Has anyone ever worked on a ‘lattice chain’? I’m thinking I could easily strip piece one since there are 14 rows, 7 different when inverted from top to bottom. I enjoyed working on the double Irish, and if I’ve figured it right the alternating pressing should work since the bottom will be flipped round from the top that way.

Yeah, I know being a novice I might be overlooking something, otherwise why didn’t they do it this way? Like the second page says it wouldn’t take a lot of blocks to make a large quilt. Did I just figure a way to make a "three pin" quilt into a two?

http://www.quilterscache.com/L/LatticedIrishChainBlock.html

I may be out of my tree, but according to what I understand you said, I think it would work. Why not try it and see? I know Patrice can figure it out because she has the tools.

thanks for the compliment, norah, but please don't ask me. i'd never do that block the way marcia does. criminitly!!! that's a lot of extra, unnecessary cutting and piecing!

that block should be divided into four. 25 of the little white squares should be consolidated into one big square. i'm halfway through a sextuple irish chain using a similar method. (blocks have been done since november; just started assembling the top this morning.)

no matter how you do it, though, it's an excellent candidate for strip piecing.

but don't toss that third pin yet, steve. with or without SP, you must, must, MUST pay VERY close attention when you're setting up the strips. then proceed methodically as you assemble the subcut strips into blocks. SP saves a lot of time in creating the rows. However, because of all the different colors, it's very easy to get a row in the wrong place as you build the block. SP makes it easier still to lose track of which row gets pressed which way.

go in peace, and good luck, grasshopper. :P

As you might have guessed, I do a lot of reading of books on patterns for piecing.

I've read many a book/article saying "First you cut 2,754 blocks . 1326 of fabric A, 128 of fabric B, 651 of fabric C, and 649 of fabric D."

I don't think so.

And you look at the pattern, it takes four different stripsets, each with 12 strips in it. The whole thing can be cut out in a day, sewn in two.

Never think that because someone got it published, they know the best way to do it. It ain't so.

Keep on truckin' (and stay out of the rain)

tim in san jose

Thanks all; I think it will be just fine the way I'm thinking of handling it. A sextuple Irish chain, wow, Patrice you amaze me. I don't think I've ever seen such an item, is it something you thought up, have seen, or found a pattern for?

I need to finish quilting the double one for my brother before I decide for sure, but I'm thinking of doing it in reds, greens and whites as a Christmas gift for Mom. Also I might drop the squares to two inches cut to make it a more manageable size. Even that small the thing will be over 5 x 5-foot square without a border. Yikes, a bit big for a lap quilt! I wonder if dealing with squares an inch and a half cut is something I could work with?

Since this block has 14 rows, with the bottom and top being mirror images, I can strip piece the seven different sets, and given I need only nine blocks for the quilt it should be a snap. The neatest part is the pressing which falls into place when turned left to right for the bottom half, how cool is that?

I admit that reading a book on Irish chains is what got me thinking about this Tim. It’s nice to be able to apply the knowledge gleaned that’s for sure.

I am really likeing that pattern... looks like I might have a new project on the horizon.Thanks for sharing Steve.