9 Patch Bento Boxhttps://www.thesprucecrafts.com/nine-patch-bento-box-quilt-pattern-2821759:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/laura-frame-mystery-2-56a7bab13df78cf77298c08d.jpg)
Finished block size: 15" x 15"
Finished quilt size: 60" x 75" (without borders)
The quilt blocks are strip pieced.
Fabrics for the Nine Patch Bento Box Quilt
The quilt can be scrappy but do try to choose fabrics of similar color value (contrast) within each fabric designation. Label your fabrics.
Photos of the block begin on page 2 and you can see the entire block on the last page of the pattern. Fabric descriptions match the block, not the quilt pictured above.
Fabric 1A dark fabric—pictured is a black print
1-3/4 yards
Fabric 2A fabric that's lighter than Fabric 1—pictured is a yellowish paisley (or a warm fabric, as long as there's good contrast between it and Fabric 1)
1 yard
Fabric 3A fabric that's darker than Fabric 2, but lighter than Fabric 1—pictured is a grayish print
1-1/8 yard
Fabric 4A warm color (such as magenta, red, orange, yellow, gold) that 'pops' a bit, but contrasts with Fabric 1—pictured is a reddish batik
1-1/4 yard
Fabric 5A light neutral that contrasts with all other fabrics—pictured is an ivory paisley print
2-1/4 yards
Make Nine Patch Centers for the Bento Box Quilt Blocks:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/Sew-Bento-Nine-Patch2-56a7ba3e3df78cf77298bcfd.jpg)
Cut the following fabrics to make 20 nine patch centers for the quilt blocks.
Fabric 1:(5) 2-1/2" wide strips cut from selvage to selvage
(1) 2-1/2" x 17" strips
(2) 2-1/2" x 26" strips
Fabric 4:(4) 2-1/2" wide strips cut from selvage to selvage
(2) 2-1/2" x 17" strips
(1) 2-1/2" x 26" strip
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Make C Strip Sets and Add Segments to the Nine Patch
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Cutting
Fabric 3:
(2) 3-1/2" wide strips cut from selvage to selvage
(1) 3-1/2" x 29" strip
Fabric 5:
(2) 3-1/2" wide strips cut from selvage to selvage
(1) 3-1/2" x 29" strip
Sewing
Sew a long Fabric 3 strip to a Fabric 5 strip of the same size.
Press to set the seam, and then press the seam allowance towards Fabric 3.
Check widths. The strip set should measure 6-1/2" wide along its entire length. Individual strips should each measure 3-1/4" wide.
Use remaining strips to make two more strip sets (one will be shorter).
Check all for accuracy.
Square up one end of each strip set. Cut a total of (40) 2-1/2" segments.
Find a 6-1/2" x 6-1/2” nine patch quilt block.
Place a C segment (vertically) along the left side of the nine patch, with the Fabric 3 portion of the segment sticking upwards as shown.
Place the second C segment (vertically) along the right edge of the nine patch, but flip the segment around so that Fabric 3 is down (aligned with the bottom edge of the nine patch).
Sew the two segments to the nine patch. Press seam allowances either direction.
The partial block should be 6-1/2" tall and 10-1/2" wide.
Repeat to add two C segments to each nine patch quilt block.
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Make D Strip Sets and Finish the First Bento Box Round
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Cutting
Fabric 3:
(2) 3-1/2" wide strips cut from selvage to selvage
(1) 3-1/2" x 29" strip
Fabric 5:
(2) 3-1/2" wide strips cut from selvage to selvage
(1) 3-1/2" x 29" strip
Sewing
Sew a long Fabric 3 strip to a Fabric 5 strip of the same size.
Press to set the seam, and then press the seam allowance towards Fabric 3.
Check widths. The strip set should measure 6-1/2" wide along its entire length. Individual strips should each measure 3-1/4" wide.
Use remaining strips to make two more strip sets (one will be shorter).
Check all for accuracy.
Square up one end of each strip set. Cut a total of (40) 2-1/2" segments.
Find a 6-1/2" x 6-1/2” nine patch quilt block.
Place a C segment (vertically) along the left side of the nine patch, with the Fabric 3 portion of the segment sticking upwards as shown.
Place the second C segment (vertically) along the right edge of the nine patch, but flip the segment around so that Fabric 3 is down (aligned with the bottom edge of the nine patch).
Sew the two segments to the nine patch. Press seam allowances either direction.
The partial block should be 6-1/2" tall and 10-1/2" wide.
