Welcome to our Neighborhood Quilt Club! Don't worry about how much experience you've had quilting. We're happy to hold your hand while you learn. Feel free to post questions in the comments below the posts. Also feel free to send us a photo of your block for us to post! We would all love to be inspired by your color choices!
New to Quilting?
If you are brand new to quilting and don't know where to begin, start with the posts in September 2011 (look in the blog archive). The first four posts cover basics such as choosing equipment, choosing colors, how to sew 1/4" seams, how to use a rotary cutter, and how to press (not iron) your block during construction.
It is a square that is made up of two right-triangles.
There are a many ways to make half-square triangles. I'll show you two.
Method 1
Step 1: Cut two squares of fabric the same size. Mine are 5" square because the next block we are making is a Shoo-fly block and that is the size we will need.
Step 2: Draw a line (I used a pencil) from one corner to the opposite corner on the lightest colored square.
Step 3: Stack the two squares, right sides together. I usually pin them together so they don't shift while I am sewing.
Step 4: Sew 1/4" on either side of the drawn line.
Step 5: Cut along the drawn line.
Step 6: Press open (usually press towards the darker fabric) and you will have two half-square triangles.
Here's a video:
Method 2
Step 1: Cut two squares of the same size. These are 7" square because the Shoo-fly block we are making next needs four 4 1/2" half-square triangles.
Step 2: Pin in a few places (I used 4 pins) to keep the blocks from shifting while you are sewing. Sew 1/4" from the edge of the block all the way around.
Step 3: Cut through the center of the block from corner to corner.
This is what the block looks like after the first cut.
Don't separate your triangles like I did for the photo!
I just wanted you to see where the cut was.
Keep the two halves together and rotate your ruler to cut the second diagonal.
Step 4: Cut the other diagonal. Again, I pulled them apart so you could see the second cut.
Step 5: Press the triangles open. The cut edge is a bias edge so be careful to PRESS instead of IRON or you will distort your block. Press towards the dark side.
Step 6: Trim your block to 4 1/2" making sure that the diagonal line of your block lines up with the diagonal line on your ruler.
(4) Half-square triangles ready to sew into your Shoo-fly block!
Here's a video for Method 2:
Printable directions! Click on the image to view full size and print from your browser window.
Printable directions! Click on the image to view full size and print from your browser window.
All cut out and finished in one evening! A few others got their blocks cut out and went home to sew them because they are so used to their sewing machines that they thought that was easiest.
What a fun evening!
If you have a photo of a Disappearing Nine Patch that you want to show and tell about, please let me know and I would love to post it on the blog. We would all love to see how yours turned out!
New Photo:
Tonya's blocks! Can you 'see' what the original Nine Patch looked like?
This is the block we will be sewing on October 6 at Kaye's house.
These directions have lots and lots of baby steps because I'm writing them so that either Crystal (who hasn't sewn much since elementary school) or my 11 year old niece (who has only sewn two pillowcases) can read the directions and follow the pictures without too many questions.
Here's the pattern we are using. You should be able to click on it and bring it up full size, then print from your browser window.
Ruth's 12" Disappearing Nine Patch
If you look very closely at the photos of the block I am sewing, you'll see that I re-sized my block to 9" finished size. (Finished size means that is the size of the block after it is completely sewn into the quilt.) Crystal's quilt is using 9" blocks, so that's why the different size. All the measurements in the directions will be for Ruth's 12" Disappearing Nine Patch (with the 9" size in parenthesis).
Choose 2 colors and 1 background color OR 3 colors. (If you need help choosing colors, look at this post, Choosing Colors.)
It's nice to get a good idea of what your block will look like before you cut it out and sew it together so print out and color in the worksheet below.
You should be able to click on the picture above and you will see it full size. Print it, color it, and cut it apart so that you have a paper quilt block to play with.
Photo 1: Here are my worksheets colored in and cut apart along the dotted lines (through the center of the block) so that I have four corner units. I made two color designs (Design A and Design B) so I could play with the paper blocks and see which pattern I liked best without having to cut and sew fabric yet.
Photo 2: The blocks are in the same order as they were in the Photo 1. In each example I rotated the top left and bottom right corner units 180˚. Look for the darkest blue square to see where it moved from Photo 1 to Photo 2.
