Make an "Irish Change" Quilt with Jenny Doan of Missouri Star
Jenny Doan demonstrates how to make a gorgeous new version of the traditional Irish Chain quilt using 10 inch squares of precut fabric. For this project, Jenny chose Rue 1800 Layer Cake by 3 Sisters for Moda Fabrics. This pattern is perfect for showing off favorite prints because the 10 inch squares are left whole! The chains that criss crosses the quilt are made quick and easy with strip sets.
Instructor
Jenny Doan
Jenny Doan is an American quilter, author, and YouTube personality. Jenny started Missouri Star Quilt Company in 2008 and today it is the largest quilting supply vendor in the United States.
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Common Questions
What is covered in Make an "Irish Change" Quilt with Jenny Doan of Missouri Star (Video Tutorial)?
Jenny Doan demonstrates how to make a gorgeous new version of the traditional Irish Chain quilt using 10 inch squares of precut fabric. For this project, Jenny chose Rue 1800 Layer Cake by 3 Sisters for Moda Fabrics. This pattern is perfect for showing off favorite prints beca...
How long is the tutorial video?
The tutorial video is 00:08:55.
Are supplies listed for this tutorial?
Yes. The tutorial page includes the supplies and materials connected to this project.
Is a transcript available?
Yes. A written transcript is available on the tutorial page.
Video Transcript
Hi everybody, it’s Jenny from the MSQC. And this project I’m really excited about because we all have that fabric you hate to cut. It’s so beautiful, you hate to cut. And so let’s take a look at this quilt behind me. So this quilt, the only block you make is this block right here. These are all straight ten inch squares. We haven’t cut them, we haven’t done anything to them. We’re just making this block that chains in between the other blocks. And I’ve done it with strip piecing so it’s so quick and easy. So to make this quilt you’re going to need one package of ten inch squares and make them pretty because they’re going to show. We used Rue 18 Hundred by Three Sisters from Moda. And they always have those gorgeous florals in their fabrics. Then you’re going to need this background fabric right here. And for this background fabric, you’re going to need 3 ¾ yards of light and that includes the inner border as well. The accent fabric, which ours is this red right here, you’re going to need 1 ½ yards of that. Now our border is a nice big six inch border, 1 ¾ yards. And this quilt is so big so let me just explain. When you put, these are both ten inch squares, so I made the layer cake fit exactly to the other square. And when you put two, it’s like putting two layer cakes together. When you do, you get like a queen size quilt. So this quilt is like 100 ½ by 100 ½. So we had to fold it under to film. So here’s the border way back here. Isn’t that a beautiful border with that big floral? And then the back of this is also a floral. Now the back for 100 quilt you’re going to need 9 ¼ yards if you use 45. Now if you use 108 backing, you’ll need 3 ¼ yards so that sounds a little more doable. But it is a big quilt. So if you need a big quilt quick and you have fabric you don’t want to cut, this is the quilt for you.
So let me show you how to do this because this is really fun. The only block we’re making is this block that goes right in the middle and it’s all strip sets. So our first center block is going to be a four inch block and we are going to put two inches on either side. Now these are a little bit different sizes than we usually deal with because usually we’re dealing with pre cuts. But I wanted this block to actually match up exactly to the layer cake so to get it to be ten we had to fuss with our sizes a little bit. So this is two inches right here. Two inch outer strips and then a four inch block in the center. And I”m just going to clean up this side. And since this is my center I’m going to go over and cut four inches like this. So this is the middle of my block. Now you’re going to make three strip sets. One is going to be this center one, four inches in the center, two inch strips on either side. The next strip you’re going to make is going to be four inches of white in the center and two red 2 ½ inch strips. Let me show you how that’s going to look. So we’ve got this four inch white strip right here. And I”m just going to, off of my background fabric, I’m going to cut two inches, a two inch strip. And I know, you know, for most of us it’s like we’re always using 2 ½, 2 ½. And I’m just going to make a short one of these so that you guys can see how I do this.
So you’ll want to do the whole long strip because you’ll need them. But I’m going to like shorten mine and do two on either side just to show you how it goes together. So basically you’re going to attach one strip set to either side of your four inch middle. And I’m going to do that really quick here. So I”m just laying this on here, matching up my quarter of an inch. I’m going to pull these two out here, make sure that they’re lined up along the edge. And then I can sail down the side. Make sure I’m still lined up and I am. Alright now we’re going to come around to the other side. We’re going to sew that one on. Sew one two inch strip on either side of the four. That’s your first two strip sets. Oh I’ve got to line this back up. Alright now let’s press this open. So I”m just going to lay my one side, I’m going to roll it back like this. And I like to actually do one side at a time so I”m going to roll this one back. And then this one over here I’m going to roll back. But I’m going to make sure my seam is laying to the dark side. And this is how you’re going to make a strip set. So this is the first. This is your center one. Then this is the first one. Now these are all going to be cut two inches just like the edge. So I’m going to straighten this up right here. We’re going to straighten. This will be just my straightening piece. And then I’m just going to come over two inches like this. And I”m going to cut two of these for each block.
