My BEST SECRET to Scrappy Disappearing 9-Patch Layouts
Best Disappearing 9-Patch Techniques
Your 9-Patch blocks are all sewn, but you’re stuck on the layout. Are you tired of the same old boring Disappearing 9-Patch (D9P) arrangements that everyone else makes, too? Let me help you make your decision right now! I’m sharing my favorite D9P Quilting Hack that looks fabulous every time! With this technique, you’ll be making your Best Disappearing 9-Patch Quilt EVER!
There is no other Disappearing 9-Patch like this one! There are a few different steps that create this fabulous design, but it is so worth learning this new trick. In part it’s about how your 9-patch is cut, but also how you join each square together.
What if I told you one simple twist could turn your quilt from ‘nice’ into a total showstopper? Whoever thought you could transform a Disappearing 9-Patch block into a gorgeous Flying Geese block?! Stick around, because that’s exactly what I’m about to show you.
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Disappearing 9-Patch Pattern ‘In Flying Color’
A Scrappy Flying Geese Quilt Pattern
The 9-Patch & The Transforming Cut
First, let’s quickly review the 9-patch block, because fabric placement is key. Every square in your 9-patch will be cut in half, and the center square will be cut into eights. Since the final cuts will create small-ish pieces, a scrappy selection of fabrics is your best choice.
Mix up lots of different fabrics so you have light, medium, and dark colors throughout. Also consider how they are placed in your 9-patch block. Make sure to include plenty of contrast for an interesting quilt. The center square will be cut small and looks great in either a very dark or light fabric to make it visible.
My 9-patches are made with 5-inch squares. I used leftover charm squares for this quilt and included lots of different colors and prints. They sew up quickly when chain pieced together. First sew them into three rows, pressing the seams of the top and bottom rows one way, and the middle row the opposite. This helps nest your seams for sharp points. Then sew the rows together and press again.
Now get ready for the “disappearing” act. If you start with 5-inch squares like me, your block is now 14 inches. Make as many as you need for the size quilt you want. All the sizing information is included in my pattern, ‘In Flying Color’.
Best Disappearing 9-Patch Surprise
The Disappearing 9-Patch Secret REVEALED
There are two primary differences with my Disappearing 9-Patch technique. Before cutting, you’ll need a 14-inch square of background fabric for each 9-patch block. Place one 9-patch and one background square with right sides together. Make sure your 9-patch is on top so you can mark your sewing lines.
Next, it’s time to mark your 9-patch for a bit of pre-sewing. Draw two diagonal lines on the wrong side of your 9-patch from corner to corner, making a large ‘X’. Now draw one line across the center from top to bottom. Then do the same from side to side. Pin both layers together before sewing.
To create the half square triangles (HSTs) needed for our flying geese, sew a ¼-inch seam along each side of both diagonal lines. The center lines are for cutting only.
Following the drawn lines, begin by cutting the block in half vertically, and then in half horizontally. You now have four smaller squares but don’t move them yet! Place your ruler diagonally from corner to corner and cut between the lines of stitching on the drawn line. Repeat for the other diagonal line, too. Now you have a total of eight different squares!
Creating Disappearing 9-Patch Flying Geese
And here is where the real magic begins. Instead of lining these cut squares together in a row, every other one is turned to meet up with the adjoining square. When their top points are aligned a perfect flying geese block is revealed.
It’s that simple! More importantly, is just how beautiful this Disappearing 9-Patch finishes. The difference between a nice quilt and a breathtaking one isn’t more work—it’s a clever technique. With this creative change in your quilting, you’ll be designing amazing quilts with incredible appeal.
Now go turn that stack of squares into the show-stopper quilt it was always meant to be.
Happy Quilting, Lea Louise