Photo 3: These blocks are also in the same order as Photo 1, but I rotated each corner unit 90˚ (1/4 turn). The pattern is much different than in Photo 2. Again, if you follow the small, dark blue square from Photo 1 to Photo 3 you can see where it 'travelled'.
I decided on Design A on the left in Photo 1 and will cut and sew so that the final block will be Design A Layout 2 in Photo 2. Cut four A (corner) squares 4 3/4" (3 3/4") Cut four B (center side) squares 4 3/4" (3 3/4")
Cut one C (center) square 4 3/4" (3 3/4")
Place your fabric squares in the pattern to match the worksheet (mine matches the worksheet on the left in Photo 1) If you have an old flannel board, it makes a great board to carry your block between the cutting table and the sewing machine.
Lay the center squares right-sides together with the squares on the left of the center squares.
Pin at the top and bottom of each square so that when you sew your corners will match up properly.
Sew starting with the top two blocks. Don't clip the threads between the sub-units you are making. This is called 'chain sewing'. Chain sewing saves time and also locks the threads between sub-units so you never have loose threads getting in the way. It also helps to keep your pieces in order so you have less chance of sewing the a sub-unit into the finished block in the wrong direction or the wrong order (yeah... I've done that!)
This photo shows the bottom sub-unit ready to start sewing. You can see the thread starts on the 'hairy' at the top and isn't clipped between the blocks
Put the row of blocks on the right, right sides together with the blocks that were originally in the center.
Pin at the top and bottom of each block, just as you did with the first set of blocks.
Chain sew the three blocks onto the first three sub-units.
Yay! Three sub-units sewn!
Press so that the seams lie in opposite directions (see next photo).
I've chosen to press the seams to the blue fabric. That means that whole seam allowance is pressed to one side.
When sewing clothing we often press a seam open. In quilting we almost always press the seam to one side. It provides strength and stability in your finished block and quilt as well as letting you 'lock' seams when sewing sub-units together. (There's a video at the end of this post showing how to press a seam so it will nest.)
Here's a closer photo of the seams being pressed towards the blue fabric.
Lay the left sub-unit strip over the center sub-unit strip and fit the seams together. First pin where the seams are matched (nested) together, then pin at the top and bottom of the strip.
With the seams all pressed towards the blue, the seams 'nest' together.
Lay the other side over the top of the center and match (nest) the seams together. Pin just as you did for the first strip.
Right now it is more important to nest the seams than to line up the top and bottom edges of the block.
Sew down both sides.
Finished (almost) and pressed. This is a basic Nine-Patch block. It should look just like the worksheet you started with.
Although I cut my block into four sections (just like you did with the worksheet) I don't measure from the edge.
Instead I measure the size of the center block, divide that number by 2, and then measure from the seamed edge of the center block by the answer. (The center square on my 12-inch block was 4 1/4-inches, so I cut 2 1/8-inches from the seamed edge of my center block. On the 9-inch block I cut 1 5/8-inches from the seamed edge of the center block).
Line up your ruler so that the measurement line on the ruler is the same all the way through the block. (Click on the photo to enlarge, then you can see the measurement line on the ruler lined up along the seam line in the block).
Cut along the ruler.
The photo shows the second cut ready to be made, the first one is already done.
Spread your corner units apart. Then rotate them just like you did with your worksheet.
I rotated the top left and bottom right blocks 180˚ (check out Photo 2 at the beginning of the post).
Fold the two sub-units on the right over the sub-units on the left and pin the edges that will become the center of the block.
My seam allowance is towards the presser foot, which often makes it hard to sew flat, so I use my chenille needle (or you can use an awl or bamboo skewer) to hold the seam allowance down until it gets under the presser foot.
After chain sewing each sub-unit together lay them out on your ironing board (or flannel board) in opposite directions. Press the seams flat before you open the block. Pressing the block before you open it sticks the seam to the ironing board so that when you open the block your seam naturally stays down.
Open your sub-units and press. The seams should be going opposite directions so that you can lock them together and get a perfect center seam.
Put the two strips right side together and sew the center seam.
Squaring up your block: Your block should measure close to 13" (10"). Your finished block needs to be 12" (9") after it is sewn into the quilt and 12 1/2" (9 1/2") before you sew it into your quilt.
It is easiest to use a 12 1/2" (9 1/2") square ruler to trim your blocks edges.
