AnnieC

Hello
I just found this forum and I am hoping that I can get some help.

Several years ago I saw a pattern that was called a cannonball quilt using civil war repro fabric. I don't have much yardage and decided to try it with charm packs, combined with some strip sewing. My question is this. The "cannonballs" are connected with a simple nine patch. Since I plan to sew some strips together to make the nine patch, I am wondering how wide the strips need to be. Math is not my strongest suit, I guess you can tell! Also, since I am using charm packs, should the triangles be using from a 2 1/2 inch square on the corners?
Thank you for any help and advice.

Here is an image of the style I am speaking of:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]321440[/ATTACH]

Sew N Tune

Not going to be easy using a charm pack, as the charms are 5 inches. Not easily divisible by 3, to add the 9 patch.
5 inches divided by 3 is 1.67 + .25 for the seam allowance + 1.92. So your strips for your 9 patch would be cut just shy of 2 inches. Not sure how many 8th's of an inch this would be.

GemState

If you used charm squares and cut each one into quarters you would have four 2 1/2 inch squares. So your 9 patch blocks would be 6 1/2 inches unfinished. Cut your snowball block 6 1/.2 inches then add the corners. Without going and trying it to be sure it appears your corners for the snowball block should also be 2 1/2 inches,

AnnieC

Thanks Gemstate. I will try what you suggest. I suppose I could find a better quilt pattern for the charm packs. Just love this particular pattern. And I don't really have the funds to go and buy lots of matching type fabrics.

Sew n Tune - math boggles my brain and I can't even begin to figure out the 1.92 LOL. Thanks for your input.

PaperPrincess

Sew N Tune was on the right track, but we need to think about this just a bit.
the charm pack will work just fine.
the 5" charms will FINISH to 4.5"
Divide the finished size by 3, and you get 1.5"
Now add the seam allowance (since there are 2 seams you need to add .25 twice, or .5") and you get 2"
So cut your strips at 2", sew, then cut them into 2" wide segments and join those for your 9 patch
Cut the snowball corner blocks at 2" square, draw a diagonal line, place in the corner, sew on the line, fold.
Check to make sure that it's on right by making sure the edges match, then trim.
Make a sample from scrap fabric to check!

GrannieAnnie

1/8 is .125, 2/8 or 1/4 is .25, 3/8 is .375, 4/8 is a 1/2 of course, 5/8 is .625, 6/8 is 3/4, 7/8 is .875

the .92 would be closer to 15/16 which you can find on a ruler.

pls1946

I believe Paper Princess has your answer, to check I often use colored paper to make a sample.....cheap! Don't think you want to cut your charms, do you? I assume your charms are for the cannon balls. Good luck!

GrannieAnnie

There is another snowball type block that is really cute. It has corner triangles in the upper right and lower left corners only. The result almost looks like a bird in flight.

I've seen it done in one print for the snowball and a matching color for the corners,
and also done as various prints for the snowballs with one solid for the corners and also with several solids for the corners.

Maybe someone here can tell you the name of the pattern.

Krisb

I think Paper Princess has it just right. Sometimes the quilt police get in our minds and say that finished blocks have to get some number of even inches. With the charms packs, you have a 4.5" finished size, which works fine for a nine patch. You should be just fine if you follow her instructions.