I am stuck! If I want a finished 9 patch of 5 inches what size would I cut my squares?

You would have to divide 5" x 3 then add 1/2" for seam allowance. It would be easier if your finished 9patch was 6".

For a 6" finished 9 patch, you would cut the squares 2 1/2"

If I went with 6 than I would cut my squares 6 1/2 right. Thanks for helping me

If you cut your squares 6½ you would have a finished block of 18". Do a sample block and use 9 2½" blocks this should give you a 6 ½" unfinished 6" finished block. I always use scraps and do a sample block to check my cutting, ¼" seams and finished size:)

2" squares will give you a 5 1/2" block

That will finish at 4.5" square (5" unfinished). ;-)

2 1/4" will finish at 5 1/4". That's about as close as you can get without using hard to measure amounts.

Here is my problem and maybe you can help me. I seen a quilt on this board that I loved. It has 3 braided panels . So I made mine 7 inches finished, and it has 3 white panels 7 inches finished which gives me a total width of 35 inches wide. Then they made 9 patches for the second outside border. I cute my first outside border 3 inches which would be 2 1/2 inches finished. So now I can't cut my 9 patches 7 1/2 unfinished because they no longer fit. I don't know what size to cut my 9 patches or white squares to make it fit around the first border. There is another white border that goes on after you do you 9 patches. So the second border is a 9 patch, than a white square, another 9 patch and than a white square and so on. Can you help me?

should that be 2 white panels?


so it's

braid - whitepanel - braid - whitepanel - braid = 35" finished

and around all that is a 2.5 finished white border.

So now you're at 37.5" FINISHED, right?

et correct my lousy math - it's now 40" finished.

Is that white border sewn on yet? Do you have more of that fabric?

Your are right there are only 2 white panels. Yes I have sewn the border on but I can unpick it if I need to.

I am not sure what length my sides are though. Will we need to know that?

It would help to know the length and width of the top, at this point :D:D:D

The width of the top and bottom without any border is 35 inches.

Duh, me.

It's not 37.5, it's now 40" across with the border.


And the length is.....???

Unfortunately I am stuck at work and my husband isn't anwering the phone. If we figured out the top wouldn't I do the sides the same way? I am so sorry, I am such a rookie!

Is the quilt top square?

If, yes, then we can find a solution.
That would be much easier.

But I didn't know if the length was 50" or 70". So that matters if you might add "coping" strips to make the borders fit.

I'm guessing you're not working directly from a pattern - more from the picture. So if a border had to be a bit smaller or larger, you don't really care, right?
(which is really the way I like to do it myself ;-) )

And I get NOW why you wanted the 5" 9patches.


Also, ooc, are the 9 patches a mix of the braid fabrics and the white, or are they all scrappy braid fabrics?

The 9 patches are a mix of trhe braid fabrics and white. I am thinking the length was 60 inches. There was a total of 9 - 9 patches and 9 white patches totaling 18.

Whoops no white fabric in the braids; just the colors.

how about putting a sashing strip on first and then the border so you get a good size 9 patch

We all start somewhere!

Wow! I'm so confused! I want to see a picture of this quilt when you finish.

When I'm trying to figure out a difficult measurement issue, I sometimes plot it out on graph paper using colored pencils You might try that.

I usually make a patch in paper, folding the 1/4 " seam allowance over, then measure it out. Takes some time, but better than wasting fabric.

If you cut the squares to 2.25 (2-1/4) and sewed them with a full quarter inch seam (versus a scant quarter inch seam) you might end up with a piece really close to 5.5 inches (unfinished size)

If it's only a smidge oversized, I think it would be feasible to trim the blocks down to the desired sze.

The technical size to cut the squares would be 2-1/6 inches - which most rulers don't have.

1/6 = 0.167
3/16 = 0.189
1/4 = 0.25

If there's a 'smidge' of difference, you can actually ease it in. No matter how accurately you plan it, you'll probably wind up doing some easing anyway. We all do that!

Which quilt is it?

Im a visual person here, so my head is swimming with all the math, it will take me a day to figure it out.LOL:D

That gives you a 1/4 inch seam all around the four sides to get a 5 inch finished sewn square block. JP

Ok, once again (already posted upthread).


A 2" square finishes at 1.5" square.

Three 1.5" squares across in a 9-patch block will result in a 4.5" finished block.

Which would be 5" unfinished.

Really.

And you wondered why you had to take algebra! Reading the back and forth on this is high entertainment. Thanks!

And you wondered why you had to take algebra! Reading the back and forth on this is high entertainment. Thanks!

I'm glad you're amused. :mrgreen:

But it's hardly algebra. ;-)

You would have to cut your square 2 1/6 inch (this includes your two 1/4 inch seams). It would be a lot easier to make a 6" block and cut 2 1/2" squares.

(5 divide by 3 = 1 and 4/6 plus 1/2 inch = 2 1/6")

if I had already cut and sewn the 9patch blocks... I would be tempted to trim the finished block down a little bit ;) nobody would notice!

Yes - it would be easier to make a 6 inch block - but the person wants/needs these blocks to fit in a 5 inch space.

To acheive a 5" finished 9 patch you would need to cut your individual squares 2 & 3/16th inches square (being 1" & 11/16ths plus 1/2" seam allowance) and even this leavesyou 1/16th" out. It would be much easier to use a finished measurement easier divisable by 3: i.e. 6" finished, using 2" squares.
If 5" finished is essential,you would have to make that minute adjustment either by adding the 1/16th to middle three squares or forgetting it as it is so minimal, --- haven't really got an answer for that one.

Guess what I did it! I still have the last white border to put on but wanted to post a picture so you would see the quilt. Let me know what you think. I think that it is fun! I really just wanted to make something with pink and green so I pulled whatever I thought would work. The neat thing is it all came together for me.

The colors are a lot brighter than what the picture shows.

It came out great. Coping squares are very useful! ;-)

Wonderful spring-y colors.

Very cheerful and spring looking quilt.

It has a nice fresh look about it.

Thanks everyone for all of your advise and support! I appreciate this website so much. I seen the quilt from another member and loved it so much! I would be lost without this website! :P