Hive 3 September Tutorial - Scrappy Irish Chain

Hello bee mates

I am quite excited but a bit nervous that it is now my turn to post a tutorial in our bee hive. I have never done this before so I really hope it all works out and you can follow my instructions and love the block I am asking you all to make.

I have a rather large stash, lovingly curated over the past eight years and I have an awful lot of scraps. I have cut a few them up into squares and keep them in pretty jars. These are cut into 2.5 inch squares.

I fell in love with this lovely scrappy quilt called Super Scrappy Irish Chain by Melissa Corry of http://www.happyquiltingmelissa.com/

You can find her example and a tutorial here http://www.happyquiltingmelissa.com/2015/06/super-scrappy-single-irish-chain-finish.html (with Melissa's permission and blessings).

Melissa's cutting instructions are for a whole quilt. Below I list what you need for one block. If you scroll down her tutorial she has links to another helpful tutorial on making the four patches as a leader & ender project. She also includes instructions on how to sew the completed blocks together and layout options which I will do once I receive your blocks. So you don't need to make the sashing strips for me.

I would love a scrappy rainbow version of this quilt. I really like the colours in Melissa's example and would like something similar: red, pink, orange, yellow, blue, green, purple - essentially the colours of the rainbow. Modern bright clear colours please. The background can be of low volume/neutral scraps in white, tone on tone, off white and cream and a little bit of pattern and colour is also okay.  (please excuse my spelling of "colour - we use UK English in New Zealand).

So here is my sample block in pink. The block should measure 10.5 inches unfinished.

What you will need for one block:
- 9 x 2.5 inch scrappy fabric squares in a colour way e.g.  all yellow, all purple etc
- 8 x 2.5 inch squares in a neutral, low volume background - please see my example. Off white, light cream, tone on tone, with a little bit of colour if you want.
- 4 x 4.5 inch rectangles in a neutral, low volume background - please see my example. Off white, light cream, tone on tone, with a little bit of colour if you want.

Here are my selections for my block laid out ready to sew.

You may note that once I had sewn it all into the block I got some of the placement round a different way...oh well, stuff happens. I think as long as any directional fabric is considered and sewn the right way up, it should be fine. After all it is meant to be scrappy.

The following pictures are the sewing process I used. WARNING I tend to iron my seams open but I have shown a picture where you "spin your seams". There are plenty of tutorials online for how to do that. ALSO I leave my pins in when I sew and I know that is likely bad for my machine, but I am a little lazy and only occasionally hit a pin.

Chain piecing the four patches.

Four patches all in a row.

Spinning the seams.

Sewn layout  progress shot.

The back of my finished block showing the seams mostly ironed open but with one four patch with the seams spun.

And the finished block.

It would be great if you could all comment on my IG post of my completed pink block what colour you plan to do so I get a lovely variety of colours. @helenmalanquilter

Happy sewing and I really look forward to seeing your blocks.

Helen