Hi all!
I’m Lisa from Love to Color My World and I’m here today to share a tutorial with you to make a jumbo-sized checkerboard!

Jumbo Checkerboard with HeatnBond Liquid Vinyl

My family loves to play games–board games, card games…you name it, we’ll play it! We recently attended an outdoor event where we played giant-sized games like Jenga and Yahtzee. I thought it would be fun to make a quilted checkerboard! By adding Liquid Vinyl to the board and pieces, we can even play it outside. I used a Layer Cake (10″ precut squares) of black and white fabric so I could have some scrappy variety for both the board and the checkers.

You’ll Need:
1 Layer Cake of black and white 10″ squares (I used Benartex’s Domino Effect)
1/4 yard or fat quarter each solid red and blue (I used Benartex’s Superior Solids)
1-1/2 yards black/white print for backing and binding
HeatnBond Lite Iron-On Adhesive
HeatnBond Fusible Fleece
HeatnBond Liquid Vinyl
Pressing Paper

My Supplies:

Click here to download the circle templates.

Cutting:
From the layer cake:
Cut (8) 10″ squares in half twice to make (32)  white 5″ squares
Cut (8) 10″ squares in half twice to make(32) black 5″ squares
Reserve (12) squares for making the checkers

From the black and white yardage:
(4) 2-1/4″ x WOF strips for binding
(1) 42″ square piece for backing

From the Fusible Fleece:
(1) 40″ square piece
(12) 5″ x 10″ pieces

Making the Checkerboard

Step 1 Lay out the (64) 5″ squares into (8) rows of (8), alternating black and white. Here are the first four rows of my layout.

Step 2 Sew the squares into rows, pressing toward the black fabric.

Step 3 Join the rows together, nesting the seam allowances so your seams align.

Finished Checkerboard quilt top

Step 4 Layer the backing right side down and adhere Fusible Fleece to it. Use basting spray to adhere the checkerboard top to the opposite side of the fusible web. Quilt as desired – I stitched straight lines 1/4″ from each seam line using black thread.

Step 5 Trim backing and batting even with the quilt top. Use the (4) 2-1/4″ x WOF black and white strips to bind the checkerboard.

Making the Checkers
Step 1 Trace (24) of the smaller circle onto the paper side of the fusible web, leaving 1/2″ between circles. Fuse (12) circles onto solid red and (12) onto solid blue. Cut out each circle using pinking shears. Set aside.

Step 2 Fold (1) black and white 10″ square in half, right sides together. Trace the (2) of the larger circle onto the folded square. Layer the folded square on a 5″ x 10″ piece of Fusible Fleece and fuse to the bottom half of the folded square. 

Step 3 Cut a slit across the center of each traced circle, at least 1/4″ from the traced line. This is for turning the circle right side out. 

Step 4 Stitch around each traced circle (through all layers). Trim circles 1/4″ past the stitched lines. 

Step 5 Turn the checker right side out and press to flatten. Fuse a red or blue circle to the side of the checker with the slit, centering it.

Step 6 Repeat steps 2-5 to make a total of (12) red and (12) blue checkers.

Finishing
Following the manufacturer’s directions, apply Liquid Vinyl to each checker and the checkerboard and press to finish.

And you’re done!

Challenge your friend to a game of checkers! Good luck!