Rail Fence Quilt Variations

Rail fence quilts are quick and easy to make, but they don’t have to be boring.

These ideas will get you started designing your own quilt with rail fence blocks. For more inspiration, check out the Rail Fence Inspiration Workbook.

Layout one – Just the block

Traditionally rail fence quilts are made by alternating the orientation of the blocks in horizontal and vertical.

If the strips in the block go from light to dark, it will result in steps going down the quilt, but obviously there are other options.

Layout two – With alternate blocks

Adding plain alternate blocks makes an interesting quilt, and it is a quick and easy way to make your quilt larger.

With rail fence blocks, there are two different ways that alternate blocks can be used. You can add them and still have your rail fence block in alternating orientations …

or you can keep all the rail fence blocks in the same orientation.

Layout three – On point

Turning blocks on point always makes an interesting quilt.

Layout four – On point with alternates

If you add alternate blocks on point, there are a lot of different looks you can get.

There are many more ways to use the rail fence, but this will get your ideas flowing.

Tutorial

See how to make the rail fence block.

Want colouring pages to play with colour and design your own rail fence quilts? Get the Rail Fence Inspiration Workbook.