Irish Chain Quilt Tutorial: Jenny Doan's Classic Nine-Patch Chain Design
Few quilt patterns are as timeless and universally loved as the Irish Chain. This classic design creates a beautiful diagonal chain of color weaving across the surface of your quilt, and it looks far more complicated than it actually is. The secret? It's built entirely from simple nine-patch blocks and solid squares — beginner-friendly pieces that come together to create something truly elegant.
In this beloved tutorial with over 725,000 views, Jenny Doan walks you through every step of making an Irish Chain quilt using 2½-inch strips. Her strip-set method makes the cutting and piecing incredibly efficient, so you'll be amazed at how quickly this quilt comes together. Let's get started!
What Is an Irish Chain Quilt?
An Irish Chain quilt is a traditional patchwork design that features a chain of colored squares running diagonally across the quilt, set against a contrasting background. The pattern dates back centuries and comes in several variations — Single Irish Chain, Double Irish Chain, and Triple Irish Chain — each adding more complexity and visual depth.
Jenny's tutorial teaches the Single Irish Chain, which is the simplest and most beginner-friendly version. It alternates nine-patch blocks (a 3×3 grid of squares) with solid background squares of the same size. When you lay them out in a grid, the colored squares in the nine-patches line up diagonally, creating that signature chain effect that runs corner to corner across the entire quilt.
What You'll Need
🧵 Print/color fabric — enough for 2½-inch strips (about 1½–2 yards for a lap quilt). Shop fabric.
🧵 Background (solid) fabric — generous yardage for strips and solid squares (about 3–4 yards for a lap quilt). Shop fabric.
✂️ Rotary cutter, ruler & cutting mat — for cutting precise 2½-inch strips and segments. Shop rotary cutters.
📌 Pins — for matching seams in the nine-patch blocks. Shop pins & clips.
🔥 Iron and ironing board — pressing direction is crucial for nesting seams
🪡 Sewing machine with ¼" foot
Fabric tip: Choose a print with good contrast against your background. The chain effect relies on the colored squares standing out clearly. Bold colors against white or cream backgrounds give the most dramatic results.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cut 2½-Inch Strips
Start by cutting your fabrics into 2½-inch strips across the width of the fabric (selvage to selvage). You'll need strips from both your color/print fabric and your background fabric.
The exact number depends on your quilt size, but for a generous lap quilt you'll need roughly:
Color strips: ~10–12 strips
Background strips: ~16–20 strips (you'll also need extra for cutting solid squares)
Step 2: Make Two Strip Sets
The nine-patch block is built from two different strip sets. Each strip set is three 2½-inch strips sewn together along their long edges:
Strip Set A: Color — Background — Color (two colors on the outside, background in the middle)
Strip Set B: Background — Color — Background (two backgrounds on the outside, color in the middle)
Sew strips together with ¼-inch seams. You'll need twice as many of Strip Set B as Strip Set A (for example, if you make 13 of Strip Set A, make 26 of Strip Set B), because each nine-patch uses one A segment and two B segments.
Step 3: Sub-Cut Strip Sets Into Segments
Once your strip sets are pressed, take them to the cutting mat and sub-cut them into 2½-inch segments. Each segment will become one row of your nine-patch block.
From Strip Set A, each segment gives you a row of: Color | Background | Color
From Strip Set B, each segment gives you a row of: Background | Color | Background
You should be able to get about 16 segments per strip set. Keep the A and B segments in separate piles.
Jenny's strip-set method makes cutting nine-patch segments fast and accurate!
Step 4: Assemble the Nine-Patch Blocks
Now assemble your nine-patch blocks! Each block uses one A segment and two B segments, arranged like this:
Row 1 (B): Background | Color | Background
Row 2 (A): Color | Background | Color
Row 3 (B): Background | Color | Background
Because you pressed the seams in opposite directions on each strip set, the seams should nest together perfectly. Feel for the seams to lock into place, pin if needed, and sew with a ¼-inch seam. Press the block flat.
Step 5: Cut Solid Background Squares
For every nine-patch block, you'll need one solid background square of the same size (6½ inches unfinished, 6 inches finished). Cut these from your background fabric using your ruler and rotary cutter.
These plain squares alternate with the nine-patches in the quilt layout, creating the negative space that makes the chain pattern visible.
Step 6: Layout and Sew the Quilt Top
Lay out your blocks in a grid, alternating nine-patch blocks and solid squares in a checkerboard pattern. Every nine-patch should be surrounded by solid squares, and vice versa.
When you step back and look, you should see the diagonal chain of colored squares forming across the quilt! This is the magic moment. Adjust your layout until you're happy with how the colors flow, then sew the blocks together row by row.
Step 7: Sew Rows, Add Borders, and Finish
Sew the blocks into rows, pressing seams toward the solid squares (they'll nest nicely with the nine-patch seams). Then join the rows together, pinning at intersections for perfect alignment.
Add borders if desired — a simple frame in either your background or accent color sets off the chain beautifully. Layer with batting and backing, quilt as you like (straight lines, free-motion, or send it to a longarm quilter), and bind to finish!
Baby quilt: ~5 × 6 blocks (30 blocks total)
Lap quilt: ~7 × 8 blocks (56 blocks total)
Queen quilt: ~11 × 13 blocks (143 blocks total)
Pro Tips for a Beautiful Irish Chain Quilt
💡 Consistent ¼-inch seams are key: The nine-patch blocks need to finish at exactly 6½ inches unfinished so they match the solid squares. Do a test block first and measure!
💡 Press direction matters: Press seams toward the darker fabric in Strip Set A (outward) and toward the center in Strip Set B. This is what makes the seams nest together perfectly.
💡 Chain piece for speed: Don't cut threads between blocks — feed them through one after another in a chain. You'll save time and thread!
💡 Scrappy variation: Use multiple print fabrics instead of one — each nine-patch can feature a different print for a beautiful scrappy Irish Chain. Just keep the background consistent.
💡 Level up to Double Irish Chain: Once you've mastered the single, try the Double Irish Chain — it adds a second ring of color around each chain intersection for even more visual impact.