To Make One Floral Parent Nine Patch Block
Choose floral fabrics that seem to "melt" into each other in the watercolor style, but be sure they contrast with each other enough to see a shift between patches. Everyone will start with a different level of light or dark, but I believe the blocks will flow together nicely when they're combined.
Cut 9 floral squares, each 4-1/2" x 4-1/2":
- (1) dark
- (4) medium
- (4) light
- Arrange the squares into three rows, each row with three squares. Place the dark square in the block's center position. Place the light squares in the block's four corners. Fill in the midpoint gaps with the medium squares.
- Sew the components of each row together. Press seams in adjoining rows in opposite directions.
- Join the rows, butting seam allowance lofts for a perfect match. Press.
- The parent block should measure 12-1/2" x 12-1/2". It's important that the block is accurate. If it's skewed, or a bit small, press the block again and remeasure. Adjust your seam allowance for another block if necessary, sewing a scant 1/4" seam.
- Use a square or 6" wide rotary ruler to slice the block in half once vertically (half of the block should be 6-1/4" wide). Be sure to make a "square" cut. In other words, the 6-1/4" vertical rule should run perfectly down the left side of the block and the bottom of the block should align with a horizontal line of the ruler (see photo above). The block's midpoint is critical, so if your seam allowances are a tad "off," be sure the cut will flow down the midpoint of the parent block.
- You should now have two vertical segments that measure 6-1/4" x 12-1/2". Cut each segment in half horizontally to produce a total of four 6-1/4" x 6-1/4" daughter squares (the unfinished size). (Photo of Second Cut)
Strip Pieced Disappearing Nine Patch Quilts
You can make a strip pieced quilt, orderly or somewhat scrappy.
- Choose a square size and determine how you wish to position fabrics.
- Cut selvage-width strips of each fabric in the chosen width (double-up strips if the same fabric will be used in more than one position).
- Sew three strips together lengthwise to create strip sets that look like the three rows of your block.
- Cut segments from the strips sets, each the same dimension as the width of your original strips.
- Sew segments together to create the block, and then slice the block in half as described above (slicing dimensions will differ based on your strip width).
