Steps to the altar - nine patch

Steps to the altar is a nine patch block that uses half square triangles and four patch units - although I have also seen variations that use mini nine patches in place of the four patch sub units. Like Jacob's Ladder and Underground Railroad it is a block that has a strong direction in appearance and makes different secondary designs when rotated before being set together with no sashing.

For those of you who want to make your own block and choose the size here is how to draft the block - the grid is the finished size of the subunits (i.e. minus the seam allowances).  If the idea of maths puts you off then skip to the bottom of the post for the links where someone has done the work for you 😀

To draft Steps To The Altar
Start with a 3 x 3 grid.

Replace three of the squares with four patch units in a diagonal line either from left to right or right to left (whichever you decide it must be consistent throughout the quilt).

Replace all the other squares with half square triangles.  If your four patch line goes from top left to bottom right then so should your half square triangle diagonal lines - if your four patches go from top right to bottom left then so should your half square triangles.

Click here for how to make your drafted quilt block any size

Chock-A-Block gives a page with instructions for making this block here

Fabric 406 shows another example here

American quilting and patchwork uses the nine patch subunit variation  here

All People Quilt has a variation with nine patches in place of the four patches here

Click here to go to the nine patch page

Prairie Queen/True Blue - nine patch block

Prairie Queen is a nine patch block using whole squares, half square triangles and nine patches.

It also has the alternative name of True Blue

In order to draft the Prairie Queen block start with a 3 x 3 grid.

Turn the corners into half square triangles (Shoo Fly block)

Add four patches to the side squares

Click here to go to page for how to resize your draft.

This video tutorial from Nancies Notions gives a 12 inch block

This video from Stacey Lee Creative also gives a 12 inch block with a slightly different colour variation

This video from my sewing room gives another colour variation and a 9 inch block

This version uses Accuquilt instead of standard cutting techniques

Click here to go to the instructions for the True Blue block from Chock-A-Block.

Click here to go to the nine patch block collection for this blog

Ohio Trail

The Ohio Trail is a nine patch block which uses a whole central square with four patch corners and quarter square triangles on the four sides. In this regard it is a more complicated version of the Ohio Star which does not have the four patches.

To draft the Ohio Trail block

Start with a 3 x 3 grid

Leave the centre square as it is.  In each of the four corners squares put a four patch.

In each of the side squares put a quarter square triangle.

Click here to go to page for how to resize your draft.

This You Tube video is an example of how to construct the block.

Click here to go to the nine patch collection on this blog

How to make your quilt block any size you like.

The secret to making your quilt block any size you like is drafting it to scale on graph paper or an appropriate computer drawing program with a grid.
Usually this will be the standard square paper unless you plan to do triangles or hexagons, but graph paper to print out to draw these is available on the internet too.
Once you have your square paper and have drawn your pattern you can then decide how big you want the finished size of your block to be.

Lets use a simple example of a shoo fly block

This is made from a 3x3 grid.  If I want my finished block to be 12 inches then each of the squares would be 4 inches - finished size.  That is to say that the drafted drawing does not have the seam allowances shown.  For each square on the gird we need to add 1/4 inch seam allowance on all sides.  For squares and rectangles that means that we calculate the length and height of each shape and add 1/2 inch to both measurements.  e.g in the above example we want 4 inch finished squares so we would cut 4 1/2 inch squares.  Triangles are a little trickier as they have to be cut larger to cope with the fact that the points reach out past the square.  To work out the size of the half square triangle in the above example take the size of the square you would need (4 1/2 inches) and add another 3/8 of an inch - regardless of the size of the half square triangle you need; so we would cut 4 7/8  inch squares and cut these in half diagonally to make the corner half square triangles.  If you are not that great with half square triangles then round to the nearest inch and square up the half square triangle units to the measurement desired once you have pieced them.
For more complex shapes it is generally a good idea to make a template of the shape to the size that you need and then add the 1/4 inch seam allowance on all sides, use this bigger template as the pattern piece for your measurements.

Weathervane - a nine patch

A more complex nine patch block it consists of subunits are squares in two sizes, half square triangles and  snowballed squares.

(See page on how to make your chosen quilt block any size you like.)

To draft the weathervane block start out with a nine patch grid

The central square remains as it is...

Divide the outside squares into rectangles- these will be guidelines only

Join the centre of the side squares to where this guideline meets the edge of the square on both sides.

The guide lines can then be removed.  

This shows four subunits that are made from one large square with the corners "snowballed" by two smaller squares.

The four corner squares are the most complex, first divide them into quarters.

Two of these smaller squares are then turned into half square triangles

This video shows how to make the basic block.

Chock-A-Block has instructions and a slightly different colouration here 

Click here to go to the nine patch collection on this blog

Friendship Star - a nine patch quilt

Friendship Stars have to be my favourite pattern as it was the first machine sewn patchwork quilt I made for me and my family.  It is a very simple (and so very old) block pattern which uses whole squares and half square triangles so would be one up from all squares and rectangles but has no matching seams within the block itself.  The central square can be a contrasting colour or you can go for a one colour look.

(See page on how to make your chosen quilt block any size you like.)

To draft the Friendship Star start with a nine patch grid.

