Quilt block · Four-patch · Intermediate
Aunt Mary’s Double Irish Chain quilt block
A big hourglass of two dark and two light triangles fills the center, framed by a sawtooth border of small triangles all round.
What to cut for one block
A 6″ finished block measures 6½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
2 large triangles and 14 small triangles
- B1 square 5¾″cut twice on the diagonals
- A4 squares 2¾″cut twice on the diagonals
Dark · Navy in the picture
2 large triangles and 14 small triangles
- B1 square 5¾″cut twice on the diagonals
- A4 squares 2¾″cut twice on the diagonals
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 9″ finished block measures 9½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
2 large triangles and 14 small triangles
- B1 square 8″cut twice on the diagonals
- A4 squares 3½″cut twice on the diagonals
Dark · Navy in the picture
2 large triangles and 14 small triangles
- B1 square 8″cut twice on the diagonals
- A4 squares 3½″cut twice on the diagonals
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 12″ finished block measures 12½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
2 large triangles and 14 small triangles
- B1 square 10¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A4 squares 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
Dark · Navy in the picture
2 large triangles and 14 small triangles
- B1 square 10¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A4 squares 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
How it’s sewn
For the 6″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 quarter-square triangle unit
Sew the Background B and Dark B triangles together in pairs along a short edge, then join the pairs, matching the seams at the center. Press the last seam open. Each measures 5″ (4½″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew a quarter-square triangle unit and a section together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Join the halves
Sew the two halves together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam open. The block measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 quarter-square triangle unit
Sew the Background B and Dark B triangles together in pairs along a short edge, then join the pairs, matching the seams at the center. Press the last seam open. Each measures 7¼″ (6¾″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew a quarter-square triangle unit and a section together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Join the halves
Sew the two halves together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam open. The block measures 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 quarter-square triangle unit
Sew the Background B and Dark B triangles together in pairs along a short edge, then join the pairs, matching the seams at the center. Press the last seam open. Each measures 9½″ (9″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew a quarter-square triangle unit and a section together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Join the halves
Sew the two halves together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam open. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).
Blocks like it
More like this: Four-patch quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
Its 8 × 8 grid lands on the ⅛″ marks at 6″, 9″ and 12″, so every piece measures with a ruler at all three. It also cuts cleanly at 4″, 7″, 8″, 10″, 14″, 15″, 16″ and 18″. In Quarter Inch you can make it any size, and it says when a cut falls between the lines.
Can I paper piece it?
Yes. It splits into 4 sections (A, B, C and D), each sewn on its own paper in order and then joined with straight seams. In Quarter Inch, the Foundations tab prints its papers at true size (with Quilter).
Is it a good block for a beginner?
It’s an intermediate block: 32 pieces in 2 different shapes and 13 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.