Featuring: Blank Quilting Corp. Beachy Keen by Janelle Falke

Pattern Design by: Karen Montgomery

Sewn by: Karen Montgomery

The best nap in the world is the one you take in the late afternoon, after spending the day at the beach.  The opportunity to doze off as you snuggle your sun-kissed skin under this beach-themed quilt is how great vacations are made.  What could be better? Linger a few more minutes and hopefully, someone else will toss dinner on the grill.

Skills Learned: Accurate piecing, pressing, and rotary cutting.

Skill Level: Beginner

Finished Size: 54” by 72” (137.16cm x 182.88cm)

Fabric Requirements:

Horizontal rows:

• ½ yard (.46m) Beach Scene, 2570-11, Light Blue
• ½ yard (.46m) Tossed Beach Umbrellas, 2580-41, Ivory
• 1/3 yard (.30m) Seagulls, 2581-11, Light Blue
• 1/3 yard (.30m) Life Preserver Rings, 2578-11, Light Blue
• 1/3 yard (.30m) Tossed Boats, 2573-11, Light Blue
• ¼ yard (.23m) Coral, 2577-88, Red

Vertical Rows:

• 1/3 yard (.30m) Flip Flops, 2575-30, Sand
• 1/3 yard (.30m) Tossed Beach Items, 2571-30, Sand
• 1/3 yard (.30m) Starfish & Shells, 2572-30, Sand
• 1/3 yard (.30m) Tossed Beach Balls, 2576-30, Sand
• ¼ yard (.23m) Footprints in Sand, 2579-30, Sand

1 yard (.91m) Jot Dot, 9570-70, Powder Blue - for vertical sashing.

1 yard (.91m) Just Color by Studio E, 1351-Denim - for horizontal sashing and binding.

1 ¾ yard (1.6m) Jot Dot 108”, 1230-09, Marshmallow, for backing

Twin batting

Notions needed:

• Rotary cutter
• Cutting Mat
• Acrylic Ruler-6.5” x 24.5” (16.51cm x 62.23 cm)
• Neutral thread
• ¼” seam guide

Recommendation: I suggest prewashing or getting the fabrics wet and ironing them dry before cutting your strips.  I like to add spray sizing to my fabrics before I cut. You can use Acorn Precision Piecing Spray, Mary Ellen’s Best Press, or Faultless Spray Sizing.

Cutting Guide:

From each of the 1/3 yard cuts of Beachy Keen prints, cut:

     2 strips 4 ½” by the width of the fabric.

From each of the ¼ yard cuts of Beachy Keen prints, cut:

     1 strip 4 ½” by the width of the fabric.

From the ½ yard of Tossed Beach Umbrellas, cut:

     3 strips 4 ½” by the width of the fabric.

From the Beach Scene fabric, cut:

     2 strips 4 ½” by the width of the fabric, centering the chairs and umbrella images in the strips.

     These strips are “fussy cut”. See ‘Illustration A’.

From the vertical sashing fabric, cut:

     18 strips 1 ½” by the width of the fabric.

From the horizontal sashing and binding fabric, cut:

     24 strips 1 ½” by the width of the fabric for sashing.

     7 strips 2 ¼” by the width of the fabric for binding.

Instructions:

• Separate the 4 ½” strips of Beachy Keen fabric into those that will make the horizontal blocks and those that will make the vertical blocks. (Note: The prints with the sand in the background will make the vertical blocks.) 
• Using a ¼” seam allowance, stitch one 1 ½” strip of light blue Jot Dot fabric to each side of the    4 ½” strips of Beachy Keen fabric for the vertical rows. Press these seams open and then press the seam to one side. Pressing the seam open before pressing to one side, assures that no small tucks are in the seam. Pressing the seam to one side helps to keep the batting inside the quilt.  These strip sets will measure 6 ½” wide. Make 9 strip sets. See ‘Illustration B’.

• From each of the vertical strip sets cut 6 units measuring 6 ½” square. You will need 6 squares for each of the 9 vertical rows in the quilt. See ‘Illustration C’.

• Repeat the process and add a 1 ½” strip of Just Color fabric to each side of the 4 ½” strips for the horizontal blocks for the quilt. Press these seams open and then press them to one side.
• Cross-cut these strip sets into 4 or 5 squares measuring 6 ½”. (Note: Some rows will require 4 blocks and some will require 5).
• Arrange the horizontal and vertical blocks in a checkerboard fashion according to the layout diagram provided. See ‘Illustrations D & E’. Alternating the direction of the blocks will create the woven pattern. The horizontal rows should contain the same fabric and each vertical row or column should contain the same fabric.

 

• Stitch the blocks together in rows, pressing the seams in each row toward the narrow sashing strips. Stitch the rows together, matching the seams in each row to the previous row. Press these seams to one side.
• Layer the quilt top with batting and backing and quilt as desired. Trim the excess batting and backing even with the quilt top.
• Stitch the binding strips together at a 45-degree angle to form one long strip. Press these seams open. Fold the binding in half, with the right sides out and the raw edges even; press. Align the raw edges of the binding with the raw edges of the quilt top. Stitch the binding to the edge of the quilt, mitering the corners. Fold the binding to the back of the quilt and stitch it in place by hand. – Enjoy!

I hope you find as much joy in making this quilt as I did. If you have questions or comments, you are invited to join me live on the Nine Patch a Day Group page on Facebook at 7 pm (eastern) on Sunday evenings.  I answer questions, talk quilting, and share my latest Jaftex projects.

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Fabric Details:

To view the complete Blank Quilting Corp. Beachy Keen by Janelle Falke click here.

To find a retailer near you click here.

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Learn more about Karen here.

Follow Karen:

Nine Patch a Day Group on Facebook.

@Karenquilts on Instagram.

karensquiltroom.blogspot.com