Split Nine-Patch Tutorial

The ‘Split Nine-Patch’ or ‘Disappearing Nine-Patch’ is a fairly recent design that is doing the rounds of quilting circles. It has been duplicated by many and seems to be evolving all the time.  I have written instructions to make it my way (which is usually the quickest, easiest way!)

You need nine different fabrics for the nine-patches in 6 ½” strips. Two strips of each fabric, one the WOF and one half the WOF. There should be one fabric that stands alone, like a zinger or a darker fabric. You should use this as the centre square.

Then there should be four light and four dark co-ordinating fabrics.

The darker fabrics are your corner squares and the light fabrics are the central side squares.

70 cm fabric for the thin border and the binding

90 cm fabric for the final border

Sewing Instructions

Take the nine fabrics that are already cut in 6 ½” strips and decide how they should be laid out in the nine-patch.

NOTE: All the nine-patches should be made exactly the same.

 
Sew the fabric A, 6 ½” strip (the WOF) to the fabric B, 6½” strip (the WOF) legthways. Then sew the fabric C, 6 ½” strip (the WOF) to the other long side of the fabric B, 6 ½” strip (the WOF).

Repeat with fabric D, E and F, 6 ½” strips and the fabric G, H and I,  6 ½” strips.

Press the seams away from the lightest fabrics.

Trim the selvedges from the edge from which you will be cutting. Recut the three long strips into 6 ½” strips - now called units.

Each unit is 18 ½” long X 6 ½” wide.

You should have cut 6 units from each colour combination.

Lay out your nine-patch using one of each unit from each colour combination.

Sew the three units together to create the nine-patch.

You should have six nine-patches 18 ½” X 18 ½”

Cut each nine-patch in halves twice to create four corner units Cut once vertically through the block and once horizontally though the block.

HINT: The pieced centre square in the nine-patch is 6” wide so half way between these seams is 3".

Cut 3” away from the sewn edges. 

Each corner block is 9 ¼” square.

Once you have cut the nine-patch block into four corner units, rotate two corner blocks from opposite corners, 180°

 

NOTE: With every second block, rotate the opposite two corner blocks.

Sew the four corner blocks back together. The resulting Split Nine-patch block should be 18” square (unfinished)

Take the 6 ½” strips that are half the WOF and repeat the above sewing instructions to produce three more Split Nine-patch blocks.

Lay the blocks out with three rows of three blocks each so that the alternating blocks are those with different corner squares rotated.

Beautifully quilted by Elaine of 'Quilting in the Vines'

Sew the blocks together to create a square top that is 53”

Borders

Cut six 1 ½”strips the WOF from the thin border fabric.

Remove the selvedges and sew the strips together at the short ends, creating one long strip. Measure through the centre of the quilt top and cut two strips this length. (Should be 53”).   Pin and sew these onto two opposite side edges.

Measure through the centre of the quilt top including the two new sides and cut two strips this length. (Should be 55”) Sew onto the two final sides.

From the final border fabric cut six 5 ½” strips the WOF.

Remove the selvedges and sew the strips together at the short ends, creating one long strip. Measure through the centre of the quilt top and cut two strips this length. (Should be 55”).    Pin and sew these onto two opposite side edges.

Measure through the centre of the quilt top including the two new sides and cut two strips this length. (Should be  65”) Sew onto the two final sides.

Different Ideas for making the Split Nine-Patch

 An effective Split Nine-patch quilt could be made with light and dark scraps keeping the centre square as the same fabric throughout or alternatively you could make all nine fabrics scrappy.

Don’t be limited by the size we used - 6” squares. 4”, 5” or 7” blocks would still work and look great.

Rotating the squares is another area you could differ. Make a lot of corner blocks and randomly sew them together following no pattern layout at all.

 Have fun creating your own version of a Split nine-patch!

..............Penny

Kits are available              $82                $77               $80

Border fabrics are included in the kits with a Free printout of the pattern.

Postage is extra.

           Contact me for further details: anpv@ozemail.com.au