Sew an easy, adorable Sailboat Quilt!
Ahoy, matey! Nautical-themed quilt? No problem. This easy sailboat quilt is sewn using a sail boat quilt block. This charming nautical quilt is a perfect addition to a nautical-themed bedroom or nursery, a beach or lake house or as a gift for someone who enjoys sailboats and sailing.
![Sailboat Quilt Tutorial - fb]()
The quilt uses a classic quilt block, the sailboat block. The quilt finishes at 33″ x 36″ but it is resizable to accommodate any size bed or make as a baby/toddler play mat.
I made this quilt as a community service project for our quilt guild. The guild is donating small quilts to Comfort Cases. Comfort Cases provides a bag for kids who are in foster care to use to carry their belongings when they move from one house to another. A blanket or quilt is included in the bag so they have an item of their own. Please read more about this great organization by clicking the link.
New to quilting? Check out our Beginner Quilting Series for a simple quilt using five-inch patchwork blocks. Or scroll to the end of this article for more easy quilts to sew.
With these tutorials, learn more about and how to make a sailboat quilt by watching our video or keep reading this post.
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HOW TO SEW A SAILBOAT quilt pattern QUILT![Sailboat Quilt]()
SAILBOAT QUILT FABRIC CHOICE
This nautical quilt design is brimming with colorful sailboats. Have fun choosing the fabric for the multicolored boats. The sailboat block can be a fabric scrap stash buster since the boats and sails can be any color.
For the background fabric and binding, choose fun navy or blue fabrics - solid or print. The fabric I chose was a print with light-colored circles that look like water bubbles.
In addition, a fabric is needed for the border. Before purchasing fabric, check your fabric stash, as I did, and use a fabric that compliments the sailboat blocks. For my quilt, I chose a red fabric as a border accent.
And the last fabric needed is material for the back of the quilt.
STEP 1: HOW TO MAKE THE SAILBOAT QUILT BLOCK
This sailboat quilt is made by piecing together 9 sailboat blocks. The block is made up of half square triangles and rectangle pieces. To piece the sailboat blocks use our FREE sailboat block pattern with one revision which will be explained later. Above in the supplies section is a link to the free pattern for the sailboat quilt block tutorial.
This is the original sailboat block pattern. ![Sailboat Quilt - Block sample 1]()
When making this maritime quilt, the sailboat block is made without the bottom horizontal 3" x 10 1/2" piece of fabric.
Below is an example of the block that will be used to make this quilt. ![Sailboat Quilt - Block sample 2]()
Construct nine sailboat blocks in whatever color combination you want. The boats can be different colors (as I did) or can be all one color. The sails also can be one color or more than one color.
STEP 2: SEW ROWS OF SAILBOAT BLOCKS TOGETHER
After completing the nine sailboat blocks, sew them together into three rows of three blocks.
To do this, lay the sailboat blocks on the work surface in an attractive color arrangement. Carefully take one row of blocks to the sewing machine in the order you want them sewn together.
At the sewing machine attach the quarter-inch piecing presser foot. Sew the row of sailboat blocks together using a 1/4" seam allowance. Repeat with the other two rows.
With an iron, press the seams flat by pressing them to one side.
A quarter-inch piecing presser foot is an essential tool for quilters. Interested in purchasing a quarter-inch presser foot, Amazon has many at reasonable prices just be sure to purchase one that fits your sewing machine.
STEP 3: ADDING HORIZONTAL SASHING
Horizontal sashing strips are used to sew the rows together and also on the top and the bottom.
Cut Horizontal Sashing Strips From The Background Fabric:
4 - 3" x 30 1/2" strips
Do you have trouble with the quilt ruler slipping and sliding while you’re running the rotary cutter along the ruler’s edge? Here is a tutorial on how to make a quilt ruler into a non-slip quilt ruler.
![Sailboat Quilt - Closeup]()
Sew as follows:
1) With right sides together, pin one horizontal sashing strip along the top and bottom of the first sailboat block row and sew using a 1/4" seam.
2) With right sides together, pin the next row of sailboat blocks to the bottom sashing strip of the last sewn piece and stitch with 1/4" seam.
3) Sew on another sashing.
4) Sew on the last row of sailboat blocks.
5) Finally, sew one horizontal sashing strip to the bottom.
6) Press the seams to one side. Preferably the darker fabric.
The main section of the quilt is completed.
STEP 4: ADDING BORDER
A border is a strip (or strips) of fabric sewn around the outside edge of a quilt. For this sailboat quilt, the border adds a pleasing accent.
![Sailboat Quilt - Top Closeup]()
To make the border complete the following instructions.
From Border Fabric Cut:
2 - 2" x 33" strips
2 - 2" x 33 1/2" strips
1) Pin and sew one 2" x 33" strip to each side of the quilt.
2) Pin and sew one of the 2" x 33 1/2" strips to the top and one of the 2" x 33 1/2" strips to the bottom of the quilt.
The quilt top is finished.
STEP 5: COMPLETING SAILBOAT QUILT
![Sailboat Quilt - Bottom Closeup]()
Layer the quilt, quilt it and bind it.
There are various methods for layering, quilting and binding a quilt. There are many tutorials available. These may be helpful:
Quilt Sandwich (Layer and Pin Baste)
Machine Quilting Tutorial
Basics of Hand Quilting
How to Tie a Quilt
How to Sew Binding on a Quilt
Use our binding calculator to figure out the number of strips to cut to create the binding for this quilt.
The finished size of the quilt is 33" x 36". However, you can customize the size by adding more sailboat blocks across the row, adding more rows down the quilt or adding additional borders.
I am extremely pleased with the way this quilt turned out. This quilt layout is so easy and so much fun, I hope that you have as much enjoyment creating this quilt as I did.
Happy Quilting
![Annette's Signature]()
![Sailboat Quilt - Sailboat Quilt Pattern]()
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions about this project, contact us through the YouTube Video
comments or our Contact Us page. We respond to questions in e-mails and YouTube comments regularly.
DIY Quilt Tutorials
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