Patchwork & Quilting Course for Beginners: Make a Double Irish Chain Quilt

What you'll learn

Learn the age-old art of patchwork and quilting with our handcraft short courses in Sydney!

Have you always admired patchwork quilts but thought they might be too difficult to tackle? Well, this could just be the class for you!

Patchwork quilts are a beautiful expression of heart and home. Sewn by machine, a personalised quilt made for a family member or friend can become a sentimental heirloom to be cherished for years to come.

In this Patchwork and Quilting course, students will work on their own project using the 'Double Irish Chain' quilt pattern, which is a timeless pattern dating back to the early 1800s. Its popularity has endured until today, as it provides limitless possibilities using only 3 fabrics. This quilt is much easier to construct than it looks, making it the ideal 'beginner's quilt'!

Students will be guided by their experienced tutor in every step of the process including measuring, cutting and binding their quilt together. This Patchwork and Quilting class is limited to 10 places, which enables the tutor to give each student plenty of one-to-one guidance and instruction.

You'll go home with a beautiful, completed patchwork quilt ready to be treasured or given as a thoughtful gift to a loved one. You'll also gain the confidence to start your own patchwork quilt projects at home.

Join us to learn about this timeless craft, and bring your creative visions to life, alongside fellow Patchwork and Quilting enthusiasts!

Course content

What will be covered in this Patchwork & Quilting course?

Lesson 1:

How to safely use a rotary cutter, quilting ruler and cutting mat to cut all your fabrics quickly, accurately and with ease.
How to accurately sew straight and accurate ¼” seams.
How to iron the seams correctly to give beautiful results.
How to match your seams accurately.

Lesson 2:

How to create the individual blocks required for the quilt, and how to sew these blocks together to create the quilt top.

Lesson 3:

How to measure and attach your border fabrics.
How to “sandwich” your quilt in preparation for quilting.

Lesson 4:

Ideas for quilting your quilt.
How to bind your quilt.
And finally, how to label your finished creation.

Please note: your finished quilt will be 'lap size' (or 'cot size') measuring 40" x 49" (101.5cm x 124.5cm), however your tutor will provide information on how to easily enlarge the pattern to enable students to eventually expand this quilt to King Size if desired.

Intended audience

Who is this patchwork & quilting course for?

This course is not a beginner's Sewing course. Prior experience using a sewing machine is required for this course. As there may be some home sewing required, access to a machine for home use is recommended.

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd on the grounds of St. Joseph's Church)

Course materials

What you will need to bring to class?

Sewing machine - Whilst the College has Singer sewing machines available for students to use, it is strongly recommended that students bring their own machines to class if possible. However, please DO NOT bring your sewing machine if coming by public transport.
36” x 24” self-healing cutting mat
6.5” x 24” quilting ruler
48mm rotary cutter (with a sharp blade)
Quilting pins
60” quilting tape measure
Sharp fabric scissors
Cheap paper scissors
Quick Unpick (or Seam Ripper, or Awl)
2 Singer bobbins (if using a college sewing machine)
A pack of universal sewing needles
A large reel of matching, good quality Cotton sewing thread (eg., Guttermans; Aurifil or Mettlers). Please do not buy the cheap thread from the Dollar stores as it tends to create a lot of lint in the machines and is not strong enough to produce a long-lasting quality quilt!

Fabric and Wadding requirements

Your tutor will provide these details well before course commencement.

Inspiration...

For inspiration on fabric colour combinations, it is strongly recommended that students search for “Double Irish Chain” quilts on Pinterest to gain an idea of the colours and fabric patterns you might like for your quilt.

Course testimonials

Christine said: Sylvia is a delightful and patient teacher. Thank you
Catherine said: The teacher was amazing with her knowledge, sill and experience in all aspects of sewing, not just patchwork. I have done many courses and this by far was the best I have attended. I am confident with my new knowledge to go on and make my next quilt at home. Highly recommend this course to anyone with sone sewing experience. The venue was great also and was easy to get to either by public transport or by car.
Sharon said: Our instructor, Sylvia, was fantastic! She was organised, gave clear directions and printed handouts, kept in touch by phone/email, monitored our progress with encouraging remarks, gave help when needed, and a lovely person as well!
Meegan said: Fantastic course! Sylvia is an amazing teacher - knowledgeable, patient and makes the whole experience fun. The final quilt is something I never thought I would be able to do!

Course tutors

This course has no current classes. Please join our waitlist and we will notify you when we have places available. Join waitlist for Patchwork & Quilting Course for Beginners: Make a Double Irish Chain Quilt