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Baskets & pictures · Confident beginner · 8" finished

8 inch Sailboat quilt block

Cutting chart, piecing steps and yardage for a Sailboat block that finishes at 8". The block is a 4 × 4 grid and each cell finishes at 2".

Finished block 8" × 8". Unfinished 8 1/2" × 8 1/2".

Cutting chart for one block

FabricCutSizeThen
Main1 square5 1/4" × 5 1/4"1 triangles (cut twice on the diagonal)
Main1 rectangle4 1/2" × 2 1/2"–
Main1 square2 7/8" × 2 7/8"2 triangles (cut once on the diagonal)
Background3 squares2 7/8" × 2 7/8"6 triangles (cut once on the diagonal)
Background2 squares2 1/2" × 2 1/2"–
Accent1 rectangle4 1/2" × 2 1/2"–
Accent1 square2 7/8" × 2 7/8"2 triangles (cut once on the diagonal)
Fabric 41 rectangle8 1/2" × 2 1/2"–

How to piece it

  1. Cut the pieces in the chart above. All measurements include a 1/4" seam allowance.
  2. Cut the squares marked "cut twice" on both diagonals. Each gives four triangles with the long edge on the straight grain: these are the large triangles in flying geese and hourglass units.
  3. Cut the squares marked "cut once" in half on the diagonal. Each gives two triangles. Sew them to their neighbours along the long edge first and press toward the darker fabric.
  4. Lay all the pieces out as in the diagram. The block is a 4 × 4 grid, and each cell finishes at 2". Sew neighbouring pieces into sections, then the sections into rows, pressing seams in opposite directions from row to row.
  5. Join the rows. The block should measure 8 1/2" now and 8" once it is sewn into the quilt.

Yardage for a quilt of 8" Sailboat blocks

Quilt sizeBlocksFinished sizeMainBackgroundAccentFabric 4Border & bindingBacking
Baby4 × 5 (20)38" × 46"5/8 yd3/4 yd1/2 yd1/2 yd7/8 yd3 yd
Lap5 × 7 (35)46" × 62"1 yd1 1/8 yd5/8 yd3/4 yd1 1/8 yd4 yd
Throw7 × 8 (56)62" × 70"1 1/4 yd1 5/8 yd1 yd1 1/8 yd1 3/8 yd4 1/2 yd
Twin8 × 11 (88)70" × 94"1 7/8 yd2 5/8 yd1 1/2 yd1 3/4 yd1 5/8 yd5 3/4 yd
Queen11 × 11 (121)94" × 94"2 5/8 yd3 5/8 yd1 7/8 yd2 3/8 yd1 3/4 yd8 1/2 yd
King13 × 13 (169)110" × 110"3 5/8 yd5 yd2 5/8 yd3 3/8 yd2 1/8 yd10 yd

Blocks side by side with a 3" border, 2 1/2" binding, 42" usable width and 10% extra.

What a lap quilt looks like

5 × 7 blocks, 46" × 62" with border.

This diagram uses plain colors. To see the quilt in your own fabrics, with sashing or on point, use the tool below: tap a fabric and choose a photo.

See it in your own fabrics

1. Your fabrics (tap a fabric, then choose a sample or your own photo)
2. Block
3. Quilt size
4. Block size
5. Setting

What to buy

FabricYardageCut

Based on 42" usable fabric width, 1/4" seams and 10% extra. Your photos stay on your device.

Questions

What do I cut for a 8 inch Sailboat block?

1 main square at 5 1/4" × 5 1/4"; 1 main rectangle at 4 1/2" × 2 1/2"; 1 main square at 2 7/8" × 2 7/8"; 3 background squares at 2 7/8" × 2 7/8"; 2 background squares at 2 1/2" × 2 1/2"; 1 accent rectangle at 4 1/2" × 2 1/2"; 1 accent square at 2 7/8" × 2 7/8"; 1 fabric 4 rectangle at 8 1/2" × 2 1/2".

What size is the block before it is sewn into the quilt?

8 1/2" square. It finishes at 8" once the seams on all four sides are sewn.

How much fabric for a throw quilt of 8 inch Sailboat blocks?

56 blocks make a 62" × 70" quilt. Buy 1 1/4 yd of main, 1 5/8 yd of background, 1 yd of accent, 1 1/8 yd of fabric 4 and 1 3/8 yd of border & binding, plus 4 1/2 yd for the backing.