Center the ruler over your block lining up the center seams with one of the lines that goes through the ruler. (Good excuse to buy another ruler!!)
Use your rotary cutter to trim around the edges.
This photo shows how the ruler lines line up with the block seams below it.
Trimmed and ready to go into a quilt! Your block should measure 12 1/2" (9 1/2")
Here's a video explaining how to square up a block. Your blocks will be 12 1/2", not 12" as she shows in the video, but she does a great job in the tutorial.
It is as important to have an exact 1/4" seam as it is to cut your fabric accurately.
It may seem like a waste of time to check your machine and make sure that you can sew an accurate 1/4" seam (or scant 1/4" seam depending on your thread, fabric, and sewing machine) but it is well worth the time it takes to have your block turn out as close to the finished measurement as possible. Not only will your block look nicer when it is finished, it will be the right size and your quilt will go together much more easily.
Here are a few videos showing how to get a perfect 1/4" seam.
Here's a video explaining chain sewing blocks as well as pressing (versus ironing) blocks:
Choosing colors is really hard! And I am not an expert!
When I first started quilting I picked one fabric that I loved (I call that my main fabric, feature fabric, or theme fabric), and then choose a background fabric as the 'canvas'. I brought my my main fabric with me to the fabric store so I could pick other fabrics that use either the same color(s) or coordinate with that fabric. I always used the background fabric in each block, and I often used the main fabric in each block.
Now I often have a background fabric or a background color, and then work with color families.
In each block you need a light (or background) fabric, a medium fabric, and dark fabric to provide contrast in your block and your quilt. You can often use the same color with different hues (light, medium and dark) or you can use a color family to represent the light, medium, and dark.
Yes, I know, very confusing! And I am NOT an expert! Feel free to post a comment if you have any suggestions.
It is easiest to pick one fabric that you love and a background fabric. Then pick two other fabrics that you think look nice next to your main fabric.
Crystal's quilt is going to be blue and white, so I gathered up all the blue scraps of fabric that I have. We are using a background of Kona 98 (slightly off white) and lots of blue scraps of fabrics.
Clockwise from left to right: dark blues, medium blues, light blues, white (background fabric which will be used in all the blocks)
In the photo above you can see that I have lots of dark blues. We'll have to add more medium and light blues to our stash as we go along. We can take her favorite dark, medium, and light to the store with us and find other blues that look good with the ones that she already has picked out.
Leftover scraps from Tim's quilt. Clockwise from top left: black (background used in all the blocks), red, orange, yellows, purples, and blues. The red, blue, and purple were often the dark fabric in the block, the orange and yellows were the mediums and/or lights. There was also a teal that I ran out of that worked well as a medium or light fabric.
Easy color choices would be red, white and blue. The white-ish on the left is the light (or background) color, the red provides the medium, and the blue provides the dark. Christmas is another easy color combination: white (background) green as the dark, and red as the medium.
This line of fabric was created so that they all match. Not much value difference in these, the top left is definitely a dark color, but much of the rest is medium color values.
Clockwise from the left: all different off-whites for the background colors (they are all very similar in color but all have a bit of printed pattern to provide visual texture), yellow provides a good medium tone, brown, green and red (depending on what color it is combined with in the block the red can either be a medium or a dark)
The blue provides the dark value, the yellow is a medium tone, and the white is the light. In this block the yellow is used as the background fabric and the white is the light.
In this block the white is the background, the green is the dark fabric, and the yellow is the light .
In these blocks the basket part of the block is dark and the flower part of the block is medium or light.
The block on the left has a definite dark, medium, and light as well as the background color white. The block on the right is all mediums as well as the background color white. The block on the left is much nicer to look at because the pattern is very clear and visually pleasing, while the block on the right just doesn't look quite as nice.
If it seems confusing, that's normal! Make it easy on yourself and realize that not every block is going to turn out perfectly, not every quilt is going to be perfect, and you are going to learn alot along the quilting journey. Quilters almost always learn something new with each quilt they make. I know I do!
If you don't want to 'mess up' or 'waste fabric' then take a deep breath and realize that there are no mistakes--only unwanted results. If you learned something from the block you just made then it was a success and worth the time spent.
Here's something to make you feel better: I just tossed one completed block into the garbage because I measured wrong and it turned out too small!
