Nine Patch.
I realize this photo is on it's side....but you get the picture. This is a trial block for a twin size charity quilt I am making. I was very careful to cut all the blocks that I will be using (not these in the photo....this was a sample) 4 1/2" square. Now....I'm guessing the fastest way to put this together is in rows, right? When pressing....is there a direction that works best overall? Do you have a "system" for putting your blocks together in the 9 patches? I made sure each block has 9 different fabrics and then pined those into sets of 9. I have 24 piles now. I'd like to do this the most efficient way possible....and I don't have time to do the research.....so if you've done one and want to give me some pointers....I'll be ever so grateful :)
Smiles, Kelly
I have put DNP quilts together in rows and I have also sewn the blocks (like the four units that you have in the photo) together and then sewn them together in rows. Both ways work equally as well. Pressing so that all the seams go in the same direction is tough because of the twisting and turning after the blocks are cut. Right or wrong, I usually just let the seams fall as they may and just concentrate on pressing the rows in the same direction. Good luck...what you have done so far looks great!
ReplyDeleteHi Kelly,
ReplyDeleteI have done several and yours is looking awesome. It doesn't matter which direction you place those squares in either. The way you have it is nice. Now for the ironing, that is a tough one because if you place the squares ever which way, you will have some seams going in different directions. The basic ironing I did was when sewing the squares together and did the best I could with the immmdiate 9 patch square. I know that does not help much but I didn't have too many with seams going the same way???? sorry. It is looking good.
Kelly,
ReplyDeleteI too make DNP for charity quilts. Yours is going to look super. And like the others I've sewn in rows and also in blocks of fours. But when I sew in rows, I'll iron first row one direction and the next row in the other.
I'd love to see how this quilt turns out when you are finished.
SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com
DNP is new to me. gonna try it soon...
ReplyDeleteWhen I did mine, I had dark corners and centers with white as the other 4 blocks. I pressed toward the dark each time and it worked. For you, once you have the 9-patch cut into 4 blocks I think if you always press toward the original center block (now the small corner piece) it should work out. And I chain peiced everything. I worked on two blocks at a time, did the left and center block on row 1, 2 and 3, then moved to the next block, cut off the first pairs and added the right side block to the pairs, etc. Hope that helps.
ReplyDeleteWell, perhaps you might want to (gasp!) press the seams open. Just don't tell the quilt police!
ReplyDeleteUsually in a situation like this I will just finger press in the beginning so I'm not committed yet. Then, after I have laid out all the rows I will do a "permanent" press so that each row sets properly with the row below it. Sometimes this is easier said than done!
ReplyDeleteI position the blocks on the floor or design wall. Take the 2nd block in row 1 and place it RST
ReplyDeleteon top of the 1st block in row 1. Continue this for the remaining 2nd blocks in each row. Now take the unit in Row 1 and stack it on top of the unit in Row 2. Place these on top of the unit in Row 3, etc. Now stack the remaining blocks in the same way as you did the unit (blocks 1 and 2). Let's say there are five stacks of blocks now. Place a post-it on top of the 5th stack and then place the 4th stack on top of that. Repeat for remaining stacks. DO NOT
twist the stacks of blocks at any time. You are now ready to sew beginning with the block units. Do not cut your threads. When you reach the 2nd stack, cut your thread and sew those blocks to the now sewn units to make three blocks in each row. When you finish this, you'll be able to pick up the whole top and it will be held together with the threads. Then just sew the rows together, pressing one to the left and the next to the right. Is this clear as mud? This method makes the sewing go so much faster as you don't need to keep getting up to pick up blocks.