Triple Irish Chain – May 2020

During 2020 we will be doing blocks from the “One Hundred and one Patchwork Patterns”  book by Ruby Short McKim.  The book was published in 1931, and my husband’s maternal Grandmother learned to quilt from this book.  These blocks are done in her honor.  

This month’s block is Triple Irish Chain.

“EVERY enthusiastic quilter has in her collection some sort of Irish Chain. And surely there is a reason, as these do make up into the most effective of old-fashioned counterpanes. There are single, double and even triple varieties.”

(Ruby McKim)

The original instructions were for a 13” finished block, Our block will finish at 12″ (12 1/2″ unfinished).   This block is made up of over 100 small pieces, if you are not comfortable with working with 1 5/8″ pieces, you can see our alternative option at the end, to use 2 1/4″ pieces that still makes a 12″ finished block.

Fabric Requirements

White – 15″ x 16″
Light Blue – 8″ x 14″
Dark Blue – 12″ x 12″

Fabric Cutting

Assembly

There are multiple ways to sew this block together.  Make sure to be consistent on your 1/4″ seams so that the block will finish correctly. With lots of little pieces, being off a little on each can result in a larger or smaller block than 12 1/2″ unfinished.

1. The first one is you can lay it all out, and then start sewing rows and columns.

1. Create individual sections

Section 1 – using 5 Dark Blue, 4 Light Blue, 6 white, layout in the pattern

• Create four of these units

Section 2 – Using one White 2 5/8″ x 3 3/4″ plus 2 Dark blue, 3 Light Blue, and 1 white, layout in this pattern

• Create four

Section 3 – Middle – using 5 white and 4 Dark blue squares, create a 9 patch.

Layout the Sections in the layout below, creating three rows to sew together.

Press Seams, and you have completed the Triple Irish Chain block.

I look forward to seeing all your wonderful blocks!  Make sure to post on the Facebook group!

Thank you for joining us for this block of the month!  

Click Here for a downloadable PDF of the instructions.

We have created a YouTube video that you can view for more detailed instructions. The video shows you the best way to press the seams, to get the pieces to nest together and reduce the bulk of the seams.

For the previous blocks, you can check under Units in the Facebook group.

Alternative – larger pieces.  

This pattern uses 2 1/4″ x 2 1/4″ pieces, resulting in a little different pattern, but still finishing at a 12″ block.

Alternative Fabric Cutting

Assembly

Layout the pieces, per pattern above. 

Sew the pieces, you can use my method for the Chain Piecing, or the method you prefer.

Recommend double checking as you sew to make sure that the pieces don’t get turned in error.

Press the seams, and you have created the alternative triple Irish Chain.  Make sure to post on the Facebook group, so we can see your wonderful block.