Checkerboard on Point Quilt Tutorial

This Checkerboard on Point Quilt tutorial came about because I wanted something fast to make. And that didn’t look like it was fast to make!

Actually, that statement sums up about 89% of my quilting. 

Approximately.

I started this quilt with a whole bunch of blues in navy, medium, and light, plus teal. 

Side note, is teal a blue or a green?

I tried to make sure that the lightest of the blues was still distinctly different than the white background fabrics. Then, I added in some darker and lighter grays too, for variety.  And because I needed more yardage than I had on hand in just blue.  But mostly, variety.

You know, because I am so thoughtful about planning ahead instead of making it up as I go…

All of these various blues and grays will be called “blue” throughout the tutorial.

Rather than solid backgrounds, I really like using black prints on white fabric background fabrics.  I include a variety of prints.  It’s so much more interesting to look at! And, perhaps, a little better at hiding stains when the quilt has been in use for years.

Making Checkerboard Quilt Blocks

Cut fabric into 3½” strips.  My quilt finishes at approximately 55” by 68” and used 19 white and 22 blue strips.  This quilt size also needs 7 2½” strips for binding. 

Make a larger or smaller quilt with more or less strips of fabric.  I used yardage so my strips measured 42” inches; fat quarters and/or scraps could also be used.

Cut 30 squares that measure 3½” from the blue fabrics. Set aside for later steps. Then, sew the remainder of the blue strips to white strips and press towards the blue fabric. 

Remember, when I say “blue” I mean “variety of blues and grays”.

Sub-cut the strips at 3½” to make pairs that measure 3½” by 6½”. Make 208 total.  The last few pairs may be scrappier due to previously cutting blue squares to set aside.

Most of the checkerboard on point quilt look comes from actual checkerboard quilt blocks.

To make these, sew two of the pairs together, alternating the blue and the white. 

Make 96 total checkerboard quilt blocks, and you will still have 16 pairs to use for a later step.

Edge Pieces Needed to Set a Checkerboard on Point

These checkerboard quilt blocks would be great as they are, if you were making a square or rectangular quilt.  Just sew them together into rows and have a quick quilt top.

But this tutorial is for a checkerboard on point quilt, and so some extra pieces are going to be needed to make the edges around the diamond quilt blocks.

What does it mean to make a quilt block “on point”? 

Well, the block construction happens just like regular quilt blocks, but when it comes time to make them into rows, you turn the block 45* so that it becomes a diamond instead of a square.

There are three different edge pieces needed for this quilt; top/bottom, side, and corner blocks.

Top and Bottom Blocks

The top and bottom blocks are made in the same way and are interchangeable. 

Orient a checkerboard block so that a white square is in the upper right corner and place a single blue square above it.

Sew the blue square to the quilt block and press towards the blue square.  Make 12 total.

Side Blocks

To make the side pieces (left and right are interchangeable), you are going to use the remaining pairs that didn’t get sewn into quilt blocks and most of the remaining single blue squares.

Orient the pairs so that the white square is on top and place a single blue square to the right.

Sew the blue square to the pair and press towards the blue square.  Make 16 total.

Corner Blocks

The corner pieces (you actually only need two!) are made by sewing the last two blue squares to the other side of two of the side pieces that you just made. 

I forgot to take a picture of the placement of the single blue square to the larger unit before sewing them together, but this is what the corner units look like.

Making a Checkerboard On Point Quilt – Quilt Top Tutorial

Now that you’ve got all of the pieces made, it’s time to make a Checkerboard On Point quilt!

Rather than rows or columns, this quilt goes together on the diagonal.  Putting the pieces together starts in the upper left with a single corner block.  The second corner block will be used in the bottom right of the quilt and turned as a mirror image.

The second diagonal doesn’t use any regular blocks but is only a top/bottom block sewn to a side block.  Again, the lower right includes a diagonal made in this same way as the upper left and turned 180*.

Then, two blocks, a top/bottom block and a side block.  As before, make a second set like this and put it in the third diagonal from the bottom right.

Continue in this way, adding two blocks to each successive diagonal, and making two of each, one for the upper left half of the quilt and one for the lower right.

Make seven total diagonals and seven mirror images.  The eighth, final and middle diagonal, does use any top/bottom pieces but has a side piece on each end.

Once the diagonals are all laid out, they will be sewn together the exact same way you sew together columns or rows.

And then, baste, quilt and bind as desired.

I used a blue flannel backing and one of the blue prints from the blocks for my binding.

Along with some other quilts, this one is available in the Etsy shop.

Quilt Photography

I’m working on finding great quilt photography locations in my new backyard.  I like the fence option used here, but I’m not convinced it’s the best.

I have living room floor space too, and that involves pushing the couch out of the way and rolling up the carpet.  Unfortunately, I have very little overhead light in the living room.  There is a sliding glass door to the backyard, so there are periods of the day with great natural lighting, but often at an angle too harsh for quilt photographs.

I know I will figure it out within the space available to me but I have to ask, how and where do you take your quilt photos?

Look at that fun blue quilting! It’s a variagated blue thread so sometimes it’s a dark navy that really pops on the white squares and sometimes it’s the lightest blue that only shows on the darker fabrics.

{Pin 1}