So then what we’re going to do here is we’re going to take our center that we just did and we’re going to put these on either side. And do you see how that’s going to come together so quick. So let’s stitch this first round. And then we’re going to add one more round to it. Alrighty, let me just make sure these match up. I like to nest these corners. You want to make sure your corners match up. Alright so now let’s go to the ironing board and press this back. And this is our first round done. Now for the second round, we’re going to need to put two seven inch strips on either side like this. But then our last strip is also a strip set. So then you have a seven inch piece in the middle, same two inch red strips on either side. And it’s going to make our block like this. So let me just sew these together. I’m going to sew the plain strips on first, seven inches by two. Two inches by seven. And then we’re going to sew that down. And then flip it around and do the other side. Now the other cool thing is that because you’ve ironed your strip set open those pieces are all, already ironed and laying nice and flat. Alright so I’m just going to kind of finger press these back like this and I’m going to add that last piece on here. And I just think this is such a cool idea because you can use any layer cake and it will automatically chain across the quilt. Alright let me make sure that’s lined up. And one more over here. Alrighty.
And that’s it you guys. This is that whole block. And this is what you get. Isn’t that darling? And this block makes the whole quilt. So here’s how it fits in here just like this. And you can see that when you put these right next to each other with a square in between it’s going to chain throughout the whole quilt. This really sets your fabric off and makes it look beautiful. So this quilt is nine across by nine down. 81 blocks. And it just goes together so fun. I love that it’s all strip sets. And we’re calling it the Irish Change because it’s a little bit of a twist on an Irish chain. And we hope you enjoyed this tutorial from the MSQC.
So let me show you how to do this because this is really fun. The only block we’re making is this block that goes right in the middle and it’s all strip sets. So our first center block is going to be a four inch block and we are going to put two inches on either side. Now these are a little bit different sizes than we usually deal with because usually we’re dealing with pre cuts. But I wanted this block to actually match up exactly to the layer cake so to get it to be ten we had to fuss with our sizes a little bit. So this is two inches right here. Two inch outer strips and then a four inch block in the center. And I”m just going to clean up this side. And since this is my center I’m going to go over and cut four inches like this. So this is the middle of my block. Now you’re going to make three strip sets. One is going to be this center one, four inches in the center, two inch strips on either side. The next strip you’re going to make is going to be four inches of white in the center and two red 2 ½ inch strips. Let me show you how that’s going to look. So we’ve got this four inch white strip right here. And I”m just going to, off of my background fabric, I’m going to cut two inches, a two inch strip. And I know, you know, for most of us it’s like we’re always using 2 ½, 2 ½. And I’m just going to make a short one of these so that you guys can see how I do this.
So you’ll want to do the whole long strip because you’ll need them. But I’m going to like shorten mine and do two on either side just to show you how it goes together. So basically you’re going to attach one strip set to either side of your four inch middle. And I’m going to do that really quick here. So I”m just laying this on here, matching up my quarter of an inch. I’m going to pull these two out here, make sure that they’re lined up along the edge. And then I can sail down the side. Make sure I’m still lined up and I am. Alright now we’re going to come around to the other side. We’re going to sew that one on. Sew one two inch strip on either side of the four. That’s your first two strip sets. Oh I’ve got to line this back up. Alright now let’s press this open. So I”m just going to lay my one side, I’m going to roll it back like this. And I like to actually do one side at a time so I”m going to roll this one back. And then this one over here I’m going to roll back. But I’m going to make sure my seam is laying to the dark side. And this is how you’re going to make a strip set. So this is the first. This is your center one. Then this is the first one. Now these are all going to be cut two inches just like the edge. So I’m going to straighten this up right here. We’re going to straighten. This will be just my straightening piece. And then I’m just going to come over two inches like this. And I”m going to cut two of these for each block.
So then what we’re going to do here is we’re going to take our center that we just did and we’re going to put these on either side. And do you see how that’s going to come together so quick. So let’s stitch this first round. And then we’re going to add one more round to it. Alrighty, let me just make sure these match up. I like to nest these corners. You want to make sure your corners match up. Alright so now let’s go to the ironing board and press this back. And this is our first round done. Now for the second round, we’re going to need to put two seven inch strips on either side like this. But then our last strip is also a strip set. So then you have a seven inch piece in the middle, same two inch red strips on either side. And it’s going to make our block like this. So let me just sew these together. I’m going to sew the plain strips on first, seven inches by two. Two inches by seven. And then we’re going to sew that down. And then flip it around and do the other side. Now the other cool thing is that because you’ve ironed your strip set open those pieces are all, already ironed and laying nice and flat. Alright so I’m just going to kind of finger press these back like this and I’m going to add that last piece on here. And I just think this is such a cool idea because you can use any layer cake and it will automatically chain across the quilt. Alright let me make sure that’s lined up. And one more over here. Alrighty.
And that’s it you guys. This is that whole block. And this is what you get. Isn’t that darling? And this block makes the whole quilt. So here’s how it fits in here just like this. And you can see that when you put these right next to each other with a square in between it’s going to chain throughout the whole quilt. This really sets your fabric off and makes it look beautiful. So this quilt is nine across by nine down. 81 blocks. And it just goes together so fun. I love that it’s all strip sets. And we’re calling it the Irish Change because it’s a little bit of a twist on an Irish chain. And we hope you enjoyed this tutorial from the MSQC.
