Double Irish chain quilt

Flower & Garden Magazine, March-April, 1998

This beautifully designed heirloom quilt will bring a touch

of elegance and charm to any room in your home.

This easy quilt block pattern is a variation of the

"Irish Chain," which dates back to the early 19th

century. The assembly is merely an extension of the

methods used in simple Four Patch and Nine Patch

patterns. Relying completely on straight seams,

piecing this heirloom quilt is a pleasure.

Early Irish Chain quilts were often used to

showcase fancy embroidery. The blocks with a plain

center served as picture frames for elaborate

embroideries and Broderie Perse appliques. At the very

least, this space was a blank canvas for decorative

quilt stitch designs.

Finished Measurements: One finished quilt block

will measure 14 inches by 14 inches (minus seam

allowance); the finished quilt measures five blocks

wide and five blocks long, or 70-1/2- x 76-1/2-inches

after borders are added (minus edging).

Cut the number of pieces of each color as

indicated on the pattern. Start machine or hand stitching

the quilt block pieces, following the step-by-step

diagrams. Make 13 Type A quilt blocks and 12 Type B

quilt blocks.

Stitch the blocks together by rows, alternating

Type A and B blocks according to quilt layout. Begin

three rows with Type A blocks and two rows with

Type B blocks. Pin corners first, followed by the

seams, then stitch with short running stitches. Join

finished rows two at a time, matching vertical seams

before sewing. Add borders to the top and bottom of

the quilt top.

Finishing: Quilt stitch or tie. Then, add desired

binding to edges of completed quilt.