Quilt block · Checks and chains · Intermediate

Broken Irish Chain quilt block

A light field set on point, large squares and small, crossed by chains of small dark squares on point that break before they reach the corners.

FamilyFive-patch

Grid10 × 10

Shapes4

Pieces41

Design with Broken Irish Chain Cutting at 6″, 9″, 12″

What to cut for one block

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

5 large squares, 10 small squares, 6 side triangles and 4 corner triangles

C5 squares 5⅝″then cut with template C
B10 squares 3⅛″then cut with template B
D4 squares 3″then cut with template D
A6 rectangles 3″ × 1⅞″then cut with template A

⅝ yd

Dark · Navy in the picture

10 squares and 6 side triangles

B10 squares 3⅛″then cut with template B
A6 rectangles 3″ × 1⅞″then cut with template A

¼ yd

Between the lines. Broken Irish Chain cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″. At 12″ its quarter-square triangles' long sides are 2²⁄₅″, so they need templates.

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 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam: Background B piece to Dark B piece. Press the seam to one side.
Add 3 corner triangles
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Add 3 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
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 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 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam: Background B piece to Dark B piece. Press the seam to one side.
Add 3 corner triangles
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Add 3 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
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 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 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam: Background B piece to Dark B piece. Press the seam to one side.
Add 3 corner triangles
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Add 3 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
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 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).

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Questions

Short answers.

Something else? A real person replies.

hello@quarterinch.app

What size should I make it?

On its 10 × 10 grid, 6″, 9″ and 12″ put some pieces between the ⅛″ marks, so they need templates. It cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″.

Can I paper piece it?

Yes. It splits into 8 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H), 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: 41 pieces in 4 different shapes and 32 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.