Need help!
01-29-2014, 04:26 PM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: S. W. Indiana
Posts: 7,484
Basically, you subtract the seam allowance from the patch, enlarge the patch, then add the seam allowance back on.
So, to take a 9" 9 patch block down to 6", each patch starts out as a 3.5" square. Subtract the seam allowance, and you get a 3" square, multiply that by 6/9, and you get 2". Add the seam allowance back on and you cut a 2.5" square.
You have to keep in mind that it's much easier to reduce/enlarge a block to a multiple of the original size.
In the above example, if you wanted to go to a 5" 9 patch, you would have to cut your patches 2.1667 inches. Hmm. so to reduce it to 6" or enlarge it to 18 inches makes more sense, unless you want to paper piece the unit.
So, to take a 9" 9 patch block down to 6", each patch starts out as a 3.5" square. Subtract the seam allowance, and you get a 3" square, multiply that by 6/9, and you get 2". Add the seam allowance back on and you cut a 2.5" square.
You have to keep in mind that it's much easier to reduce/enlarge a block to a multiple of the original size.
In the above example, if you wanted to go to a 5" 9 patch, you would have to cut your patches 2.1667 inches. Hmm. so to reduce it to 6" or enlarge it to 18 inches makes more sense, unless you want to paper piece the unit.
01-29-2014, 04:28 PM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: S. W. Indiana
Posts: 7,484
I often use 1/4" graph paper to sketch out- resize blocks. but you can also visit places like 'quilter's cache' which has many free blocks- you can choose what size you want and find the block you want in that size category. one thing doing it by math---always subtract the seam allowance (1/2") then resize the block- then add the seam allowance back on. an example of why this is important----if you have a 6" finished block (6 1/2" unfinished) and you want a 9" block- 6" X 1.5 = 9" then add the 1/2" seam allowance- so your unfinished would be 9 1/2" --if you leave the seam allowance (6 1/2") and increase by 1.5 you get 9 3/4" your blocks will not go together correctly- so, remove seam allowance measurement- figure the finished size of the block- then add the seam allowance.
01-29-2014, 08:34 PM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 447
Here's the simple way to resize blocks:
Start with the size you WANT divided by the size you HAVE.
In your example, you WANT a 12" block, but you HAVE an 8" block.
Take 12" (WANT) divided by 8'' (HAVE) and you get 1.5 That would be 150% to increase on a copier.
If you WANT an 8" block, but you HAVE a 12" block, you do the same thing.
Take the 8" WANT and divide by the 12" HAVE to get .6667. On a copier, you would select reduce to 67% to get your new size.
Start with the size you WANT divided by the size you HAVE.
In your example, you WANT a 12" block, but you HAVE an 8" block.
Take 12" (WANT) divided by 8'' (HAVE) and you get 1.5 That would be 150% to increase on a copier.
If you WANT an 8" block, but you HAVE a 12" block, you do the same thing.
Take the 8" WANT and divide by the 12" HAVE to get .6667. On a copier, you would select reduce to 67% to get your new size.
01-30-2014, 09:18 AM
#16
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
Here's the simple way to resize blocks:
Start with the size you WANT divided by the size you HAVE.
In your example, you WANT a 12" block, but you HAVE an 8" block.
Take 12" (WANT) divided by 8'' (HAVE) and you get 1.5 That would be 150% to increase on a copier.
If you WANT an 8" block, but you HAVE a 12" block, you do the same thing.
Take the 8" WANT and divide by the 12" HAVE to get .6667. On a copier, you would select reduce to 67% to get your new size.
Start with the size you WANT divided by the size you HAVE.
In your example, you WANT a 12" block, but you HAVE an 8" block.
Take 12" (WANT) divided by 8'' (HAVE) and you get 1.5 That would be 150% to increase on a copier.
If you WANT an 8" block, but you HAVE a 12" block, you do the same thing.
Take the 8" WANT and divide by the 12" HAVE to get .6667. On a copier, you would select reduce to 67% to get your new size.
Example: Start with a 9-patch that finishes at 6". Each finished patch is 2" square. Each cut patch is 2.5" square.
If you want to enlarge to 12" and simply double all the *cut* sizes (12/6 = 2), this results in cutting patches 5" square. However, if you sew the 5" patches together with 1/4" seams, the resulting finished 9-patch will measure 13.5" (because each 5" patch will finish to 4.5").
If you do the same and double all the *finished* sizes, you get 2*2" = 4"patches. Since this is finished size, you will need to add seam allowances, which means you need to cut patches 4.5". This results in a finished block of 12".
I think......
03-03-2014, 06:42 PM
#18
Power Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: In God's Kingdom in Tennessee
Posts: 12,724
I have had this question too, but by the time I read it all, I am confused. lol.... I mainly want to be able to always come out with the 12 1/2" size block unfinished as it shows online without having to redo another or adding a frame.
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