- Background (muslin)
- Medium (goldenrod)
- Dark (indigo)
Block No. 90 · nine-patch
Puss in the Corner Quilt Block
Part of: Nine Patch Quilt BlocksQuilt Blocks Using Squares And RectanglesQuilt Blocks For BeginnersAnimal Quilt Blocks
Puss in the Corner sets a large dark center in a frame of medium rails, with small dark squares stepping out to each corner along the diagonals. It is all squares and rectangles, so it sews quickly and suits strong two- or three-fabric scrap combinations.
Version note: Quilter's Cache shows three different blocks under this name; this is its first version, a 9-grid with a stepped diagonal corner and a 3x3 center. The animals theme comes from the name only. Layout confidence: medium.
- Level
- Confident Beginner
- Grid
- 9 × 9
- Pieces
- 33
Chart
Cutting for a 9" block
9 × 9 grid. All cuts fall on 1/8" ruler marks. Unfinished block: 9 1/2".
| Fabric | Shape | Cut | Size | Then | Pieces used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Rectangle | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" | Use as cut | 4 |
| Background | Rectangle | 8 | 1 1/2" × 2 1/2" | Use as cut | 8 |
| Medium | Rectangle | 4 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" | Use as cut | 4 |
| Medium | Rectangle | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" | Use as cut | 4 |
| Dark | Square | 1 | 3 1/2" square | Use as cut | 1 |
| Dark | Square | 12 | 1 1/2" square | Use as cut | 12 |
Method
Piecing steps
Step 1: Cut every patch listed in the cutting chart for your size. Plain areas are cut as the larger squares and rectangles shown; do not subdivide them. Columns count from the left and rows from the top, starting at 1, in grid cells.
Step 2: Lay the plain patches out on a design wall in the order shown before sewing; several background and medium rectangles look alike but differ in length.
Step 3: Check that the diagonal of small dark squares runs unbroken from each block corner to the corner of the dark center.
Step 4: Make section 1: sew the dark square at column 1, row 1, the background rectangle at column 1, row 2, the medium rectangle at column 1, row 4, the background rectangle at column 1, row 7 and the dark square at column 1, row 9 in a column, top to bottom. Press and check it measures 1 1/2" wide by 9 1/2" high.
Step 5: Make section 2: sew the background rectangle at column 2, row 1, the medium rectangle at column 4, row 1 and the background rectangle at column 7, row 1 side by side, left to right. Press and check it measures 7 1/2" wide by 1 1/2" high.
Step 6: Make section 3: sew the dark square at column 2, row 2, the medium rectangle at column 3, row 2 and the dark square at column 8, row 2 side by side, left to right. Press and check it measures 7 1/2" wide by 1 1/2" high.
Step 7: Make section 4: sew the dark square at column 3, row 3, the background rectangle at column 3, row 4 and the dark square at column 3, row 7 in a column, top to bottom. Press and check it measures 1 1/2" wide by 5 1/2" high.
Step 8: Make section 5: sew the background rectangle at column 4, row 3, the dark square at column 4, row 4 and the background rectangle at column 4, row 7 in a column, top to bottom. Press and check it measures 3 1/2" wide by 5 1/2" high.
Step 9: Make section 6: sew the dark square at column 7, row 3, the background rectangle at column 7, row 4 and the dark square at column 7, row 7 in a column, top to bottom. Press and check it measures 1 1/2" wide by 5 1/2" high.
Step 10: Make section 7: sew the medium rectangle at column 2, row 3, section 4, section 5, section 6 and the medium rectangle at column 8, row 3 side by side, left to right. Press and check it measures 7 1/2" wide by 5 1/2" high.
Step 11: Make section 8: sew the dark square at column 2, row 8, the medium rectangle at column 3, row 8 and the dark square at column 8, row 8 side by side, left to right. Press and check it measures 7 1/2" wide by 1 1/2" high.
Step 12: Make section 9: sew the background rectangle at column 2, row 9, the medium rectangle at column 4, row 9 and the background rectangle at column 7, row 9 side by side, left to right. Press and check it measures 7 1/2" wide by 1 1/2" high.
Step 13: Make section 10: sew section 2, section 3, section 7, section 8 and section 9 in a column, top to bottom. Press and check it measures 7 1/2" wide by 9 1/2" high.
Step 14: Make section 11: sew the dark square at column 9, row 1, the background rectangle at column 9, row 2, the medium rectangle at column 9, row 4, the background rectangle at column 9, row 7 and the dark square at column 9, row 9 in a column, top to bottom. Press and check it measures 1 1/2" wide by 9 1/2" high.
Step 15: Complete the block: sew section 1, section 10 and section 11 side by side, left to right. Press and check it measures 9 1/2" wide by 9 1/2" high.
Step 16: Press the finished block. Every join above runs edge to edge, with no set-in or Y-seams.