The Irish chain quilt is a classic traditional quilt made with nine patch blocks and squares of fabric for the background. Using only two fabrics, this quilt pattern comes together quickly using strip sets to make the nine patches. A perfect project for quilters of all skill levels.
How to Make an Irish Chain Quilt
The Irish Chain quilt pattern is quick and easy to make with two-color nine-patch quilt blocks and solid squares. This traditional pattern is a great quilt for first time quilters.
In this tutorial, I'll show you the strip piecing method for making nine-patch blocks for this single Irish chain quilt.
Materials
- 1 yard background fabric (I used green)
- 1/2 yard chain fabric (I used white)
- thread for sewing
Tools
- Sewing machine
- Quilter's ruler
- Rotary cutter
- Cutting mat
- Iron
- Pressing surface
Instructions
- Start by cutting your fabrics. For a 36 x 36 inch square quilt, you'll need to cut 3 strips from your background fabric that are 6-1/2 inches wide by the width of fabric, generally 40-45 inches.
Also, cut 4 strips of fabric 2-1/2 inches wide from your background fabric and 5 strips 2-1/2 inches wide from your chain fabric. These long strips are also referred to as wof strips.
- From the 6-1/2 inch strips, cut twelve (12) 6-1/2 inch squares. Set them aside.
Lay out the 2-1/2 inch strips into sets of three to form the rows for the nine patch blocks. Sew the strips right sides together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
- Here are my strip sets sewn together with 1/4 inch seam allowance with right sides together. I've pressed them.
- Cut the sewn strip sets into 2-1/2 in strips. These pieces should measure 2-1/2 inch by 6-1/2 inch.
- Lay out the cut strip set rectangles to form a nine-patch quilt block.
- Sew the pieced rectangles right sides together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. I like to chain stitch, which is sewing one after another without clipping the threads until I'm done. This makes it quicker.
- On your design wall or table, lay out the blocks alternating a solid block with a nine patch block to form the Irish Chain quilt. Sew all of the blocks right sides together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
- You can finish the quilt off now for a 30" x 30" quilt or add one more row around the outside as a border to complete the chain. Here I auditioned adding a rectangle adjacent to the background blocks. I like this look for my wall quilt.
- To make the border, you'll need eight (8) of the rectangles that are chain / background / chain color combinations. Cut eight (8) 2-1/2" x 6-1/2" rectangles and four (4) 2-1/2" x 8-1/2" rectangles from your background fabric. Sew two strips that are 6-1/2 long background fabric, pieced rectangle, 6-1/2" background fabric rectangle, pieced rectangle and 6-1/2" background fabric rectangle. Sew these to opposite sides of the quilt.
To make the second set of borders, sew a 8-1/2" long background fabric rectangle to a pieced rectangle, to a 6-1/2" background fabric, to a pieced rectangle and finish with a 8-1/2" background fabric strip.
- Sew these on the other two sides of the quilt, right sides together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Here is the quilt top with the borders ready to be quilted!
Recommended Products
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Panasonic 360º Freestyle Advanced Ceramic Cordless Iron, Pest Repeller v.57, Teal -
Omnigrid Non-Slip quilter's Ruler, 6" x 24", Neon Green -
KAI 28 mm Rotary Cutter, Other -
OLFA 24" x 36" Double-Sided, Self-Healing Rotary Mat
Another option for making the nine-patch quilt blocks is to use Quiltsmart 2-1/2 inch printed grid interfacing. Cut the grid into nine patch blocks. Cut your fabrics into 2-1/2 inch squares.
Place the squares onto the printed interfacing to form the nine patch block with the wrong side of the fabric to the rough side of the fusible printed interfacing.
Using a pressing sheet or parchment paper, press the squares in place.
Fold the interfacing along the dotted line, which is right where the fabrics meet on the printed interfacing and sew with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
Clip the seam allowance at the points where you will sew the next seams. Press the seams in different directions. This will help reduce bulk when you sew the next seams.
Now, fold along the dotted line the other direction and sew with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
Give your nine-patch quilt block a final press and it’s ready to be made into an Irish Chain quilt!
Tips and ideas for making Irish Chain quilts
- Dig into your scrap bins and cut a variety of squares to make the nine patch blocks for a scrappy look.
- Use a jelly roll for the chain fabric. Pick a background fabric that works well with the jelly roll.
- Have fun selecting your color palette for your quilt. Fabrics with high contrast, either in value or scale, will make the biggest impact for a beautiful Irish chain quilt.
- Consider ombre fabrics for the background squares for an interesting look to your quilt.
- Try a light background fabric or white for a more modern and clean look to your finished quilt.
- Use sweet pastel prints for a quick baby quilt.
- Green fabrics are great for making a St. Patrick’s day Irish Chain quilt!
- Pull out your fat quarters and have fun making a variety of nine patch quilt blocks for your quilt.
Browse through more free quilt patterns on Create Whimsy.
