New Irish Chain Quilt Block

From our Free Quilt Block Patterns Library

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Skill Level: Beginner

Our New Irish Chain quilt block is a variation on the Double Irish Chain.But instead of being drawn on a typical 5x5 grid, here we use a 9x9.

The block is assembled using traditional nine patch techniques...

..which greatly simplifies the process because there's only two units to construct.

You won't need any luck to make this New Irish Chain!

Let's get started.

Not quite the 'chain' block you were looking for?

Click here to find more blocks that form chain designs.

📋 General Instructions

If you need help printing this tutorial, you'll find it here.

These abbreviations are used on this page:

SA - seam allowance

RST - right sides together

Bac - Background fabric

SA are 1/4" and pressed towards the darker fabric unless otherwise instructed.

Pressing instructions are highlighted in yellow throughout the tutorial to make them easy for you to find. Nested SAs make matching seams so much easier!

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Click the images below to see the full collection. We share any commercial and/or free patterns that showcase them, too. (For inspiration, of course!)

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Step 1: Cutting patches for a New Irish Chain

New Irish Chain

Sample Size: 9" finished / 9½" unfinished

Grid: 9x9

Design Type: Irish Chain, Blocks that form Chains

Attributed to: American Woman

AKA: On the Square - Hearth & Home

The strips for Patches #1, #2 and #3 are cut a bit longer than needed so that you've got enough to straighten the edges.

As you play with the patchwork design, you might consider using a single dark fabric for #1 and then a variety of like-value, though different colors, for #2.

Have some fun scrapping it up!

			Cutting Chart for a New Irish Chain Quilt Block ~ Traditional Piecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size
Patch	Fabric	Qty	4½''	9''	13½''
1	Dark	2	1'' x 9''	1½'' x 13''	2'' x 17''
2	Med	3	1'' x 9''	1½'' x 13''	2'' x 17''
3	Bac	1	1'' x 9''	1½'' x 13''	2'' x 17''
4	Bac	4	1½'' x 2''	2½'' x 3½''	3½'' x 5''
5	Bac	1	2'' x 2''	3½'' x 3½''	5'' x 5''
Unfinished Block Size			5 ''	9½''	14''
Grid Size			½"	1''	1½''

Step 2: Creating the units for a New Irish Chain

Strip Sets

Make 1 each: #2/#1/#2 and #1/#2/#3

Since the same groups of patches are used in both the sides and 9-patches, we'll start with our strip sets.

With right sides together (RST), sew a #1 to a #2 strip. Repeat for a total of two pairs.

A 1/4" foot with a guide is perfect for sewing stripsets together. A perfect seam allowance every time!

Press with the SA toward the medium, #2 fabric to avoid shadowing later on. The medium for this sample block is the orange dotty fabric.

With RST, add a #2 to one pair so that the fabrics alternate—medium-dark-medium or #2/#1/#2.

With RST, add a #3 to the medium (#2) side of the remaining strip set so that you have a #1/#2/#3 or dark-medium-background fabric arrangement.

SA are again pressed toward the medium (#2) fabric.

Use the chart below to check that your sewn stripsets are the correct width. Make any adjustments now, if needed.

StripSet Widths
Finished Block Size	Stripset Width after stitching	SubCut Width
4½''	2"	1"
9"	3½"	1½"
13½''	5"	2"

Straighten one short edge of each stripset with your rotary cutter as shown below.

Position a straight line on your ruler directly over a seamline and trim away only enought to create a straight, even edge.

From the chart above, find your finished block size and corresponding 'Subcut Width'. Cut each into 8 segments.

For our 9" finished sample, the Strip Sets measure 3½" wide and are subcut into eight 1½" segments.

The units after subcutting the stripsets.

Remember, the SA are all pressed toward the medium (orange dot) fabric.

We're now ready to stitch the units for our New Irish Chain quilt block.

Nine Patches

New Irish Chain quilt block - nine patch units

Make 4

Arrange and stitch the subcuts as shown below, first joining one pair and then adding the third to it.

Arrange the subcuts for stitching into a nine patch.

The two SAs that join the subcuts are pressed toward the center so that they will nest with other SA.

The back of the finished nine patch after pressing the SA.

From the back you can see that all the seams are pressed toward the #2 or medium orange dot fabric.

Sides

Make 4

With RST, sew a #2/#1/#2 unit to #4 rectangle, repeating for a total of 4.

SA are pressed away from #4 to prevent shadowing.

Stitch a #2/#1/#2 to a #4 to create a side unit

Press the SA in the direction of the arrow, toward the #2 patches

Step 3: Assemble the New Irish Chain

Arrange your units into the Irish Chain design. The dark #1 patches all point in towards the center.

Lay out the units to form the block design

With RST, stitch the units in each rows together.

Press the SA toward the side units.

Sew the rows together. The SA in the nine-patches and sides nest. Pin if it helps you to keep them aligned—I do :D !!!

The finished New Irish Chain quilt block

Our New Irish Chain quilt block is finished!

More blocks that form chain designs

There are many patterns on this website that form chain designs just like this New Irish Chain. Each of them has either a four- or nine-patch in the corner to create the design.

Note, too, that sometimes it's all four corners. Other times it's only two diagonal corners. Then the chains run in only one direction through your quilt design.

Click any image below to go directly to instructions to make that block.

Click here for the Rocky Road to California quilt block tutorial

What about a different quilt block?

For a list of all the 220+ quilt block patterns on this site, start here.

If you know the name of the block, shorten your search by using these links:

A-D

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Click here if you're looking for blocks with at least some paper piecing.

Click here if you're looking for the basic building blocks of quilting, i.e., Flying Geese, half square triangles, quarter square triangles, etc., along with several techniques to make each.

And finally, use these links to find blocks in these finished sizes: