Quilt block · Nine-patch · Beginner
Tulip Nine Patch quilt block
A nine-patch is the tulip’s flower, with long pink petals on two sides and long green leaves along the other two meeting at a green square in the corner.
What to cut for one block
A 6″ finished block measures 6½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
3 squares and 4 triangles
- B2 rectangles 3⅝″ × 2⅝″then cut with template B
- C2 rectangles 5⅝″ × 1⅝″then cut with template C
- A3 squares 1½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 squares and 2 long triangles
- B2 rectangles 3⅝″ × 2⅝″then cut with template B
- A4 squares 1½″
Medium · Denim in the picture
1 square and 2 long triangles
- C2 rectangles 5⅝″ × 1⅝″then cut with template C
- A1 square 1½″
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
6 squares
- A6 squares 1½″
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Tulip Nine Patch’s templates at true size with Quilter.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 9″ finished block measures 9½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
3 squares and 4 triangles
- B2 rectangles 5⅛″ × 3⅝″then cut with template B
- C2 rectangles 8⅛″ × 2⅛″then cut with template C
- A3 squares 2″
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 squares and 2 long triangles
- B2 rectangles 5⅛″ × 3⅝″then cut with template B
- A4 squares 2″
Medium · Denim in the picture
1 square and 2 long triangles
- C2 rectangles 8⅛″ × 2⅛″then cut with template C
- A1 square 2″
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
6 squares
- A6 squares 2″
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Tulip Nine Patch’s templates at true size with Quilter.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 12″ finished block measures 12½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
3 squares and 4 triangles
- B2 rectangles 6⅝″ × 4⅝″then cut with template B
- C2 rectangles 10⅝″ × 2⅝″then cut with template C
- A3 squares 2½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 squares and 2 long triangles
- B2 rectangles 6⅝″ × 4⅝″then cut with template B
- A4 squares 2½″
Medium · Denim in the picture
1 square and 2 long triangles
- C2 rectangles 10⅝″ × 2⅝″then cut with template C
- A1 square 2½″
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
6 squares
- A6 squares 2½″
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Tulip Nine Patch’s templates at true size with Quilter.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
How it’s sewn
For the 6″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 1 four-patch unit
Sew the squares in pairs and press each pair’s seam toward the darker square. Join the pairs, turning one so the seams nest, and press the long seam open. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 3½″ × 2½″ (3″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 3½″ × 1½″
Sew 2 Light A squares and a Dark A square together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ × 1½″ (3″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 3½″ × 1½″
Sew 2 Dark A squares and a Light A square together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ × 1½″ (3″ × 1″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 1½″ × 5½″ (1″ × 5″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 5½″ × 2½″
Sew a four-patch unit and a section together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 5½″ × 2½″ (5″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 3½″
Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 5½″ × 3½″
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 5½″ × 3½″ (5″ × 3″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 5½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 5½″ (5″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 2 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 1 four-patch unit
Sew the squares in pairs and press each pair’s seam toward the darker square. Join the pairs, turning one so the seams nest, and press the long seam open. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 5″ × 3½″ (4½″ × 3″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 5″ × 2″
Sew 2 Light A squares and a Dark A square together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 5″ × 2″ (4½″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 5″ × 2″
Sew 2 Dark A squares and a Light A square together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 5″ × 2″ (4½″ × 1½″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 2″ × 8″ (1½″ × 7½″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 8″ × 3½″
Sew a four-patch unit and a section together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 8″ × 3½″ (7½″ × 3″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 5″
Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 5″ (4½″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 8″ × 5″
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 8″ × 5″ (7½″ × 4½″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 8″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 8″ (7½″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 2 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 1 four-patch unit
Sew the squares in pairs and press each pair’s seam toward the darker square. Join the pairs, turning one so the seams nest, and press the long seam open. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 6½″ × 4½″ (6″ × 4″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 6½″ × 2½″
Sew 2 Light A squares and a Dark A square together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 6½″ × 2½″ (6″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 6½″ × 2½″
Sew 2 Dark A squares and a Light A square together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 6½″ × 2½″ (6″ × 2″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 2½″ × 10½″ (2″ × 10″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 10½″ × 4½″
Sew a four-patch unit and a section together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 10½″ × 4½″ (10″ × 4″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 6½″
Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 10½″ × 6½″
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 10½″ × 6½″ (10″ × 6″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 10½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 10½″ (10″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 2 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).
Blocks like it
Ozark Maple LeafNine-patch
Treasure ChestNine-patch
Snowball Nine PatchNine-patch
Friday the ThirteenthNine-patch
More like this: Nine-patch quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
Its 6 × 6 grid lands on the ⅛″ marks at 6″, 9″ and 12″, so every piece measures with a ruler at all three. It also cuts cleanly at 15″ and 18″. In Quarter Inch you can make it any size, and it says when a cut falls between the lines.
Can I paper piece it?
Yes. It splits into 7 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F and G), each sewn on its own paper in order and then joined with straight seams. In Quarter Inch, the Foundations tab prints its papers at true size (with Quilter).
Is it a good block for a beginner?
It’s a good block for a beginner: 22 pieces in 3 different shapes and 3 points to match. Nothing in it curves or has to be set in. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.