Ships Ahoy!

Designer: Rhoda Nelson

• 1- 1⁄8 yards solid white (center block, star blocks, small boat blocks)
• 1⁄2 yard navy polka dot (center block, star blocks, middle border)
• 18×22" piece (fat quarter) blue large boat print (center block)
• 1⁄2 yard white polka dot (center block, inner border)
• 1⁄3 yard blue tone-on-tone (center block, sashing)
• 9×22" piece (fat eighth) blue wave print (center block)
• 1⁄3 yard blue small boat print (small boat blocks)
• 1 -7⁄8 yards white boat print (outer border, binding)
• 2-7⁄8 yards backing fabric
• 51×63" batting

Finished quilt: 441⁄2×561⁄2"

Finished star block: 3" square

Finished small boat block: 6" square

Quantities are for 44⁄45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics.

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the following order. Because the white boat print is a directional print, cut long outer border strips lengthwise (parallel to the selvages) and short outer border strips crosswise. Cut binding strips lengthwise, as well. Click on "Download this Project" above for pattern pieces.

From solid white, cut:

• 1--1-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" rectangle
• 3--1-1⁄2×14-1⁄2" rectangles
• 1--8-3⁄8×9-7⁄8" rectangle, cutting it in half diagonally for 2 extra-large triangles total (you will use 1)
• 1--6-7⁄8×8-3⁄8" rectangle, cutting it in half diagonally for 2 large triangles total (you will use 1)
• 1--3-7⁄8" square, cutting it in half diagonally for 2 medium triangles total
• 1--2×6-1⁄2" rectangle
• 1--1-1⁄2×8" rectangle
• 1--1-1⁄2×6 -1⁄2" rectangle
• 6--1-1⁄2×3 -1⁄2" rectangles
• 4--1×3-1⁄2" rectangles
• 35--2-3⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 70 small triangles total
• 70--2" squares
• 16--1-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 32 extra-small triangles total
• 32--1 -1⁄2" squares

From navy polka dot, cut:

• 2--1-1⁄2×42-1⁄2" middle border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2×32-1⁄2" middle border strips
• 1--3-1⁄2×8-1⁄2" rectangle
• 1--3-7⁄8" square, cutting it in half diagonally for 2 medium triangles total
• 16--1-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 32 extra-small triangles total
• 8--1-1⁄2" squares
• 1 of Pattern A

From blue large boat print, cut:

• 1--8-3⁄8×9-7⁄8" rectangle, cutting it in half diagonally (upper left-hand corner to lower right-hand corner for directional print) for 2 extra-large triangles total (you will use 1)

From white polka dot, cut:

• 1--6-7⁄8×8 -3⁄8" rectangle, cutting it in half diagonally (upper right-hand corner to lower left-hand corner, if substituting directional print) for 2 large triangles total (you will use 1)
• 10--6-1⁄2" squares

From blue tone-on-tone, cut:

• 2--1-1⁄2×28-1⁄2" sashing strips
• 2--1-1⁄2×18-1⁄2" sashing strips
• 2--1-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" sashing strips
• 1--1×10-1⁄2" strip
• 1 of Pattern B

From blue wave print, cut:

• 1--5-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" rectangle

From blue small boat print, cut:

• 35--2-3⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 70 small triangles total
• 20--2" squares

From white boat print, cut:

• 3--6-1⁄2×42" strips for outer border (cut crosswise)
• 2--6-1⁄2×44-1⁄2" outer border strips (cut lengthwise)
• 5--2-1⁄2×44-1⁄2" binding strips (cut lengthwise)

1.    Sew together a solid white medium triangle and a navy polka dot medium triangle to make a medium triangle-square (Diagram 1). Press seam toward navy polka dot. The triangle-square should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second medium triangle-square.

2.    Referring to Diagram 2, join medium triangle-squares to navy polka dot 3-1⁄2×8-1⁄2" rectangle to make boat bottom unit. Press seams toward rectangle.

3.    Referring to Diagram 3, join a solid white extra-large triangle to a blue large boat print extra-large triangle to make a right-hand sail rectangle. Press seam toward blue triangle.

4.    Sew solid white 1-1⁄2×8" rectangle to bottom edge of right-hand sail rectangle. Then sew blue tone-on-tone 1×10-1⁄2" strip to left side edge of sail rectangle to make a right sail section (Diagram 4). Press seams toward added rectangles.

