Quilt block · Checks and chains · Advanced
Federal Chain quilt block
Two checkerboard quarters run a diagonal chain from corner to corner, and in the other two quarters an octagon sits with a square and two triangles filling each of its corners.
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
16 squares and 8 triangles
- C8 squares 1¼″then cut with template C
- A16 squares 1⅛″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
2 octagons and 26 squares
- B2 squares 3½″then cut with template B
- A26 squares 1⅛″then cut with template A
Medium · Denim in the picture
16 squares and 8 triangles
- C8 squares 1¼″then cut with template C
- A16 squares 1⅛″then cut with template A
Between the lines. Federal Chain cuts cleanly at 5″ or 7½″. At 6″ its squares are ³⁄₅″, 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
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
16 squares and 8 triangles
- A16 squares 1½″then cut with template A
- C8 squares 1½″then cut with template C
Dark · Navy in the picture
2 octagons and 26 squares
- B2 squares 5″then cut with template B
- A26 squares 1½″then cut with template A
Medium · Denim in the picture
16 squares and 8 triangles
- A16 squares 1½″then cut with template A
- C8 squares 1½″then cut with template C
Between the lines. Federal Chain cuts cleanly at 7½″ or 10″. At 9″ its squares are ⁹⁄₁₀″, 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
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
16 squares and 8 triangles
- A16 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- C8 squares 1¾″then cut with template C
Dark · Navy in the picture
2 octagons and 26 squares
- B2 squares 6½″then cut with template B
- A26 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
Medium · Denim in the picture
16 squares and 8 triangles
- A16 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- C8 squares 1¾″then cut with template C
Between the lines. Federal Chain cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″. At 12″ its squares are 1¹⁄₅″, 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 Dark A pieces, a Medium A piece and 2 Background A pieces together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 Medium A pieces, 2 Dark A pieces and a Background A piece together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 2 sections
Sew 3 Dark A pieces and 2 Medium A pieces together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 2 sections, 3½″
Sew 5 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium C 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. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections, 3½″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Sew the units into 2 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 Dark A pieces, a Medium A piece and 2 Background A pieces together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 Medium A pieces, 2 Dark A pieces and a Background A piece together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 2 sections
Sew 3 Dark A pieces and 2 Medium A pieces together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 2 sections, 5″
Sew 5 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 5″ (4½″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium C 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. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections, 5″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side. Each measures 5″ (4½″ finished).
- Sew the units into 2 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 Dark A pieces, a Medium A piece and 2 Background A pieces together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 Medium A pieces, 2 Dark A pieces and a Background A piece together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 2 sections
Sew 3 Dark A pieces and 2 Medium A pieces together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 2 sections, 6½″
Sew 5 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium C 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. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections, 6½″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side. Each measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
- Sew the units into 2 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).
Blocks like it
Rocky Mountain ChainFive-patch · Checks and chains
Ozark TrailFive-patch · Checks and chains
Double Irish ChainFive-patch · Checks and chains
Single Chain and KnotFive-patch · Checks and chains
More like this: Checks and chains quilt blocks · Five-patch quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
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 18 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q and R), 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 advanced block: 76 pieces in 3 different shapes and 16 points to match. Practise the hard seams on scraps first. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.