |
Alternating these two light and dark Nine Patch blocks in your quilt layout will create a checkerboard design and all of your seams will nest for easy sewing and seam matching.
And in case you would like to work with smaller/larger patchwork units:
1 inch finished squares : : cut 6 fabric strips (3 light/3 dark) 1.5 inches x 5 inches : : cross-cut the strip set at 1.5 inch intervals.
nine-patch block measures 3.5 inches x 3.5 inches (incl. seam allowances).
3 inch finished squares : : cut 6 fabric strips (3 light/3 dark) 3.5 inches x 11 inches : : cross-cut the strip set at 3.5 inch intervals.
nine-patch block measures 9.5 inches x 9.5 inches (incl seam allowances).
Any questions? Please feel free to ask by leaving a comment, and I will reply in the comments section.
Thank you for stopping by,
Rita
RELEVANT LINKS:
Red Pepper Quilts Tutorials
Nine Patch Checkerboard Quilt - in progress
Bloomsbury Gardens - Nine Patch Checkerboard Quilt 2013
