Easy-Peasy 9 Patch

I've said before that I've never actually taken a piecing class, and that I'm self-taught. So basically, I have no idea how everyone else does this, but I wanted to share with you how I do my 9-patch blocks.

I've used this technique with Georgia on My Mind, as well as my current WIP, the Luxe in Bloom churn dash.

Start with your 9 squares, and lay them out how you want them in the final block.

Lay the middle column on top of the first column, right sides together, and chain piece per usual. DO NOT cut these pieces apart!

Open your top pair of squares, and put the top square of the third column on the middle column square, and chain piece that last column onto the first two.

Just keep it goin'...

Then you're left with a half-finished block that you can toss around and not worry about the pieces getting mixed up. I do it like this so I can do a mess-load of blocks together, assembly-line style!

Toss them in a pile together, no worries!

Once you've pieced a mess-load of blocks (I usually do ten or so at a time) then you can press the seams in alternating directions.

These are all pressed and folded into thirds, ready for the last two seams!

Nest the seams, don't worry about clipping the threads from the chain piecing, and finish the block.

All done! When I'm on a roll with these, I can typically do ten-ish in about two hours.

Does anyone (or everyone?) else do it like this? I really have no idea if this is helpful or not, and I'm sure it's not groundbreaking or anything. What do you think?