Steps To The Sea Quilt

Hello from Robin at Craft Sisters. It’s great to be back at the Bake Shop sharing a new quilt. The pattern is a simple log cabin block variation – Courthouse Steps and uses Deb Strain’s beautiful “Seascapes” Jelly Rolls and Panel. Thanks Deb and Moda for all the beautiful colors.  

1 Seascapes Panel 19610-12

1 Bella Solids Jelly Roll White 9900JR-98

2 Seascapes Jelly Rolls 19610JR

5 Yds. Backing fabric

Batting 79” x 85”

Just a note that one Jelly Roll will make six blocks.  This quilt could be made with 2 Jelly Rolls if you are OK without borders or smaller borders. I added the white, Bella Solid to get more contrast.  There are only a few light strips in the Seascapes Jelly Roll.

Step 1 – Cut the panel squares using a square ruler

Center a ruler over each letter and trim to 6-1/2” square 

Center a ruler over each shell and trim to 6” square

Step 2 – Separate the Jelly Rolls by color from light to dark.  Light strips were used at the top and bottom of the block, med for the left side, and dark for the right side. Strips were sewn, trimmed, and squared as I went instead of cutting all the strips for the blocks in advance. If you cut in advance, I recommend making one sample block before cutting everything. Everyone sews a little differently. 

6” long            2 light

9-1/2”              2 light, 1 med., 1 dark

13-1/2”            2 light, 1 med., 1 dark

17-1/2”            2 light, 1 med., 1 dark

21-1/2”            1 med., 1 dark

Step 3 – Block assembly   

One block uses 16 strips - 8 light, 4 med, 4 dark and a shell center square

The block finishes at approx. 21-1/2” square

a. Sew 1 light strip to the top and 1 light strip to the bottom of a shell square. Press 

b. Sew 1 med strip to the left side and a dark strip to the right side – Press

c. Continue adding strips in this way until the block is completed with 4 strips on each side of the center square.  Make 9 blocks

Step 4 – Lay out the blocks in rows of 3 in the color arrangement you like the best.

Step 5 – Sew the blocks in to rows.  Press

Step 6 – Sew the rows together.  Press

Step 7 – Borders

Use remaining strips and letters to make 4 borders.

a. Layout strips around the edges of the quilt, auditioning for color.  I chose to put white at the top, med down the left side, dark down the right side and the bottom. Pretty much like the block. Place the letters of the word Sea in different places in the border to see where it reads best to you, vertical, horizontal… 

b. Measure across the center width of the quilt top to get accurate border length for top and bottom.  Measure down the center length of quilt top for border length of sides. Start sewing strips together end to end diagonally as you do when sewing binding strips together. Trim, press and add as many as you need to get desired length. 

c. Sew 3 of these long strips together to make each border strip set and add letters to two of the 4 sets.

d. Sew the side borders to the quilt top – sewing from centers out.  Press seams out and repeat this step for the top and bottom borders.  Measuring and then sewing from the center out helps to avoid wavy borders and the quilt to lay flat.

Step 8 – Quilt and bind

I used a swirl pattern called “Nesting Waves” by Ellen Munnich for the quilting on this one. Use more of the remaining strips to bind your quilt.   

One beachy quilted throw of a generous size, approx. 73” x 79”

Hope you have fun making this one. Be sure to stop by my blog in the next few days and get your name in for the giveaway (Thanks Moda).  Leave a beach related comment and we’ll put your name in the hat for a beautiful Seascapes Jelly Roll. Thanks so much. Robin   Craftsisters.com

Robin Nelson
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