Sailing Ships

Inspired by Lost at Sea from designer Annette Plog

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 1⁄4 yard green print (inner border)
• 7⁄8 yard green-and-pink print (outer border)
• 1⁄2 yard orange print (binding)
• 1 yard solid cream (blocks)
• 1-1⁄2 yards total assorted orange-and-pink prints (blocks)
• 3-1⁄8 yards backing fabric
• 56" square batting

Finished quilt: 48" square

Finished block: 6" square

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

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

(Refer to Cut and Assemble Blocks to cut remaining fabrics.)

From green print, cut:

• 2--1-3⁄4×39" inner border strips
• 2--1-3⁄4×36-1⁄2" inner border strips

From green-and-pink print, cut:

• 5--5×42" strips for outer border

From orange print, cut:

• 5--2-1⁄2×42" binding strips

These instructions result in two matching Lost Ship blocks. Repeat cutting and assembly instructions to make 36 Lost Ship blocks total. Cut pieces in the order that follows.

From solid cream, cut:

• 1--4-7⁄8" square
• 5--2-7⁄8" squares

From one orange-and-pink print, cut:

• 1--4-7⁄8" square
• 5--2-7⁄8" squares

1. Use a pencil to draw a diagonal line on wrong side of each solid cream 4-7⁄8" and 2-7⁄8" square.

2. Layer marked solid cream 4-7⁄8" square atop orange-and-pink print 4-7⁄8" square. Referring to Diagram 1, sew together with two seams, stitching 1⁄4" on each side of drawn line. Cut pair apart on drawn line to make two large triangle units. Press open each triangle unit, pressing seam toward orange-and-pink print, to make two large triangle-squares. Each large triangle-square should be 4-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

3. Using solid marked cream 2-7⁄8" squares and orange-and-pink print 2-7⁄8" squares, repeat Step

2 to make 10 small triangle-squares (Diagram 2). Each small triangle-square should be 2-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

4. Referring to Diagram 3, sew together two small triangle-squares in a vertical row; press seam toward bottom of row. Add vertical row to right-hand edge of large triangle-square. Press seam toward large triangle-square.

5. Referring to Diagram 3, join three small triangle-squares in a horizontal row; press seams toward right-hand end of row.

6. Add horizontal row to top edge of large triangle-square to make a Lost Ship block. Press seam open. The block should be 6-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

7. Repeat steps 2–6 to make a matching Lost Ship block.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out Lost Ship blocks in six horizontal rows.

2. Sew together blocks in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to complete quilt center; press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 36-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

1. Sew green print 1-3⁄4×36-1⁄2" inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center (Quilt Assembly Diagram). Add green print 1-3⁄4×39" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border.

2. Cut and piece green-and-pink print 5×42" strips to make:

• 2--5×48" outer border strips
• 2--5×39" outer border strips

3. Sew short outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long 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. Handi Quilter educator Marie Eldredge machine-quilted a cluster of feathers over each circular motif in the outer border (Quilting Diagram). She highlighted the large triangles and small cream triangles in each Lost Ship block with simpler feathers and connected the triangles with stitched arcs. By using two layers of batting and not stitching in the orange or orange-and-pink small triangles, Marie made those areas stand out.

3. Bind with orange print binding strips.