Replace the four side squares with half square triangles

One thing to note - it is possible to have the half square triangles slope the other way and still make a Friendship Star - as shown below - bear this in mind when making a quilt; you wouldn't want the odd star to "shine" in the other direction by accident!

Variations - one named variation is the Eccentric Star.  The central square can also be replaced by a pieced square as can the four corner squares.

Quilt Genie version

For the classic Friendship Star there is this You Tube Video

This you tube video shows a variation where the corner squares are replaced with half square triangles giving a secondary pattern when pieced with no sashings.

Jenny Doan changed up the corner squares for four patches for this variation which is set with Friendship Star sashings as well

This page  from Quilt Therapy includes the Eccentric Star variation instructions as well as the standard Friendship star and gives a 12" block 

This colour variation uses a colour instead of background for the half square triangles - although it is appliqued on rather than patchwork

This variation uses quarter square triangles in the centre and half square triangles in the corners.  I suppose another variation of this would be to lose the corner HST's...

 

Click here for my Accuquilt version

Click here to go to the nine patch page

1941 nine patch

A nine patch star block which where side squares of the nine patch are replaced by flying geese and rectangles

(See page on how to make your chosen quilt block any size you like.)

Ok so how do you draft this out.  Start with the nine patch grid

Divide the side squares into rectangles.

Add flying geese instead of the outside rectangles.

Of course although this is shown at the top as a single colour star each of the units could be a different colour....

Click here to go to the Quilt Therapy page for the 1941 patch and suggested quilt layout.
As a variation the centre square seems ripe for changing to something pieced
e.g. a four patch

Click here to go to the nine patch page

Churn Dash/Monkey Wrench - a nine patch block

The churn dash is a traditional nine patch block.

(See page on how to make your chosen quilt block any size you like.)
To make the churn dash you take your 3x3 grid;

replace the four corner squares with half square triangles

At this point if we stopped it would be a shoo fly block but we go one step further.
Replace the side pieces with half square rectangles.

Traditionally the block is only two colours

Voila.

Here is a video from Jenny Doan for the Churn Dash quilt made from layer cake squares (10" squares), in the quilt shown on the wall the corner triangles are snowballed for a second variation.

This one is from the "pajama quilter"

This video from Jordan Fabrics uses fat quarters (instructions on how to download pattern included in description)

Quilters cache has a page using yardage to make a 12" block here
Chock-A-Block also has instructions here

Variations
The centre square can be replaced with another subunit such as a four patch, nine patch, or pieced block.
e.g with a rail fence in the centre

This video (again from Jenny Doan)  does a churn dash within a churn dash.

Chock-A-Block has instructions on how to make a 8 1/2"  (unfinished) block here

Missouri Star Quilts also did a "triple play" video with a further three variations

Click here to go to the nine patch page

Thrifty - a nine patch block with a four patch subunit.

This is a block that is a nine patch block in that it is based upon a 3x3 grid but with five of the squares replaced by four patch squares.  With no bias seams at all this is an ideal beginners block.  As the name suggests it is ideal to use small scraps for the four patch squares.  It is also a useful connector  or alternate block to use with other block designs.

Because the block is not symmetrical but has a definite direction different layouts and secondary designs can be created by placing the block edge to edge and rotating the blocks.

all blocks facing the same way - edge to edge

alternate blocks rotated through 90 degrees to form diamonds

alternate blocks rotated through 90 degrees to form

 chevrons

(See page on how to make your chosen quilt block any size you like.)

To draft Thrifty start with a 3 x 3 grid

Divide the centre square into quarters and the four corner squares into corners, leave the side squares as they are.

Easy right - bet you already had it worked out!

Click here for how to make your drafted quilt block any size

Click here for the Patchwork Square page


Click here to go to the nine patch page

Sunshine a four patch block

This is a four patch block in that it is constructed as four quadrants however it is easier to see the 8x8 grid sized blocks on the edge.  Making the central square from more triangles is easier than doing a square on point BUT it does give some long bias edges so not a beginners block.

Click here for how to make your drafted quilt block any size

Click here to go the page by patchwork square

Click here to go to the four patch collection on this blog

Year's Favourite - a four patch block

This block is a four patch block based upon a 2 x 2 grid.  The central square and corners use half square triangles.  The side rectangles can be made by "snowballing" one corner of the side rectangles or by using one whole square unit and one half square triangle unit as per the pdf  instructions linked to from this page.

Click here for how to make your drafted quilt block any size

Click here to go to Patchwork Square

Click here to got to the four patch collection on this blog

The humble four patch

The four patch can be a block in it's own right - or a subunit within another block.  It can be scrappy with each square it's own colour or a chequerboard.

At it's simplest it is just four squares sewn together to make a 2x2 grid.

This is an ideal way to use up scraps but not the most efficient way if you are making multiples for your quilt.
If you are making multiple blocks for your quilt strip piecing is the way to go.

So once you have constructed your four patch what other blocks can you use them in? Here are just a few...

Thrifty

Indian Star

Interlocking Chain


Connector Chain

Candlestick

Milky Way

Monkey Wrench

Irish Triple Chain

Road to California


Road to Oklahoma


Click here for how to make your drafted quilt block any size