JuneBillie

I have been looking at the patterns for an Irish Chain Quilt, and want to make my first one. It's sounds like it would go well and quickly on the machine. I would also like to have something like this to work on of evenings when watching tv with my hubby, and wanted input from all of you folks if you think one would turn out ok using hand piecing? I am a new quilter especially for a bed size quilt.

Thanks

PenniF

There's absolutely no reason you can't piece it by hand....just keep your directions / graph near you and your pieces organized. Sometimes i think a hand pieced quilt can go together quicker than a machine stitched because you can work on it any time, any place you want. Something i do - because for me it's worth the time - i mark my 1/4" seam line on 1/2 of my squares so i can just sew on the line.
Good Luck. PS...don't forget to make yourself a "travel" kit so you can take some of it with you to work on at lunchtime or in the doc's office....

toverly

Missouri Star Quilt Co has a tutorial on the Irish Chain, I haven't watched it but it may be helpful to see their technique.

JuneBillie

toverly I have watched the tutorial on it by Missouri Star Quilt Co, and it's very good.

PenniF thank you for the encouragement on hand quilting. I am going to have to fix me a handy sewing kit to take with me wherever I go. I also like the idea of marking the 1/4" seam on the blocks.

NJ Quilter

Any quilt can be hand pieced! As PenniF mentions, just be sure to mark your 1/4" seams. Irish chain quilts are wonderful. Was actually the first quilt that I made - a double in a lap size for my grandmother. I happend to machine piece mine but did hand quilt it. And I've hand pieced others as well. Nice and portable.

RST

You can take a short cut on marking those 1/4 inch seamlines if you keep a roll of 1/4 inch masking tape in your kit. De-stick the tape a bit by taping it to your jeans a couple of times -- it will adhere perfectly on your piecing, yet come off without trouble, and you can re-use a strip multiple times. After doing a full bed-sized quilt by hand, you'll have such an eye and hand for 1/4 inch you may not need the tape anymore, except for possibly when doing tricky triangles.

NJ Quilter

Great suggestion and absolutely true!

MaryMo

Thanks RST for the idea of using 1/4 masking tape .... that makes it so simple!

I look forward to seeing your work in progress Susan! It'll be a great project.

Jackie Spencer

I have made 2 Double Irish Chain quilts by hand. They go together easily and pretty quickly too.

lynnie

have done by hand, I prefer by machine, much quicker. then I hand quilt in front of the tv. this way in my open spaes, I can do something nice. once I did boats, anchors, feathered hearts whatever to go with the fabrics, also flowers and such. it's a fun hand/machine project.