Blue Ocean Waves

Inspired by "Shadow Play" from Designer Jan Ragaller

Quiltmaker: Laura Boehnke

• 1 yard total assorted cream prints (blocks)
• 1-5/8 yards total assorted blue prints (blocks, border, binding)
• 1-1/3 yards total assorted aqua prints (blocks, border)
• 2-7/8 yards backing fabric
• 51" square batting

Finished quilt: 44-1/2" square

Finished block: 8" 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.

From cream prints, cut:

• 8--6-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 16 large triangles total
• 56--2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 112 small triangles total (16 sets of seven triangles to match each large triangle cut above)

From blue prints, cut:

• 5--2-1/2x42" binding strips
• 7--6-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 14 large triangles total (four will be used for border corners)
• 35--2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 70 small triangles total (10 sets of seven triangles to match each of 10 large triangles cut above)

From aqua prints, cut:

• 16--6-1/2x8-1/2" rectangles
• 5--6-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 10 large triangles total (four will be used for border corners)
• 21--2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 42 small triangles total (6 sets of seven triangles to match each of six large triangles cut above)

1. For one block, you'll need one large triangle and seven small triangles from the same cream print, and one large triangle and seven small triangles from one blue or aqua print.

2. Join a cream print and blue or aqua print small triangle to make a small triangle-square (Diagram 1). Press seam toward blue or aqua print. The small triangle-square should be 2-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four matching small triangle-squares.

3. Referring to Diagram 2, sew together small triangle-squares and remaining cream and blue or aqua print small triangles in rows. Press seams toward triangle-squares. Join rows; press seams in one direction.

4. Sew cream print and blue or aqua print large triangles to opposite edges of Step 3 unit to make an Ocean Waves block (Diagram 3). Press seams toward large triangles. The block should be 8-1/2" square including seam allowances.

5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 to make 16 Ocean Waves blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out blocks in four rows, noting direction of seams. Sew together blocks in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row.

2. Join rows to make quilt center. Press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 32-1/2" square including seam allowances.

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each blue print 6-1/2" square.

2. Referring to Diagram 4, align a marked blue print square with left-hand end of an aqua print 6-1/2 x8-1/2" rectangle; note direction of drawn line. Sew on drawn line, then trim excess, leaving 1/4" seam allowance. Press open attached triangle to make a border unit A. The border unit still should be 6-1/2x8-1/2" including seam allowances.  Repeat to make eight total of border unit A.

3. Repeat Step 2, placing marked square on right-hand end of aqua print rectangles, to make eight total of border unit B (Diagram 5).

4. Join a remaining blue print large triangle and an aqua print large triangle to make a large triangle-square (Diagram 6). Press seam away from aqua print. The large triangle-square should be 6-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four large triangle-squares total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, join two each of border units A and B to make a short border strip. Press seams open. Repeat to make four short border strips total.

2. Sew large triangle-squares to ends of two short border strips to make long border strips. Press seams toward short border strips.

3. Sew short border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward border.

1. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste. Quilt as desired.

2. Bind with blue binding strips.