Kids Can Quilt! – Day 4

Now that all of our blocks are sewn together, we are going to cut them up again!

For a disappearing 9 patch, we are going to cut the original 9 patch blocks in fourths, mix them up, and sew them back together. This is what makes it look complicated, even though you’ve seen how easy it is to make.

Don’t forget to be very careful with the rotary cutter and always close the blade before you set it down. Have an adult or responsible teen help if you are younger.

Cutting the Blocks

You should have 12 finished 9 square blocks at this point. We are going to mark and cut them up one by one into fourths, so we’ll have 48 blocks when we are done.

Place your block on your cutting mat, lining one edge up along the 1″ line. Make sure that it is placed square on the mat. Your block should be 14″ square, so the other side should line up on the 15″ mark. If your block is a little small or big, just center it between the 1″ and 15″ marks as best you can. You are then going to place the ruler on the 8″ line and cut it in half. This will make both halves 7″ each.

Now take one of your halves, rotate it, and line it up the same way, between the 1″ and 15″ lines, keeping it square. Place your ruler on the 8″ line, and cut your block in half. Repeat with the second section. You should now have 4 – 7″ blocks!

Repeat with all 12 blocks.

Laying Out the Blocks

Take 4 blocks. Place 2 blocks across from each other diagonally with the large squares touching corners in the middle. Place 2 more blocks on the opposite corners with the small squares in the middle. Repeat with 4 more blocks until you have a top that is 6 blocks wide by 8 blocks long.

Adjust your blocks as you see fit to mix up the fabrics.

Quick tip: Take a photo of your quilt. Any spots that really stand out will show up better and you can fix them. When you are all done and like the layout, snap another photo. This will help you in case anything gets messed up later. You’ll have the photo to reference to fix it!

Mark the Rows

Cut 8 small pieces of paper and label them 1-8. Carefully place each block in row 1 in a stack, making sure not to rotate the blocks or mix them up. Put the 1 tag in the top right corner and pin it in place. Repeat with the other 7 rows.

Set these aside, tomorrow, we’ll sew them all back together and be done with your quilt top!