September Block Lotto: 9-patch Warm Up

Due: Bring your blocks to the October 27 event

Techniques and concepts: Precise cutting and piecing, colour values, twirled seams

New to block lotto? Learn about it here

Welcome to the block lotto for 2025-2026! 

We’re kicking things off with a back-to-basics block to ease into the new guild year. This month’s block is inspired by cozy autumnal plaids and golden afternoons. It’s a straightforward 9-patch block, so it’s a good opportunity to pay extra attention to techniques and accuracy, and to the use of colour to give the blocks a glowy look.

Fabrics and cutting

You’ll need dark, medium, and light values for this block. You can pick three shades of the same colour or mix it up, but please keep it warm. There are a couple of ways that you can check that you’ve got enough contrast between your fabrics:

• Use a Ruby Beholder or similar tool
• Take a photo and use a filter to make it monotone:

Cutting tip: If you’d like a refresher on accurate cutting (I know it’s something I always struggle with), check out Lee Heinrich’s Quilting 101: Accurate cutting. 

Fabric A

Choose a warm dark colour, in either a solid or near-solid.

Cut 1 - 3.5” square

Fabric B

Choose a warm medium colour, in either a solid or print.

Cut 4 – 3.5” squares

Fabric C

Choose a warm light colour, in either a solid or near-solid.

Cut 4 – 3.5” squares

Steps

Before starting, consider testing whether you’re getting an accurate ¼” seam. For instructions, I’d recommend How to Perfect Your Seam Allowance from Lo and Behold Stitchery. 

1. First, make the center row. Take the dark fabric and sew a medium square on two opposite sides. Press the seam allowances in, towards the dark fabric.

2. Next, make the other two rows. Take the medium fabric and sew a light square on two opposite sides. Press the seam allowances out, towards the light fabric.
   

   

3. Join the rows together. Because the rows are pressed in opposite directions, you can nest the seams together tightly. When aligning the seams, slide them into place so they butt up against each other.
   

   

4. To finish the block, there are two options for pressing the rows. You can press the rows away from the middle row, like this:
   

   

   Or, to make the block lay flatter, you can twirl the seams. At the intersections, carefully remove a couple of stitches from the seam allowance. Note that the last two seams joining the rows stay intact. You're only undoing a couple of stitches from previous seams, in the seam allowance.

   
   
   The goal is to allow the seams to lie in opposite directions, like this:
   
   
   Tip: Be careful that you don't end up pressing the seams open -- the seams are pressed to one side. Releasing the stitches in the seam allowances allows you to press in opposite directions.
5. Here's what the back of a twirled block looks like:
   

   When you’re finished, the block should be 9.5” square, which will finish at 9” when the quilt is assembled.

   
   
   

That’s it! Admire your new block, maybe make some more, and share photos with others using #ottmqgBOM.

Here’s a mockup of what a quilt made with these blocks could look like, though keep in mind that if you win the blocks, you can make anything you’d like with them. Maybe slice them up into a disappearing 9-patch instead?