Quilt Blocks for the Irish in you

St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching and perhaps you want to start a quilt for the occasion. (Okay, it won't be ready until next year if you start now -- but there is no better time than the present.)

These four quilt blocks will give you lots of ideas for that quilt. Use one or all of them. That is the beauty of quilting -- you decide how it all goes together.


First up is Danny Boy -- a beautiful Irish ballad. Some believe the song was meant as a father's message to a son going off to war. It was first recorded in 1915. Perhaps this quilt block might be fitting for a veteran in your life.

Danny Boy quilt block

Irish Puzzle is a four patch quilt block that will give you lots of practice making half square triangles -- in two different sizes.

Irish Puzzle quilt block

We have all heard of the "luck of the Irish" so, what better block to choose than Lucky Clover? This simple quilt block is comprised of only squares, rectangles and flying geese patches. Of course, once again I went with the obvious green for most of the fabric choices.

Lucky Clover quilt block

Lastly, the Connemara quilt block requires a little more work in that it uses more patches in the block. However, none of those patches are difficult so the block is well worth the effort to make.

 
A side note - Connemara is a region in Galway, Ireland and is known since ancient times for its green marble (one slab can contain over forty shades of green). This marble is used for a multitude of things from countertops to jewelry.

Connemara quilt block

<sub>All images © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com

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Almost time for the "wearing of the green"

With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate to feature the Irish Puzzle quilt block. Naturally, I have designed the block using green -- and an assortment of greens at that. However, by no means should you limit yourself to using only green for this block.

This quilt block is a four patch, repeating the same unit in all four quadrants of the block. I have deemed it as an intermediate level of difficulty, simply because you need to be precise in your piecing due to the number of pieces in the block.

Download the Irish Puzzle free quilt block pattern

More Irish Fun - Lucky Clover free quilt block pattern

Irish Puzzle

Irish Quotes

• "Beautiful young people are acts of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art."
  ~ Author Unknown


• "A dog owns nothing, yet is seldom dissatisfied."
  ~ Irish Proverb


• "A kind word never broke anyone's mouth."
  ~ Irish Proverb


• "Irish diplomacy is the ability to tell a man to go to hell so that he looks forward to making the trip."
  ~ Author Unknown

P.S. to my Irish Dad:
I hope you will be on the heavenly greens next Tuesday, playing a round of golf, and smiling down at us as we toast you on St. Patrick's day. You are missed.

_{'Irish Puzzle' image © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com
'Shamrock" image courtesy of debspoons at FreeDigitalPhotos.net}

Luck of the Irish

Lucky Clover

St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow, and so on that note, I thought it was appropriate to showcase the Lucky Clover quilt block, since the Irish are known to be a very lucky lot.

Although this quilt block is simple to make, it can create some very striking quilts. Check out the sample quilts illustrated in the free pattern.

I'll be wearing green tomorrow. How about getting your own Irish on?

Irish sayings or proverbs

• "Irish diplomacy is the ability to tell a man to go to hell so that he looks forward to making the trip."
  ~ Author Unknown


• "There are only two kinds of people in the world. The Irish and those who wish they were."
  ~Author Unknown


• "If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough!"
  ~ Author Unknown

_{Lucky Clover image  © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com
Shamrock/hat Image courtesy of Iamnee / FreeDigitalPhotos.net}