Barn quilt pattern

Ohio Star Nine Patch Barn Quilt Pattern

A classic barn quilt block you can customize and print as a paint-ready plan.

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Planning the board? Use the sizing calculator for exact cell and border measurements, or read the paint color guide before you buy paint.

Difficulty: Intermediate
Grid: 9 × 9
Colors: 5
Suggested board sizes: 2′ × 2′, 3′ × 3′, 4′ × 4′

Ohio Star Nine Patch is one of several designs built on the classic Ohio Star nine-patch.

Explore All Ohio Star Variations

About the Ohio Star Nine Patch block

The Ohio Star is one of the enduring stars of American patchwork. A Smithsonian Ohio Star quilt dates to about 1845, and nineteenth-century examples show the design was well established long before modern quilt patterns were commercially widespread.

Like many traditional blocks, it has appeared under more than one name; the Smithsonian also identifies the pattern as Variable Star or Eight-Pointed Star. Its simple nine-patch structure and strong geometry have kept it popular from bed quilts to modern barn quilts.

This variation keeps that Ohio Star framework but changes the geometry: the center square is replaced by a nine-patch grid, adding a small checkered heart to the middle of the star.

Learn more about the history

Smithsonian National Quilt Collection — Ohio Star quilts

Tips for painting a Ohio Star Nine Patch barn quilt

Prime both sides of your board and seal the edges before painting to keep moisture out.
Lay out the pattern in pencil first using a grid — every shape lines up on a regular fraction of the board.
Paint the lightest color first, then work toward the darkest so any drips can be covered.
Use painter's tape along straight edges and burnish it down with a credit card to prevent bleed-through.

Ready to design your Ohio Star Nine Patch?

Customize the colors in the online designer and download a printable paint-by-color plan with a grid diagram.

Open in the designer

Painted the Ohio Star Nine Patch? Share your photo.

We feature finished quilts from real makers in the gallery — it helps other painters see how the Ohio Star Nine Patch looks in different color combinations.