Repeat to add two C segments to each nine patch quilt block.
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Make E Strip Sets and Sew More Segments to the Quilt Block
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Cutting
Fabric 2
(1) 5-1/2" wide strip cut from selvage to selvage
(1) 5-1/2" x 25" strip
Fabric 4
(1) 5-1/2" wide strip cut from selvage to selvage
(1) 5-1/2" x 25" strip
Sewing
Sew a long strip of Fabric 2 lengthwise to a Fabric 4 strip of the same size.
Press to set the seam and then press the seam allowance towards Fabric 4.
The strip set should be 10-1/2" wide along its entire length; each half of the set should measure 5-1/4" in width.
Make a second strip set from the shorter lengths of Fabrics 2 and 4.
Square up one end of each strip set. Starting from the squared up ends, cut a total of (40) 1-1/2" segments.
Align one E segment along the left side of the partial block. The Fabric 2 portion of the segment should be even with the top of the partial block as shown.
Place the second E segment along the right side of the block, but flip it around so that Fabric 2 is positioned along the block's bottom edge. See photo.
Sew each E segment to its side of the block and press seam allowances either direction. The partial block should measure 10-1/2" x 12-1/2".
Repeat to add all remaining E segments to the 20 quilt blocks.
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Make F Segments for the Nine Patch Bento Box Quilt Block
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Cutting
Fabric 2:
(1) 6-1/2" strip cut from selvage to selvage
(1) 6-1/2" x 25" strip
Fabric 4:
(1) 6-1/2" strip cut from selvage to selvage
(1) 6-1/2" x 25" strip
Sewing
Sew a long Fabric 2 strip to a Fabric 4 strip of the same size.
Press to set the seam. Press seam allowance towards Fabric 4.
The strip set (F) should measure 12-1/2" wide along its entire length. Individual strips should be 6-1/4" wide.
Make another (shorter) strip set from the 25" long strips.
Square up one end of each strip set, and then cut (40) 1-1/2" segments.
Sew one segment (horizontally) along the top edge of the block, with Fabric 2 on the left side as shown. The images are getting large -- the photo on this page shows strips already sewn to the block.
Sew another segment below the block, horizontally, with Fabric 2 positioned to the right.
Press seam allowances either direction.
Repeat for all 20 quilt blocks.
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Finish Sewing the Nine Patch Bento Box Quilt Blocks
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G and H strip sets for the quilt blocks look very much alike, but the strips used to make H units are wider. Only one strip set is illustrated.
Cutting for G Strip Sets
Fabric 1:
(2) 6-1/2" strips cut from selvage to selvage
Fabric 5:
(2) 6-1/2" strips cut from selvage to selvage
Sew G Strip Sets
Sew a 6-1/2" x selvage width Fabric 1 strip lengthwise to a Fabric 5 strip of the same size.
Press to set the seam and then press seam allowance towards Fabric 1.
The strip set should measure 12-1/2" wide along its entire length. Each half of the strip set should be 6-1/4" wide.
Make another strip set from remaining fabrics.
Square up one end of each strip set, and then cut a total of (40) 2" segments.
Refer to the photo, bottom left. Sew one G segment (vertically) to the left of the partial block. Fabric 1 should be at the top left corner.
Sew another G segment (vertically) on the opposite side of the block, with Fabric 1 in the bottom position as shown.
Press seam allowances either way.
Cutting for H Strip Sets
Fabric 1:
(2) 8" wide strips cut from selvage to selvage
Fabric 5:
(2) 8" wide strips cut from selvage to selvage
One More Set of Segments
Sew an 8" wide x selvage width Fabric 1 strip lengthwise to a Fabric 5 strip of the same size.
Press to set the seam, and then press the seam allowance towards Fabric 1.
The strip set should measure 15-1/2" wide along its entire length. Individual strips should be a consistent 7-3/4" wide.
Use remaining strips to make a second strip set.
Square up one end of each strip set and cut a total of (40) 2" segments.
Sew one segment along the top of the block, with Fabric 1 on the left as shown in the photo, bottom right.
Sew another F segment to the bottom of the block, placing it in the opposite position (Fabric 1 to the right).
Press seam allowances either direction.
The quilt block should measure 15-1/2" x 15-1/2".
Repeat to make a total of 20 quilt blocks.
That's it! The blocks can be sewn side-by-side after arranging them into five rows of four blocks each, but your quilt can differ. You might want to add borders, place the blocks on-point, or split the blocks and make two smaller quilts.