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