Combining a traditional Sawtooth Star with an Irish Chain block, makes for a fun, scrappy, quilt! This pattern is perfect to make as a group or bee quilt; in fact, the one you see above was made by the Maritime Modern Quilt Guild as a fundraiser for their first quilt show in 2024.
The quilt is simply a combineation of 10″ Sawtooth Star blocks and 10″ Scrappy Irish Chain blocks (10-1/2″ unfinished) in an alternating/checkerboard pattern. You can find the tutorials for these blocks here:
The key to putting this together successfully as a group is to have a unified colour palette, even if it’s a scrappy quilt. A limited palette — one to two hues plus a background colour — will be enough for an effective design. The variety and interest will come in the different fabrics that folks use.
Providing some physical or digital swatches to your participants will be important in having a cohesive quilt. For example, if you want a blue and white quilt, you will need everyone to use the “right” shades of blues (not too green/teal and not too purple/violet).
This non-traditional Christmas colour combo is a favourite — just pink and bright/lime green:
Another tip: It’s really important to use a scant 1/4″ seam allowance when making your blocks, so they end up being 10-1/2″ square. Your bee mates will be thankful that the blocks across the group measure the same. What is a scant 1/4″ seam allowance? Check out what you need to know here.
Here are the number of blocks you will need for a given size of quilt. Note that the size designations (Baby, Lap, etc.) are my own definitions of these sizes. Different quilt pattern designers and fabric and batting companies will have different sizes. For these numbers, I am always starting with an Irish Chain block at the top left corner.
| Dimensions | Sawtooth Star | Irish Chain | |
| Baby | 40″ x 50″ | 10 | 10 |
| Lap | 50″ x 50″ | 12 | 13 |
| 50″ x 60″ | 15 | 15 | |
| 60″ x 60″ | 18 | 18 | |
| Large Throw | 60″ x 70″ | 21 | 21 |
| Small Twin | 60″ x 80″ | 24 | 24 |
| Twin | 70″ x 90″ | 32 | 31 |
Left to right: Baby (40″ x 50″), 50″ x 50″, 50″ x 60″.
I have a jelly roll and 5 inch squares. If I have only 5 inch squares ….not 5-1/2″for the centers of the sawtooth block which would finish at a 9 inch block, how would I change the scrappy Irish Chain to make it work? Could I still use 2-1/2 inch squares? Would I have to add something to the stars to make it a 10″ square block? Thanks!
Hi Barbara – I think the simplest way to use your 5″ squares is to cut them into 2-1/2″ square and use them in the scrappy Irish Chain portions, not that Sawtooth Star. It would be tricky to try and make them conform to the pattern — more struggle than it’s worth!