- Light (faded chambray)
- Medium (goldenrod)
- Dark (indigo)
Block No. 11 · Strip-pieced
Rail Fence Quilt Block
Also known as Roman Stripe (variation), Split Rail
Part of: Quilt Blocks Using Squares And RectanglesEasy Quilt BlocksQuilt Blocks For Beginners
The Rail Fence quilt block pattern groups parallel strips like the rails of a wooden fence. Turning adjacent strip units creates the familiar alternating direction, a traditional approach well suited to strip piecing.
- Level
- Beginner
- Grid
- 6 × 6
- Pieces
- 12
Chart
Cutting for a 12" block
6 × 6 grid. All cuts fall on 1/8" ruler marks. Unfinished block: 12 1/2".
| Fabric | Shape | Cut | Size | Then | Pieces used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Rectangle | 4 | 2 1/2" × 6 1/2" | Use as cut | 4 |
| Medium | Rectangle | 4 | 2 1/2" × 6 1/2" | Use as cut | 4 |
| Dark | Rectangle | 4 | 2 1/2" × 6 1/2" | Use as cut | 4 |
Method
Piecing steps
Step 1: Cut 4 light, 4 medium and 4 dark rectangles at 2 1/2" by 6 1/2". For speed, cut one strip of each at 2 1/2" wide and sub-cut.
Step 2: Sew a light, medium and dark rectangle together along the long edges in that order. Press toward the dark. Make 4 units measuring 6 1/2" square.
Step 3: Lay out the units in two rows: the top left and bottom right units horizontal, the other two turned vertical.
Step 4: Sew the rows, then join them. The block should measure 12 1/2".