Two Ways to Quilt a Nine-Patch Block
Option #1: Straight-Line Quilting Design
Diagonal lines that intersect across a quilt block or top are often referred to as a crosshatch design.
Mark Quilt Top
Using a water-soluble marker or chalk, mark diagonal lines across quilt block. (Marked lines give you confidence as you begin to stitch.) Use a 4×8" ruler when marking the lines; lining up just a few seam intersections at a time gives you "fudge room" if the blocks aren't perfectly square.
Although a single Nine-Patch block is shown, you could use the same stitching paths for an entire quilt top assembled from Nine-Patch blocks. To mark, join the lines from one edge of the quilt top to the other.
Assemble Quilt Layers
Prepare the quilt sandwich (marked quilt top, batting, and backing).
Set Up Machine
Remove presser foot and install a walking foot. Add a new machine needle, and thread the machine and bobbin with 50-weight, 100% cotton thread. Use a quilt-sandwich swatch to test thread/needle/tension combination and stitch length.
Begin Quilting
1. Begin stitching with the longest diagonal line on the quilt top, usually at the quilt center. Follow the blue arrow and line in each step.
2. Stitch along the marked line, pivoting as shown, until reaching the upper right-hand corner (Diagram 1).
3. Pivot 45º. Stitch as before until reaching the lower right-hand corner of the quilt top (Diagram 2).
4. Pivot 90º. Stitch as before until reaching the upper right-hand corner of the quilt top (Diagram 3).
5. Pivot 45º. Stitch as before to complete straight-line, diagonal crosshatch quilting (Diagram 4). Baste any remaining unstitched edges.
Option #2: Curved Line Quilting Design
What appears to be an interlocking circle pattern is created by stitching continuous wavy lines. This design is sometimes referred to as an orange peel motif.
Mark Quilt Top
Using a water-soluble marker or chalk, mark quilting lines across quilt top. When marking curved lines, use a jar lid, cup, saucer, or large coin that gives the desired depth of the curve or scallop between seam intersections.
Although a single Nine-Patch block is shown, use the same stitching paths for an entire quilt top assembled from Nine-Patch blocks. To mark a quilt top, extend the length of the lines from edge to edge.
Assemble Quilt Layers
Prepare the quilt sandwich (marked quilt top, batting, and backing).
Set Up Machine
Remove presser foot and install a walking foot. Add a new machine needle, and thread the machine and bobbin with 50-weight, 100% cotton thread. Use a quilt-sandwich swatch to test thread/needle/tension combination and stitch length.
Begin Quilting
1. Begin stitching at the center of one edge. Follow the blue arrows and line in each step.
2. Stitch marked scallops, curving as shown, to the opposite edge of the block or quilt top (Diagram 1).
3. Pivot 360º. Stitch as before until reaching the first edge. Pivot 90º and stitch to the opposite edge of the square (Diagram 2).
4. Pivot 90º. Stitch as done in steps 2 and 3 (Diagram 3).
5. Pivot 90º again and stitch as before to the opposite edge of the square. Pivot 90º and stitch from the bottom to the top and back to the bottom as previously done when stitching from edge to edge (Diagram 4). Pivot 90º and stitch as before.
6. Stitch from the bottom to the top and back to the bottom as done in Step 5 (Diagram 5). Pivot 90º and stitch as before.
7. Stitch the remaining marked scallops from one outer corner to the next; pivot 90º at each corner. Repeat until returning to the starting point to complete
the orange peel motif (Diagram 6). Baste the remaining unstitched edges.
