Netflix and Quilt: July 2021

Aunt Dinah - A nine patch

Nine Patch blocks based on a 3x3 grid are the most common families of blocks as our eyes are drawn to the focal point in the centre.

In the above block we have

-a whole square in the centre.

-a hourglass subunit made from four quarter square triangles in each of the four sides; In the example above three of the triangles are the background fabric which gives one lone triangle as the point, this gives the illusion that the centre of the block is constructed as a square within a square, if you did it that way the edges and corners would be very complicated to construct!

-the corner squares are the most complex we have a smaller square (quarter size finished of the centre unit) which has half square triangles added to two sides to make a bigger half square triangle shape, we then add another bigger half square triangle to make the final square corner piece. This subunit is sometimes called the "Cats Cradle"

Yep this one is not for a beginner but for when you have worked with half square triangles for a little while - however it does show that triangles (just like squares) can themselves be pieced which opens up even more ideas in the patchworking universe!

This Pinterest link shows a quilt layout with the block set onpoint for a completely different look.

For those who work better with a video to follow this one has a slightly different colour placement

More nine patch blocks

Antique tile - a nine patch block

Antique Tile is a nine patch block with no bias seams which makes it a good beginner block.

It is based on a 3x3 grid. The outside corner squares have been replaced with four patch subunits. The outside edge squares have been replaced by half rectangle units. The use of colour in the four patches where three of the four smaller squares are the same background colour is what makes the block appear more complicated than it really is!

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 😀

Start with a nine patch grid

For the outside corner squares divide in half horizontally and vertically to make them into four patches.

The divide the top and bottom edge squares in half horizontally and the left and right edge squares in half vertically to give the half rectangle units

And that's it - it never ceases to amaze me how different a block looks when all the colour is removed so you can just see the pieces for construction. If I put the two side by side you might at first glance not even know they were the same...

Click here to go to instructions to make your drafted block any size you like.

Onto the ones with instructions aleady done....