Using strip piecing - Rail Fence

By Spotlight

Strip piecing eliminates the need to work with small individual pieces of fabric & can save lots of time when making quilts with complex blocks. The basic technique involves cutting strips, stitching them together & cutting them into units which are stitched together into blocks.

Final Result

Materials

• light, medium & 1 dark flat fat 1/4's (plain or printed)
• matching Gütermann cotton thread
• rotary cutter, mat and quilters rulers
• quilting pins, tape measure
• scissors, seam ripper
• sewing machine with 1/4” foot

Step 1

The classic design of the Rail Fence Quilt Block lends itself to a variety of patterns and colors. The method is to stitch the fabrics together in the same order. Finished block size is 8 1/2” using 3 fabrics - light, medium and dark.

Cut 1 x 2” strip from each fabric.

Step 2

Sew a light strip to a medium strip. Join a dark strip to the medium strip sewing from the opposite end. Press the seams in one direction, towards the dark fabric.

Step 3

Place strip set face down on the cutting mat and cut 4 x 5” squares.

Step 4

Arrange squares to create rail fence block and stitch together.

Note

All fabrics should be 100% cotton, washed & pressed. 1/4” seam allowance used throughout unless otherwise indicated. Read all instructions carefully before commencing the quilt blocks.

Note

All strips are cut across the width of the fabric. When cutting the strips add 1/2” to the finished size of strip (i.e. 2” strip cut 2 1/2”). Stitch alternate rows in the opposite direction to prevent the set from distorting.