Guidelines for 9-Patch Block Exchange
Select fabrics.
- Fabrics should be pre-washed, good quality, 100% cotton. Please, no
novelty fabrics.
- Choose two different fabric colors fitting the description of the fabrics
required for exchange.
- The designated, alternating fabric is white-on-white. The same white-on-white can be used for both
fabrics,
but 2 different white-on-white's would be even better.
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Fabric #1 |
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Fabric #2 |
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White-on-white #1 |
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White-on-white #2 |
Cut fabric into 2 1/2" wide strips.
- Measure twice, cut once.
- Cut through no more than 2 layers at a time.
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cut 5 - 2 1/2" strips of Fabric #1 |
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cut 5 - 2 1/2" strips of Fabric #2 |
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cut 4 - 2 1/2" strips of White-on-white #1 |
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cut 4 - 2 1/2" strips of White-on-white #2 |
Sew strips together, alternating fabrics as shown below.
- As you are sewing, measure your seams allowances frequently to be sure you
are sewing an accurate 1/4" seam allowance.
- Iron all seams away from the white fabric. This will allow the seams to
"lock" together in the next step.
- To get a better seam match, feed the strips into your sewing machine so
that the top seam allowance is folded away from you, the bottom seam folded
towards you. Since most machines push on the top fabric and pull on
the bottom fabric, this pushes the top seam and pulls the bottom seam
together, allowing the seams to "lock" together.
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make 2 strips |
Fabric #1 / White-on-white #1 / Fabric #1 |
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make 1 strip |
White-on-white #1 / Fabric #1 / White-on-white #1 |
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make 2 strips |
Fabric #2 / White-on-white #2 / Fabric #2 |
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make 1 strip |
White-on-white #2 / Fabric #2 / White-on-white #2 |
Cut the sewn strips into 2 1/2" wide sections.
- Square up your cutting line frequently so that your units measure an
accurate 2 1/2" wide top and bottom.
 
Sew 30 - 9-Patch blocks, 15 with Fabric #1, 15 with Fabric #2.
- The color fabrics will be in the outer corners and in the center; the remaining
patches will be white-on-white.
- The seams should "lock" together - one seam facing in one
direction, the other facing the opposite direction.
- SQUARE 'EM - Measure your completed blocks to be sure they measure 6 1/2" by 6
1/2" square. (When these completed blocks are sewn together with
a 1/4" seam allowance, they will end up 6" square.)
- Use a different fabric color for
each 15 blocks.
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sew 15 blocks using Fabric #1 and White-on-white #1 fabric |
  |
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sew 15 blocks using Fabric #2 and White-on-white #2 fabric |
Divide your blocks into 15 sets.
- PAIR 'EM - 1 "set" is 1 block with Fabric #1 and 1 block with
Fabric #2.
- Put each "set" into a zip-lock bag. (You can alternately
put them in a baggy, fold them in a plain piece of paper, or wrap them in
plastic wrap.)
- Put your name on each bag. (Address labels work well for this.)
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1 set = 1 block with Fabric #1 and 1 block with Fabric #2 |
Finally,
- Place all 15 sets into one large zip bag. Again, put your name on the bag. You
use this larger bag to pass to the next person and hold all your exchanged
blocks.
- Bring this bag to the next Guild meeting as we will be exchanging the
"sets" the night of the meeting.
- You will exchange your group of 15 sets with everyone else so that you
take home 15 different sets of blocks or 30 totally different blocks.
- If you can't make it to the meeting, be sure to find someone who can take
your blocks to the meeting for you. If your blocks aren't present at
the meeting, they won't be included in the exchange.
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