Last month we looked at how 4-patch blocks could be made up, and this month we’re moving on to 9-patch blocks, which are made up of units in a 9 square grid.  Now there is no rule that says that a quilt block must have every unit identical, and it is in 9-patch blocks that we really start to see how this can play out:

A simple 9-Patch Block would consist of 9 squares:

Bringing in half square triangle units to create the Perpetual Motion Block, where the HSTs are around a square in the centre, we start to see how not all the units need to be identical:

Moving onto the Ohio Star Block, which is made up of square and quarter square triangle units, we start to see how you can mix fabrics to create the star – if it weren’t for the different coloured square in the centre of this block, you would actually have a 4-patch block made up of 2 square and 2 quarter square triangle units:

The Card Trick Block, is actually a pretty mind blowing effect to try and work out when you start quilting, and my first glance at this pattern always makes me think ‘4-patch’ because of the 4 ‘cards’ in the block.  The block is made up of half square, quarter square and half and quarter square triangle combination units:

All of the above have some level of rotational symmetry, but the Jacob’s Ladder Block, made up of square and half square triangle units is actually only symmetrical on the diagonal:

I’m sure you can think of many other 9-patch block options, and next month, we’ll be moving on to 16-patch blocks