Patchwork
Disappearing Nine Patch
Don't cut these pieces directly — they're produced by the disappearing technique. Cut 9 squares at 4.5" x 4.5" (4 of fabric A for the corners, 4 of fabric B for the edges, 1 of fabric C for the center). Sew into a 3x3 nine-patch with A in the corners, B on the edges, C in the center. Press seams. Make a horizontal cut through the center and a vertical cut through the center. Rotate each of the four quadrants 90 degrees clockwise. Reassemble in the original positions. Final block finishes at 11.5" x 11.5".
Cut list
What to cut for one 12 inch finished block. A quarter inch seam allowance is already in every size.
Feature
- 4 squares
- 4½"
Accent
- 4 squares
- 2¼"
Background
- 4 rectangles
- 4½" × 2¼"
- 4 rectangles
- 2¼" × 4½"
By region
| Region | Fabric | Units | Cut from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half B (Top of B2) | Background | 1 | 2¼" × 4½" |
| Corner A1 | Feature | 1 | 4½" |
| Quarter C (Top Right) | Accent | 1 | 2¼" |
| Half B (Right of B1) | Background | 1 | 4½" × 2¼" |
| Quarter C (Top Left) | Accent | 1 | 2¼" |
| Half B (Left of B1) | Background | 1 | 4½" × 2¼" |
| Half B (Top of B3) | Background | 1 | 2¼" × 4½" |
| Corner A2 | Feature | 1 | 4½" |
| Corner A3 | Feature | 1 | 4½" |
| Half B (Bottom of B2) | Background | 1 | 2¼" × 4½" |
| Half B (Right of B4) | Background | 1 | 4½" × 2¼" |
| Quarter C (Bottom Right) | Accent | 1 | 2¼" |
| Half B (Left of B4) | Background | 1 | 4½" × 2¼" |
| Quarter C (Bottom Left) | Accent | 1 | 2¼" |
| Corner A4 | Feature | 1 | 4½" |
| Half B (Bottom of B3) | Background | 1 | 2¼" × 4½" |
How it goes together
- Step 1
Cut your pieces
Cut the pieces in the cut list. The sizes are for a 12 inch finished Disappearing Nine Patch block and already include a quarter inch seam allowance.
- Step 2
Piece the block
Join the pieces in the order the block is built, pressing each seam before adding the next.
- Step 3
Assemble the block
Finish the last seams, press, and square the finished block to size.
Read more
Color value vs hue in quilts
Value is how light or dark a color is. Hue is what we usually call “the color itself.” In quilts, value carries the design — hue carries the mood.
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Quilt block families, explained
Most quilt blocks belong to one of six families — Patchwork, Half-square triangles, Flying geese, Stars, Curves, and Hexagons. Each family is a way of piecing fabric together.
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The quilter’s seam allowance, explained
A seam allowance is the strip of fabric between the seam and the raw edge. Quilters work in a standard 1/4 inch — and getting it right is the difference between a top that finishes flat and one that fights you.
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Try the Disappearing Nine Patch on a real layout.
Open it on the Design Wall. Try a few colors, see the math, change your mind.