This ocean-themed quilt is perfect for your little pirate! Featuring both appliqué and simple pieced blocks, this fun quilt celebrates all things nautical. The Baby Lock Sashiko machine was used to achieve the look of hand quilting. Download printable instructions.

Materials:

• 1 1/8 Yards of 45" wide black pirate fabric
• 1 Yard of 45" wide blue cotton fabric
• 1/3 Yard of 45" wide pirate story squares for appliques (if this print is not available, consider using any fun fish print or ship print
• 1/4 Yard of 45" wide red/white dot cotton fabric
• 1/4 Yard of 45" wide white cotton fabric
• 1/8 Yard of 45" wide brightly colored striped cotton fabric
• 7/8 Yard of 45" wide multi-colored print cotton fabric for checkerboard
• 1 1/4 Yards of 45" wide cotton fabric for the backing
• Fusible webbing with paper-backing
• Gold colored Crayola crayon
• Temporary Spray adhesive
• Pressing cloth
• All-purpose thread
• Water soluble marking pen
• Batting
• Rotary cutting system

Tools:

• Baby Lock Sashiko Machine
• Baby Lock Crescendo sewing machine

Steps:

1. Begin with the center skull and crossbones block. Cut the following:

   1. One 7½” x 7½” square from the blue fabric

   2. Two 1¾” x 7½” strips from the black pirate fabric

   3. Two 1¾” x 10” strips from the black pirate fabric

2. Trace the templates for the skull and crossbones onto the paper-backed fusible webbing

   1. Fuse 1 skull, 2 bones and 2 eye centers onto the white cotton.

   2. Fuse the 1 kerchief, 1 nose and 2 eyes onto the black pirate fabric.

   3. Cut the patterns out from the fabrics.

3. Locate the center of the blue square by finger-pressing the square into fourths.

   1. To remove the paper-backing from the appliqués, gently score the paper with a pin and carefully remove the paper.

4. Place the appliqués on the blue square, centering the design within the square.

   1. Allow the kerchief to overlap the skull about 1/8”.

   2. Press the appliqués to the blue square.

5. At the sewing machine, stitch the appliqués along the outside edges using a narrow zigzag stitch with a short length and matching thread.

6. To make the skull and bones appear “dirty”, gently color around the outside edges with the gold crayon.

   1. Heat set the crayon to the fabric using an iron on the cotton setting.

   2. Cover the appliqué with a pressing cloth and press, allowing the iron the stay in place for 7-9 seconds, melting the crayon into the fibers.

   3. This will be washable and dryable on a low setting.

7. For the four blocks with the small pirate story blocks on them cut the following:

   1. Four 10” x 10” blue cotton blocks

   2. Sixteen 3½” x 3½” pirate story squares.

8. Find the centers of the four blue blocks by finger-pressing the blocks into fourths

9. Spray the back of each story square with temporary spray adhesive.

   1. Arrange four squares onto each 10” x 10” blue square. Allow 1” between each of the story squares.

10. To stitch the story squares in place, begin by stitching around each square twice with a zigzag stitch in red.

    1. The setting for the first zigzag will be 3.5 width and .6 length; the second zigzag will be 4 width and .4 length.

    2. The finial row is stitched with blue thread using a blanket stitch, settings are 4 width and .3 length.

11. For the four “X” Marks the Spot blocks, cut the following:

    1. Four 6” x 6” white fabric squares; cut these squares across both diagonals to create 16 triangles.

    2. Sixteen 2” x 5 ½” strips from the red/white dot

    3. Four 2” x 2” squares from the black pirate fabric

    4. Eight 2” x 7” strips from the black pirate fabric

    5. Eight 2” x 10” strips from the black pirate fabric

12. Stitch one 2” x 5½” strip to the right and left side of one 2” x 2” square. Repeat this for a total of four strip sets. Set aside.

13. With the remaining twelve 2” x 5½” strips, sew one triangle to the right side of the strips. Press the seam to the dotted fabric.

14. Stitch another triangle to the left side of each strip unit. Press the seam to the dotted fabric.

15. Stitch the blocks together by sewing one triangle unit to each side of the strip unit made in step 13. Press the seams towards the dotted fabric.

16. Trim the blocks to 7” x 7”.

17. To finish the blocks, stitch one 2” x 7” black pirate strip to each side of the blocks and press the seams.

    1. Next, stitch one 2” x 10” black pirate strip to the top and bottom of the blocks and press.

18. Lay the blocks into three rows of three blocks each. Place a pieced “X” block in each corner and the skull and bones in the center.

19. Sew the blocks into rows and press the seams towards the “X” blocks and skull and bones blocks.

20. Sew the rows together and press.

21. Cut the borders as follows:

    1. Blue fabric = two 2½” x 29”, two 2½” 33”

    2. Bright stripe fabric = two 1” x 33½”, two 1” x 34½”

    3. Black pirate fabric = two 4” x 34½”, two 4” x 41½”

22. Sew the borders to the quilt and press.

23. Layer, baste, mark quilt design and quilt.

24. Quilting was done on the Baby Lock Sashiko machine.