Checkers and Rails Two Color Quilt

I love collecting quilt books with pictures of antique quilts.   I find it interesting that so many of them have a modern vibe.

In looking through one of those books last weekend, I ran across a quilt called Checkers and Rails. 

The quilt was made circa 1870 and was from Indiana.  It was a stunning quilt created with muslin and indigo fabrics -- just two colors.

Using the picture as inspiration, I decided to draft the quilt in Electric Quilt.  I also decided to try a modification of my first layout. 

Let me know which one you prefer.

Checkers and Rails Block

The pieced block in this quilt is a combination of two iconic quilt blocks:

• Checkerboard
• Rail Fence

Both can be modified by changing the number of columns and rows. 

And I am sure you have viewed quilts done just with rail fence blocks and just with checkerboard blocks.

​We will take this a step further, and combine both the checkerboard and the rail fence in a single block.

Checkerboard Quilt Block

Rail Fence Quilt Block

On the block worktable, set up a New Block>Pieced>EasyDraw.

Set the width at 3.75" and the height at 6".

Since we will be working with 3/4 inch finished strips (1-1/4" unfinished), set the snaps horizontal at 5 and vertical at 8.  Snapping options, just snap to grid.

Checkers and Rails Precision Tool Bar Settings

Draw vertical lines for the rail lines.

Use the grid tool with columns set to 2 and rows set to 8 for the checkerboard pieces.

Creating the Checker and Rails Block in EasyDraw

Color the block and add to sketchbook.

This is actually the only pieced block in the quilt.

​Super simple!

Checkers and Rails Block as drawn in EQ8

Checkers and Rails Quilt

Set up a New Quilt<On Point.

​On the Layout tab set the number of blocks at 3 horizontal and 5 vertical.

Set the Finished Size of Blocks at 6".

Set the Finished Size of Sashing at 3-3/4".

Can you guess where the block is going in the quilt?

Checkers and Rails Layout Tab

On the borders tab, create four borders:

• Border #1 - 1-1/2" Long Horizontal
• Border #2 - 1-1/2" Long Horizontal
• Border #3 - 1-1/2" Long Horizontal
• Border #4 - 2" Long Horizontal
• Border #5 - 1/2" Mitered

​
In the video, I used "clone the selected border" to speed up the border creation process.

Checkers and Rails Layout Tab - On Point Layout

On the Layout tab, set the pieced block in the quilt using Control (PC users) or Command (MAC users).

Rotate the blocks so the checkerboard sections surround a square and the rail sections surround an adjoining square.

Finish coloring the quilt.

​Add to Sketchbook to save.

Checkers and Rails On Point Layout

Checkers and Rail Alternate Layout

Under Quilt Worktable Options, select Starting New Quilts.

Turn on "Keep current borders when start a new quilt" and select OK.  

Tip -- if you prefer to revert the setting to the 1" horizontal default, change this setting back after you complete the quilt.  Settings under Quilt Worktable Options will carry over to different projects.

Adjusting settings on the Quilt Worktable Options

Select New Quilt<Horizontal.

​On the Layout tab:

• Set the number of block horizontal at 3 and Vertical at 4.
• Under Finished size of blocks, turn on keep width and height equal and set the size of blocks at 6".
• Under Finished size of Sashing, turn on include sash border and keep width and height equal.  Set the size at 3.75.

After coloring the quilt, I chose to delete Border #1.

Checkers and Rails Layout Tab - Horizontal Layout

On the Design tab, set the Checker and Rail block in the sashing spaces. 

Rotate using Alt (PC Users) or Options (MAC users).

Finish coloring the quilt.

Delete Border #1.

​Add to Sketchbook to save.

Checkers and Rails Horizontal Layout

Watch the complete video tutorial here.

Which layout do you prefer?  Or do you have other ideas to modify this design?

​Share your designs in the Learning EQ Facebook post.

Checkers and Rails Learning EQ Facebook Post

Happy quilting.

​Kari

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