Easy and fun to make, the Chandelier quilt is very popular. Use 5″ charm squares, jelly roll strips and backgound fabrics to make this 8-1/2″ finished block.
The blocks are set on-point. Medium to medium dark fabrics mak up the accent squares and light, low volume prints make the background fabrics. Click on image to enlarge.
This is the origial version with the small and large squares in each block of the same fabric.
Choose a scrappy look by making all the squares from different scraps of charm squares and Jelly Rolls
Another scrappy version with sashing and scrappy cornerstones.
The Chandelier Quilt Block
The Chandelier block is made using squares in two sizes, the accent fabrics and rectangles in two sizes, the background fabrics.
The 4 patches are shown here as A, B, C and D. Cutting diagrams for the patches are shown below.
The Chandelier Quilt Calculator gives results for rotary cutting and Accuquilt cutting. Pre-cuts are great for making this block. The calculator results will tell you how many patches you need for your project.
Rotary Cutting
Cut the Patch A and C rectangles from jelly roll strips or yardage or use various light and low volume scrap prints. Use 5″ charm squares for patch D or cut your own. The Patch B squares can be made from sraps of jelly roll strips or cut from scraps.
For cutting strips of just about any size, the Stripology Ruler from Creative Grids is a great rotary cutting tool.
For the patch A and C rectangles, first cut the 7″ or 5″ strips. Next, subcut the 2-1/2″ segments. all cuts are easily and accurately made with the Stripology Ruler
AccuQuilt Cutting
There are several die options for AccuQuilt cutting.
- For the Patch A and C rectangles and Patch B squares, use the 2-1/2″ strip cutter to cut strips. Subcut the strips into 7″ or 5″ segments. To subcut the patch C segments, use any of the 5″ square dies or the 5″ strip cutter:
Cut the Patch D fabrics with the 5″ dies as well.
The Chandelier Quilt Calculator
First determine how many blocks you need for your quilt. Then return here to see how much fabric you need for the Chandelier Quilt Blocks.
Step One – Design Your On-Point Quilt
Use the On-Point Quilt Calculator to design and size your quilt. The link opens this calculator in a new window so you won’t lose your place here. In that calculator, enter the finished block size as 8.5. If you wish to add sashing, cornerstones or borders, do so in the On-Point Quilt Calculator app.
The results from the On-Point Calculator include the number of blocks you need. There are further instructions on that page for using the calculator including how to obtain fabric information for the side and corner setting triangles.
Step Two – Use the Chandelier Calculator
First, in the calculator below, choose your piecing method. Next, enter the number of blocks from your Step One results.
NOTE: Although we take great care to get the information, numbers and calculations right, we are not responsible for errors on this platform. It is strongly suggested you make test cuts and test piecing before cutting your entire project.
Step Three – Cutting the Fabric
Strip Piecing Option
As you can see, the results from this calculator give you fabric requirements and cutting instructions for the four patches in this block. Instructions always start with cutting strips then sub cutting the strips into segments.
If you look at the results for Patch A and Patch B, you see the number of strips to cut is the same. This is a great time to use strip piecing instead of cutting and sewing individual segments.
Each strip can be from a different fabric or several strips from several fabrics. The cutting instructions give you the total number of strips needed. Just make sure you have that many strips for your project.
The strip piecing option replaces Step 2 in Piecing the Chandelier Quilt Block.
Sew the Patch A strips to the Patch B strips. Press toward the accent fabric
Sub cut the strip set into the segments required. From a full width of fabric you will get 16 segments.
Using What You Have
Many of us have lots of scraps, pre cut fabrics and various width of fabric cuts. Consider these options to make use of the fabric you already have:
- For scrappy options, use leftover 5″ charm squares. Count out the number you need for your quilt.
- Use partial or full 2-1/2″ strips to cut the Patch B 2-1/2″ squares.
- Use layer cake or 10″ squares to cut matching sets of Patch B and Patch D squares. One layer cake will give you 2 sets.
- Use fat quarters to make scrappy or matching sets. From 1 fat quarter you can get 8 sets. Cut:
- 2 @ 5″ x 21″, sub cut 8 @ 5″ squares
- 2 @ 2-1/2″ x 21:, sub cut 18 @ 2-1/2″ squares.
To see what you can cut for various fabric amounts, check out The Quilt Fabric Charts – How Many Squares? calculator.
Piecing The Chandeleir Quilt Block
Piecing the Chandelier block couldn’t be easier.
- Sew a Patch C rectangle to 2 opposite sides of Patch D. Press toward the accent fabric.
2. Sew the A and B patches together as shown. Make 2. Press toward accent fabric.
3. Sew one Step 2 unit to the top of Step 1 unit and one Step 2 unit to the bottom of Step 1 unit to complete the block.
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Happy quilting!
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