Nine-Patch Blocks
It is the custom of the guild to make nine-patch blocks for members who move away from the North Texas area. The fabric for the darker color on the X should be something that reads as one color. The light patches can be made from muslin, white fabric, or beige fabric. The blocks are collected at each guild meeting.
A member who moves away will receive 100 nine-patch blocks as a remembrance of the guild and its members. This is a great way to use some leftover fabric and help make a keepsake at the same time - we love getting those nine patches so we are ready when a member moves and must leave our guild!
Nine-Patch Instructions
Cutting Directions
Start with pre-washed, 100% cotton fabric; cut into five 2-1/2 inch squares of a colored fabric (it should read as a solid color, no "conversation" prints) and four 2-1/2 inch squares of light fabric (muslin, white, or beige). See Figure 1.
Sewing - Step 1
All seams are sewn with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. To assemble, sew all "A" pieces to "B" pieces. See Step 1.
Sewing - Step 2
Sew each "A/B" pair to the "C" pieces. See Step 2. Press toward the darker color.
Sewing - Step 3
Sew Row 1 to Row 2 as shown in Step 3, fitting the pressed edges together with your fingers or with a pin to hold in place. Sew Row 2 to Row 3 and press. Check the size to make sure the unfinished block is 6 1/2 inches square.
Make as many blocks as you desire. You may sign your blocks in one of the light squares if you want, but it is not required.
Former Guild Member Nine-Patch
Former guild member Diane Crandell shared her 9-patch story in January 2015:
I finally got it finished!!
Two or three years before I moved away from Plano, I would make 10 9-patch blocks each month and turn them in. I would sign, date, and write Plano, Texas on the blocks. I *knew* that I was going to move to northwest Arkansas when I retired. I did finally move to Arkansas in 2009. In 2010 I got the envelope with my 100 blocks in it. One of the blocks was from me dated 2007!!! 🙂
In 2013 I put the whole top together and in 2014 Allison Bayer quilted it for me. I just wanted the members to see that I *did* make a quilt from my blocks. Thank you!!!
Diane
