Double Irish Chain B quilt block
The quiet partner in a Double Irish Chain — a large plain field with four small corner squares that complete the chain when four blocks meet.
Also known as Irish Chain (alternate block).
The alternate block is mostly open space, which is exactly the point: it gives the quilting a stage. Antique Irish Chain quilts often carry their most elaborate hand quilting in these plain blocks, with the pieced chain acting as a frame.
Double Irish Chain B cutting chart
Cut sizes include a ¼″ seam allowance: ½″ on squares and rectangles, ⅞″ on half-square triangles, and 1¼″ on quarter-square triangles. Pick a finished block size:
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Rectangle | 1¾" × 4⅛" | 2 | finishes 1¼" × 3⅝" |
| Background | Rectangle | 4⅛" × 6½" | 1 | finishes 3⅝" × 6" |
| Dark | Square | 1¾" × 1¾" | 4 | finishes 1¼" × 1¼" |
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Rectangle | 2¼" × 5⅞" | 2 | finishes 1¾" × 5⅜" |
| Background | Rectangle | 5⅞" × 9½" | 1 | finishes 5⅜" × 9" |
| Dark | Square | 2¼" × 2¼" | 4 | finishes 1¾" × 1¾" |
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Rectangle | 2½" × 6½" | 2 | finishes 2" × 6" |
| Background | Rectangle | 6½" × 10½" | 1 | finishes 6" × 10" |
| Dark | Square | 2½" × 2½" | 4 | finishes 2" × 2" |
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Rectangle | 2⅞" × 7¾" | 2 | finishes 2⅜" × 7¼" |
| Background | Rectangle | 7¾" × 12½" | 1 | finishes 7¼" × 12" |
| Dark | Square | 2⅞" × 2⅞" | 4 | finishes 2⅜" × 2⅜" |
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Rectangle | 3½" × 9½" | 2 | finishes 3" × 9" |
| Background | Rectangle | 9½" × 15½" | 1 | finishes 9" × 15" |
| Dark | Square | 3½" × 3½" | 4 | finishes 3" × 3" |
How it goes together
A plain centre with four corner squares. Traditionally pieced as a nine patch with oversized centre and side units so the corner squares land in the right place.
Tips
- Save your best quilting design for this block — it exists to be quilted.
- The corner squares must match the chain fabric exactly, or the chain breaks visually at every junction.
- Alternate strictly with block A, checkerboard fashion, and use an odd number of columns so the quilt starts and ends the same way.
How much fabric for a Double Irish Chain B quilt?
Yardage for a whole quilt of Double Irish Chain B blocks, computed the way the studio does it — every piece packed across a 40″ usable width with 10% added for waste.
| Quilt size | Blocks | Finished | Top fabric | Backing | Binding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baby 36×48 | 12 | 36" × 48" | Background 1½ yd · Dark ⅜ yd | 2½ yd | ⅜ yd |
| Throw 60×72 | 30 | 60" × 72" | Background 3½ yd · Dark 1 yd | 3⅞ yd | ½ yd |
| Queen 90×108 | 72 | 96" × 108" | Background 8¼ yd · Dark 2⅛ yd | 8¾ yd | ⅞ yd |
What it looks like in a quilt
A single block only tells you half the story. Set sixteen of them together and the secondary pattern appears where the blocks touch:
Double Irish Chain B questions
Why is the alternate block mostly plain?
It carries the quilting. In a chain quilt the pieced blocks make the graphic and the plain blocks make the texture.