Two-Color Irish Chain Quilt-Along - Week 3

Welcome to week 3 of the Two-Color Irish Chain Quilt-Along!

The Checkerboard Block is made up of two different sections.

Section A is comprised of two color 1 (dark green) squares and three color 2 (white) squares.  

There are three A sections per Checkerboard Block.

Section B is comprised of three color 1 squares and two color 2 squares.

There are two B sections per Checkerboard Block.

All of the squares are cut at 2½”.

This week we will be sewing, pressing and cutting the A sections.

I would give yourself approximately 3-4 hours this week to accomplish this assignment.

SECTION A:

TWIN: make 96

QUEEN: make 123

STRIPS NEEDED FOR A SECTIONS

TWIN:

12 strips, 2½” x WOF (color 1)

18 strips, 2½” x WOF (color 2)

             

QUEEN:

16 strips, 2½” x WOF (color 1)

24 strips, 2½” x WOF (color 2)

Chain-piecing is a time-saving quilting technique similar to an assembly line.  

You repeat a single sewing step for all the blocks of a quilt without cutting threads 

between each section until after you are done with that step.  It creates a "chain" of pieces 

and saves time and thread.  Here are some chain-piecing tips to help speed things along...

1. First, using a 1/4" seam allowance sew pairs of color 1 and color 2 strips together.  

For the Twin quilt, sew 12 pairs together.  For the Queen quilt, sew 16 pairs together.

2. Next, sew 2 of those strip sets together (alternating colors) 

to make a larger strip set consisting of 4 strips.  For the Twin quilt, make 6 large strip sets.  

For the Queen quilt, make 8 large strip sets.

3. Finally, sew a color 2 strip to a large strip unit, alternating colors.  

Repeat until you have 6 large strip sets (consisting of 5 strips each) 

for the Twin quilt and 8 for the Queen quilt.

 Press the seam allowances toward the dark fabric.

TIP: When strip piecing, I like to "set the seam" first which means just going over 

each seam with a hot iron while the fabrics are right sides together.  Then open them 

and press the seam allowances toward the dark fabric. I've heard that helps the stitches 

to set into the fabric and I think it helps the strips/seams to stay put and not get wonky.  

Also, I would suggest not using steam here.  You don't want to stretch the fabric; you 

want everything to stay nice and straight. So press carefully. 

Then subcut your strip sets into 2-1/2" sections.

Cut one strip set at a time and you don't need to pay attention to the lines on your 

cutting mat for these cuts.  Just make sure your strips are straight underneath your 

ruler and square off one end of the strip set.

I'm right-handed so then I flip the strip set around so the straight edge is on the left side of my mat.  Cut sections in 2-1/2" increments.  Again, you don't need to pay attention to the lines on your mat.  Just use the lines on your ruler as guides.  Make sure the strips are straight underneath your ruler.  If they start to get really crooked just square off the end of the strips and start again.

SECTION A:

TWIN: make 96

QUEEN: make 123

That's it!

Let me know if you have any questions.