This quilt has been on my mind for some time and this week I finally tackled it. The pattern is a a traditional Single Irish Chain Quilt set on point, which rather reminds me of Granny Square blocks. It is a interesting quilt which emerges from a simple design ~ alternating a square with a Nine Patch block ~ more often seen in reverse (that is, the printed fabrics are a white/solid fabric, and the solid/white solid fabric is a single contrast fabric).
I've further complicated the design by using scrappy fabrics. This means that each Nine Patch block has a very specific fabric layout, as is determined by the adjoining printed fabrics. Cutting out the scrappy fabrics was not complicated - one large square plus 4 small squares for each printed fabric - the same however could not be said for sewing the quilt top together. There is no simple "sit and sew" technique. Instead all of the fabric pieces were laid out and arranged, and the nine pieces for each Nine Patch block were carefully picked up to ensure correct fabric placement, and then sewn together. One nine patch block at a time, one row at a time.
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| Scrappy Irish Chain Quilt |
Quilt Stats
Quilt top measures 47 inches x 58 inches
Quilt top measures 47 inches x 58 inches
80 Nine Patch Blocks
99 Large Squares and 99 different printed fabrics.
819 pieces plus setting triangles along quilt edges.
(solid fabric is Robert Kaufman Kona in White)
(solid fabric is Robert Kaufman Kona in White)
Sewing the top together became a puzzle marathon; joining the pieces together in a logical way to ensure that the pattern was maintained throughout. It was a good way to challenge my patience and I was super happy to sew together that last Nine Patch block and eventually the quilt top!
It has been a good week! A scrap happy week with lots of sewing. The quilt top is now ready for basting and quilting.
More soon,
Rita
RELEVANT LINKS:
Single Irish Chain Scrap Quilt - A Finished Quilt
More RPQ Scrap Quilts
More RPQ Irish Chain Quilts
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That is spectacular! I always feel that the normal way of putting them together has too much background. I love this.
ReplyDeletefunnily enough I was looking just today at various irish chain quilts on line and none of them really got me excited. And now you show this one and I love it. And great color choices as usual. This quilt just makes me happy looking at it.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you matched colors at points. Looks great. A easy but intense way to use all those wonderful varieties of fabrics we always end up with.
ReplyDeleteI adore this! I bet it was so complicated to make but it is so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI was looking at this trying to figure out how you'd done it. I take my hat off to you - if I did that there would be loads of hair pulling / unpicking for sure!
ReplyDeleteOMG at first it looked so simple then I worked it out ( took a while ) and it is so complicated. Respect! Love it x
ReplyDeleteWhat size are the inner squares? I tried to calculate but can't figure out my geometry.
ReplyDeleteSo basically it's a granny square? I'd love to try one of my own. This is beautiful!
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ReplyDeleteI have done a couple and yes its like a jigsaw puzzle, however love the way its done on point. Any tutorial for doing on point, pleeeease.
ReplyDeleteYes, please, Rita!
Deleteso pretty, rita! I love how similar the two patterns are. Sometimes it just takes a different setting or use of colors to totally transform a pattern.
ReplyDeleteLove your quilt!
ReplyDeleteVERY lovely, Upon careful examination, I can see absolutely that this was a brain challenge. You did work this out very nicely, and it looks neat and tidy. This is certainly one I could try. There is not any one of us that does not have 99 different fabrics. For real. And even if we were hoarding it, there is not much to borrow for just one block. I like varied fabrics too.
ReplyDelete:-) as always, still inspiring me, Rita.
♥️
I love this quilt. It doesn't look like any of my Irish chain quilts at all and when I look at it, I see Granny squares. I do love all your quilts and this could be on my list with some old fabrics I have.
DeleteJust wow!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great looking quilt! It does look a lot like granny squares, and I can see how this could be modified to an alternate approach for doing those -- it would just take even more organization and thinking through.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering how you did your corner triangles too.
clever!! clever!! and stunning!
ReplyDeletetutorial please!!
Oh Rita! This is lovely! Any chance a tutorial might follow????
ReplyDeleteEllie
elliefpw@sbcgloal.net
Amazing, as usual, Rita!
ReplyDeleteI especially like this one; I might have to try making a similar one. A tutorial would surely help, pretty please!
ReplyDeleteI read through your posts carefully and slowly and noticed with the second photo how you put this pattern together. Just when I realized WOW - what a lot of organizing you mentioned that it was. But that's part of the fun & challenge. This is just beautiful, Rita! You put colors together so well. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWow! Scrappy happy!
ReplyDeleteI really like this! It looks like a square in the middle with squares on the outside. Are they 2.5 in.? Beautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteI would love the measurements of the large and small squares! This one is perfect and oh so stunning!!
ReplyDeleteMesmerising! Deceptively simple, yet so complex. Perfect balance!
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun pattern and lovely quilt! Awesome job!
ReplyDeleteHow many hours did you spend actually piecing the quilt top together? Probably a million.
ReplyDeleteLooks great! Fantastic take on a classic.
Wow what a great idea for piecing this. I admire your patience. "Paged" back to this post after seeing the finish. Started with Instagram.
ReplyDeleteHello. Can you please tell me where you found the black and white striped fabric you used for the binding? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteRight now you will find some black/white stripe fabric in stock at Fabric Bubb: http://www.fabricbubb.com/Black%20Stripe%20Eigth%20inch
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