March Shamrocks and Irish Chains Completed

In my previous post I compared a kit option versus using my own fabric selection coupled with a pdf pattern. Loss of flexibility in design freedom is offset by the convenience of a kit. Once the top is assembled, however, this distinction vanishes when it comes to the FMQ. Here is how I FMQ'd the featured blocks and the sashing and borders that surround them on the Shabby Fabrics Pieceful Patchwork banner for March.

SHAMROCKS
I did nested hearts internal on each of the three leaves using the 5" heart from Amanda Murphy's Good Measure Every Heart 2 Set of 3  and the 2½" heart from Amanda Murphy's Good Measure Every Heart 1 Set of 3. I put scallops along the stem, using my HandiQuilter Mini Scallop Ruler. The leaves still looked a bit naked so I added scallops also along their perimeter. I struggled with what to do with the background and decided on stippling. I do not so well with stippling, so I guess that means I could use the practice. The areas surrounding the shamrock were small enough, so I gave it a try in those triangular spaces, and it worked out OK.

IRISH CHAINS
I used the 3" heart from Amanda Murphy's Good Measure Every Heart 2 Set of 3 template for the four lobes of the diamond. To echo the concept of Irish Chains, I used the outer diameter of the 4"circle from Amanda Murphy's Good Measure Every Circle Set of 5 templates to make the arcs of my chain smooth on the two diagonals. In the background area I did parallel lines to echo the shape of the diamond using my Angela Walters Slim straight ruler.

BORDERS and SASHING
Initially I was going to put scallops in the border as I had in the shamrock blocks but scallops seemed on too small a scale for the space. Instead, I stitched two rows of half circles with the 1.5" side of my HandiQuilter Multi-Clamshell ruler, the smallest side. Collecting rulers from different brands, I appreciate that Angela Walters and Amanda Murphy rulers have both white and black markings. I do wish HandiQuilter would adopt this design. It really does promote better visibility.  

In the sashing, I really wanted those leprechaun eyes to peek out, so I free-hand stitched straight lines under each pair of eyes and no where else in the sashing. For the horizontal sashing I waved the lines a bit to look like an undulated water surface in case the little green guys were hiding in a pond, or wavy like mild hilly terrain, in case the leprechauns were tucked behind mounds of dirt.

BACKING
For the backing I had one yard of a bold lime green and white stripe that I had been saving to use in some clever diagonally mitered situation ... an opportunity that never seemed to arise. I repurposed the stripe for a happy backing. even cutting is crosswise for the hanging sleeve. I used my domestic Pfaff to  machine embroider my usual labels on grosgrain ribbon. This time, however, the unimaginative —  but accurate — name was so long, I needed to use two length of ribbon to make it. In retrospect, I should have named the banner something shorter and more clever, like Leprechaun Levity for example. But staying with the custom of the other banners, it stayed at Shamrocks and Irish Chains. The label with my initials, the year, and intended month for the banner is in one lower corner. The label with the quilt name is in the the lower corner.

COMPLETED BANNER
I have a spot right next to the entrance to my sewing room where I can easily trade out a banner each month. Here is the March banner Shamrocks and Irish Chains displayed. I am going to keep it up for a while since the April banner stole some of its time in March. I am all set to be in sync for May and June, though, since those banners are already completed.

Here are my completions thus far for this series from Shabby Fabrics.

• JAN    Snowmen and Snowflakes (2/10/26)
• MAR  Shamrocks and Irish Chains (4/6/26 this post)
• APR   Bunnies and Carrots (3/6/26)
• MAY   Roses and Pansies (9/11/25)
• JUN    Strawberries (9/6/25)
• AUG    Bees and Sunflowers (9/21/25)

I still have six yet to start: February (a pdf not a kit), July, September, October, November, December. I may not do them in month order, but rather in the order of which colors I am in the mood for. Sometimes, with my quilting, I am more productive if I listen to my heart, rather than my mind.