Shaded Nine Patch | If These Threads Could Talk

I was scheduled to teach the Shaded Nine Patch Star to the Thread Bears Quilter’s Guild of Sherill, NY in May. But as it doesn’t look like I will be able to, so I am going to teach it here.

This star was designed by Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor Sarah Furrer. I love it as a fun way to learn the Shaded Nine Patch Unit. The Shaded Nine Patch is an amazing unit that has endless possibilities & can be made in 7 sizes. Maybe Sarah will make it a pattern someday. You will need the Tucker Trimmer I, Magic Wand and Shaded Nine Patch Technique Sheet. Down load the lesson & supply list here:

shaded-9-patch-star-lesson-1 Download

tucker-trimmer-i-tool-instructions Download

Fabric Requirements:

Choose 6 fabrics and a background. You may choose Width of Fabric Strips (WOF) OR Fat Quarters and cut more strips.

Background: 1 Yard

6 different – ¼ yard fabrics or 6 fat quarters

Border & Binding: 1 yard

Cutting Strips for the Shaded 9 Patch Block: We will be making 12 – 6″ finished Shaded Nine Patch Units.

Position 1: Cut 1 – 2 3/4″ WOF strip
Position 2: Cut 1 – 2 1/2″ WOF strip
Position 3: Cut 1 – 3 3/4″ WOF strip
Position 4: Cut 1 – 2 3/4″ WOF strip from 2 different fabrics
Position 5: Cut 1 – 3 1/2″ WOF strip
Rectangles (from background fabric): Cut 2 – 7″ WOF strips. Sub-cut into six 7″ x 8″ rectangles

Background Fabric: (Aside from the rectangles above) Cut 4 – 6 ½” squares for the star corners.

**Note:** It is a good idea to label paper plates for each Position to keep your strips organized.

Step 1 – Each block requires two strip sets. You will need to make twice as many of the First Strip Set as you will the Second Strip Set.

Piecing the First Strip Set – take one strip each of the fabrics for position 1, 2 and 3. Sew them together along the long edge, right sides together in the order shown. Press all seams toward position 3.

Piecing the Second Strip Set – take one strip for position 5 and two strips of fabric for position 4. Sew them together along one long edge, right sides together in the order shown. Press seam towards the position 4 strips.

Step 2 – For the First Strip Set only – sub-cut crosswise the width of the strip for Position 1. We are making a 6” finished unit, Position 1 strip is 2 ¾” wide, you will sub cut your sections 2 ¾” wide.

Sub-cut 12 – 2 ¾ wide Strip Set 1” units.

For the Second Strip Set only – sub-cut crosswise the width of the strip for Position 2. We are making a 6” finished unit, Position 2 strip is 2 ½ ” wide, you will sub cut your sections 2 ½ ” wide

Sub-cut 6 – 2 ½” wide Strip Set 2 units.

**Tip:** To keep organized label plates for Strip Set 1 & Strip Set 2

Step 3 – Stitch the strip set units together. Lay them out as shown. Seams will nest between positions 1 & 4. Note: Row 1 is Strip Set 1, Row 2 is Strip Set 2 and Row 3 is Strip Set 1, but reversed.

Before you press, you will need to snip the seam allowance in two places as shown. Press each half of the unit as shown. (See down loadable lesson and/or Shaded Nine Patch Technique Sheet for detailed description.)

Step 4 – Select a ruler with a long 45 degree angle marked on it. The edge of your ruler needs to be at least as long as the diagonal of the unit. Place you’re your sewn rectangle right side down, horizontally on your work surface and draw a 45 degree line from top to bottom, through the corners of the squares labeled 2 and 4 where the stitching lines meet.

Draw a second 45 degree line through the corner of the other position 2 and 4 squares.

Step 5 – Center each marked unit over a large rectangle, right sides together. They may not be exactly the same size.

Step 6 – Stitch on both of the marked sewing lines. Cut apart.

Press toward the large triangle. Remember: “Whatever your are pressing toward, goes on top!”

Step 7 – Position the 6 ½” sizing diagonal of your Tucker Trimmer on the unit so that it lines up with the diagonal seam line of the Shaded Nine Patch. Position the common diagonal so it passes through the center of position 1 square. Trim your first two sides.

Step 8 – Rotate the unit and line up the 6 ½” size lines on the Tucker Trimmer with the trimmed raw edges. Adjust as needed. Trim both sides.

Make five more sets for a total of 12 blocks.

Take your 12 blocks and four 6 ½” background corner squares & layout your star. Stitch into rows, press seam open. Join your rows, press seams open.

Please see the down loadable lesson plan to complete your Shaded Nine Patch Star.

I had a really busy Fall teaching schedule this year. I am so looking forward to 2018. I got a jump start by making a quilt for Granddaughter Bailey’s 19th birthday. She absolutely loves New York City. We have visited there several times and walked from one end of the city to the other. I had this fabric from Timeless Treasures for several years. It just occurred to me that I must have been saving it for Bailey.

It is about 9 degrees in Central NY today. This is my 62nd One Block Wonder.

The back also has a New York City themed fabric. Happy Birthday Bailey!

Deb Tucker had a busy year also, Studio 180 has many new patterns out. I’m working on one now called Whirling Dervish that is so fun. I will be posting about it soon. There are also new Studio 180 Design Technique Sheets to expand our skills.

“Stacked Squares” is a technique that will allow you to make the “Economy” block perfectly every time without using paper foundation piecing. Like all Studio 180 Design processes, you’ll be constructing oversized units and then trimming them down. Above I made a block using the “Stacked Squares” technique sheet and the required Large Square/Squared Tool to make a square in a square, in a square in a square, in a square in a square, in a square in a square, in a square in a square, in a square in a square, in a square! Whew!

You have heard of the “Shaded Four Patch”, well here is a sample of what you can do with the “Shaded Nine Patch” units. The Shaded Nine Patch is an amazing unit that has endless possibilities all by itself or it can be combined with other fundamental units to create even more designs. With the Shaded Nine Patch Technique Sheet you can make this unit in 7 sizes.

I made this block using the Bird of Paradise Technique Sheet. This techniques requires the Large Square/Squared tool, it is so very cool. You can make this unit in 6 sizes from 1″x 2″ to 6″ x 12″.

I love this new “Eight at Once” technique sheet! With the Tucker Trimmer I you can make Half Square Triangles (HST) 2 at a time. With this technique you can make 8 HST’s at a time in 11 different sizes! Wowza!

Deb also gave us a new tool, the Four Patch Square Up. Four Patches are basic units that seem so simple to make. Just stitch 4 squares together and you’re good to go. But anyone who attempted these units knows they are notoriously difficult to make. The Four Patch Square Up tool is the solution. The tool’s perfectly engineered lines are designed to quickly locate and align with the unit center and sewn seams, allowing for easy trimming on all four sides. You will be able to make Four Patch Units in 12 sizes!

I played with the Four Patch Square up using Deb Tucker’s BlockBuster #24 Compounding Four block pattern. I love the design it makes when you put 4 blocks together.

I wish you all a Happy & Healthy New Year! Let’s go quilt something!