Boat and Music Block Tutorials

I want to thank everyone who has been so eager to help make quilt blocks for two very deserving children.

The goal of this blog post is to share links to some completed blocks, ideas for other blocks that would work well, and at the end of the post I have a couple of quick tutorials for a block that would work for each quilt. I hope that between the original post where I requested quilt blocks and the content of this post, inspiration will strike you! Please continue to leave comments or email me with any questions that might arise.

Boat and Piano Keyboard Block Tutorials

Paper Piecing Patterns

If you love to paper piece, how about a free 6-inch by 6-inch sailboat block pattern? And sticking with the paper piecing theme, here is a free download from Craftsy for a 7-inch by 7-inch music note block pattern.

Inspiration Blocks

Renee @Quilts of a Feather quickly whipped up 2 quilt blocks, and in particular check out the improv piecing she used around a fussy cut mermaid center for the sea themed quilt:

Sea Themed Quilt Block

Sam @Diary of a Madfabriholic made a beautiful improv music / blue block.

One 7×10 music/blue/black themed block

So along with paper piecing ideas that match the theme, fussy cutting a focus fabric and surrounding that panel with other coordinating colors could be a great way to create a quilt block. Below are two quick tutorials for some simple pieced blocks that would also be welcome additions to the quilts.

Simple Half-Square Triangle Boat Block Tutorial

The goal of this tutorial is to create a boat block just like the inspiration block that was made.

Sailboat Block

Fabric Needed:

1. (1) 6.25-inch square background / sky fabric (blue) [A]
2. (2) 6.25-inch square sailboat fabrics (teal) [B1, B2]
3. (1) 2.5-inch by 10-inch rectangle (gray) [C]

Piecing Instructions

Step 1 – Cut fabrics A, B1, and B2 diagonally from corner to corner

Step 2 – With right sides together, sew a quarter inch seam allowance to combine fabrics A and B1 and A and B2 to create (2) half-square triangles (HSTs). You will have one left over triangle from B1 and B2.

Step 3 – Press seams open

Step 4 – Trim the half-square triangles to 5.25-inches square

Step 5 – Sew the HSTs together, joining along the edge of fabrics B1 and B2

Step 6 – Press seams open

Step 7 – Sew the assembled HST block from Step 6 and fabric piece [C] together

Step 8 – Press seams open

Step 9 – Trim to 10-inches wide by 7-inches tall (note this will mean trimming from rectangle C but leave the HST side alone to preserve your point for piecing!)

Piano Keyboard 7 x 10 Block Tutorial

I think that the music themed quilt blocks might be the hardest to come up with ideas, so I whipped up this fun and fast piano keyboard block, and if others are created a longer chain of the blocks can be put together in a longer stripe to fill out the keyboard!

Piano Keyboard Quilt Block

Fabric Needed:

1. (4) 1.5-inch wide by 5-inch long white rectangles [A]
2. (3) 1.25-inch wide by 5-inch long white rectangles [B]
3. (5) 1.25-inch wide by 5-inch long black rectangles [C]
4. (1) 3-inch wide by 10-inch long white rectangle [D]

Piecing Instructions

NOTE: I used a “fat quarter inch” seam allowance to sew together the piano keys (top portion of the block). To do this, I nudged my needle one position to the left and sewed as if I were going to create a normal quarter inch seam allowance. If you are unable to move your needle to the left, simply sew a normal quarter inch seam allowance and trim as necessary.

Step 1 – From left to right, sew together the piano key pieces: A-C-B-C-A-A-C-B-C-B-C-A

Step 2 – Press open seams

Step 3 – Trim to 4.5-inches tall by 10-inches wide

Step 4 – Using a normal quarter inch seam allowance, sew the trimmed piano key block from Step 3 and fabric piece [D]

Step 5 – Press open seams

Step 6 – The block should measure 7-inches tall by 10-inches wide

Tips and Tutorials Tuesdays

Linking up with Tips and Tutorials Tuesdays @Late Night Quilter.