A QuiltPlan piecing reference
Nine-Patch
three rows of three: the same trick as Four-Patch, one size up
A Nine-Patch is a 3×3 checkerboard: 5 dark squares (the corners and center) and 4 light squares (the edges). Sew three rows of three, press every seam toward dark, then join the rows. Because the colors alternate, the press direction alternates too, so every intersection nests on its own.
Cut squares: finished block size ÷ 3, + ½″. Cut 5 dark and 4 light.
Each finished patch is a third of the finished block's size, on a side.
Example: 6″ finished block
A 6″ finished block needs nine 2½″ squares, 5 dark and 4 light. Read straight off the chart below for any other size.
1 · Cut
Cut 5 dark and 4 light squares to the chart size.
2 · Sew rows
Sew each row of 3 into a strip. Three separate rows, not joined to each other yet.
3 · Press
Press every seam toward dark. Since colors alternate, the direction alternates row to row on its own.
4 · Join
Stack and sew the 3 rows. The alternating press direction nests every intersection.
| Finished | Cut squares |
|---|---|
| 3″ | 1½″ |
| 6″ | 2½″ |
| 9″ | 3½″ |
| 12″ | 4½″ |
| 15″ | 5½″ |
| Finished | Cut squares |
|---|---|
| 4½″ | 2″ |
| 7½″ | 3″ |
| 10½″ | 4″ |
| 13½″ | 5″ |
| 16½″ | 6″ |
"Finished" is the whole Nine-Patch block, corner to corner. Cut 5 dark and 4 light squares at the size shown.
Prefer speed over cutting 9 separate squares? Strip-piece it: sew a dark-light-dark strip set and a light-dark-light strip set (same width as your squares), press toward dark, then sub-cut both into segments at that width. Two D-L-D segments plus one L-D-L segment make each block, no individual squares to keep track of.
The same row-then-join logic scales up: a Nine-Patch is just a Four-Patch with one more row and column.
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