5.    Referring to Diagram 5, join solid white and white polka dot large triangles to make a left-hand sail rectangle; press seam toward polka dot triangle.

6.    Join solid white 2×6-1⁄2" rectangle to bottom edge of left-hand sail rectangle. Add solid white 1-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" rectangle to top edge to make a left sail section (Diagram 6). Press seams toward added rectangles.

7.    Referring to Diagram 7, join sail sections to make sails unit; press seam toward blue tone-on-tone strip. Join sails unit to boat bottom unit to make pieced boat. Press seams toward boat bottom.

8.    Referring to Diagram 8, sew a solid white 1-1⁄2×14-1⁄2" rectangle to top of pieced boat. Press seam toward solid white rectangle. Then sew solid white 1-1⁄2×14-1⁄2" rectangles to side edges of pieced boat. Join blue wave print 5-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" rectangle to bottom of pieced boat and solid white 1-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" rectangle to top edge to make center block. Press all seams toward added rectangles. The center block should be 16-1⁄2×20-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

9.    Using thread that matches appliqués and turning under seam allowances as you go, hand-appliqué A flag and B circle to center block (Diagram 8).

1.    Join a navy polka dot extra-small triangle and a solid white extra-small triangle to make an extra-small triangle-square (Diagram 9). Press seam toward navy triangle. The triangle-square should be 1-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 32 extra-small triangle-squares total.

2.    Lay out four extra-small triangle-squares, four solid white 1-1⁄2" squares, and a navy polka dot 1-1⁄2" square in three rows (Diagram 10). Join pieces in each row; press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to make a star block. Press seams in one direction. The star block should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight star blocks total.

3.    Sew blue tone-on-tone 1-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" sashing strips to top and bottom edges of center block (Quilt Assembly Diagram). Press seams toward sashing.

4.    Referring to Diagram 11, join four star blocks and three solid white 1-1⁄2×3-1⁄2" rectangles in a row, alternating blocks and rectangles. Press seams toward solid white rectangles. Sew a solid white 1×3-1⁄2" rectangle to each end of row to make a star block sashing row. Press seams toward solid white rectangles. The row should be 3-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second star block sashing row.

5.    Join star block sashing rows to top and bottom edges of center block (Quilt Assembly Diagram). Press seams toward blue tone-on-tone sashing strips.

6.    Sew blue tone-on-tone 1-1⁄2×28-1⁄2" sashing strips to side edges of center block (Quilt Assembly Diagram). Join blue tone-on-tone 1-1⁄2×18-1⁄2" sashing strips to remaining edges to make quilt center. Press all seams toward sashing strips. The quilt center should be 18-1⁄2×30-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

1.    Sew together a blue small boat print small triangle and a solid white small triangle to make a small triangle-square (Diagram 12). Press seam toward blue triangle. The triangle-square should be 2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 70 small triangle-squares total.

2.    Lay out seven small triangle-squares, seven solid white 2" squares, and two blue small boat print 2" squares in four rows (Diagram 13). Join pieces in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to make a small boat block. Press seams in one direction. The block should be 61⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 10 small boat blocks total.

1.    Sew together three white polka dot 6-1⁄2" squares and two small boat blocks, alternating squares and blocks, to make a side inner border strip (Quilt Assembly Diagram). Press seams toward polka dot squares. Repeat to make a second side inner border strip. Join side inner border strips to side edges of quilt center; press seams toward quilt center.

2.    Join three small boat blocks and two white polka dot 6-1⁄2" squares, alternating blocks and squares, to make a top inner border strip (Quilt Assembly Diagram). Press seams toward polka dot squares. Repeat to make a bottom inner border strip. Join top and bottom inner border strips to remaining edges of quilt center. Press seams toward quilt center.

3.    Sew navy polka dot 1-1⁄2×42-1⁄2" middle border strips to long edges of quilt center. Join navy polka dot 1-1⁄2×32-1⁄2" middle border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward middle border.

4.    Cut and piece crosswise-cut white boat print 6-1⁄2×42" strips to make:

• 2--6-1⁄2×44-1⁄2" pieced outer border strips

5.    Join lengthwise-cut white boat print outer border strips to side edges of quilt center. Sew pieced outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward outer border.

1.    Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste.

2.    Quilt as desired. Designer Rhoda Nelson machine-quilted a horizontal wave pattern across the quilt top.

3.    Bind with white boat print binding strips.