An Easy Sailboat Quilt Block Pattern

From our Free Quilt Block Patterns Library

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Skill Level: Beginner

Grid: 4x4

This Sailboat quilt block pattern combines cut patches with simple pieced units: connector or folded corners and quick pieced half square triangles.

If you would prefer, click here for another sailboat quilt block pattern.

📋 General Instructions

If you need help printing this tutorial, you'll find it here.

These abbreviations are used in the tutorial:

SA - seam allowance
RST - right sides together
HST - half square triangle

SA are 1/4" and pressed to the darker fabric unless otherwise noted.

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Step 1: Cut the Sailboat patches

Sailboat pattern

Sample Size: 6" finished / 6½" unfinished

Grid: 4x4

The sample block has our Sailboat sailing during the daylight hours, but you could just as easily choose a night-time starry sky.

Choose fabrics with enough contrast so that the points on your half square triangles don't get lost.

I prefer patches for half square triangles (#4 and #5, noted with ** in the chart below) that are oversized by 1/4", sew the units and then cut down to perfection.

So for a #4 listed as 2-3/8"x2-3/8", I actually cut it at 2-5/8"x2-5/8".

			Cutting Chart for a Sailboat Quilt Block ~ Traditional Piecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size
Patch	Fabric	Qty	4”	6”	8”	12”
1	Water	1	1-1/2” x 4-1/2”	2” x 6-1/2”	2-1/2” x 8-1/2”	3-1/2” x 12-1/2”
2	Boat	1	1-1/2” x 4-1/2”	2” x 6-1/2”	2-1/2” x 8-1/2”	3-1/2” x 12-1/2”
3	Sky	2	1-1/2” x 1-1/2”	2” x 2”	2-1/2” x 2-1/2”	3-1/2” x 3-1/2”
4**	Boat	2	1-7/8” x 1-7/8”	2-3/8” x 2-3/8”	2-7/8” x 2-7/8”	3-7/8” x 3-7/8”
5**	Sky	2	1-7/8” x 1-7/8”	2-3/8” x 2-3/8”	2-7/8” x 2-7/8”	3-7/8” x 3-7/8”
6”	Sky	2	1-1/2” x 2-1/2”	2” x 3-1/2”	2-1/2” x 4-1/2”	3-1/2” x 6-1/2”
Unfinished Block Size			4-1/2”	6-1/2”	8-1/2”	12-1/2”
Grid Size			1”	1-1/2”	2”	3”

Step 2: Assemble the units for your Sailboat

Half Square Triangles (HST)

Sailboat quilt block pattern - HST units

Make 4

Our Sailboat quilt block pattern needs 4 of these units. We'll use the quick pieced method to make them.

With a pencil draw a single diagonal line on the lighter of either the #4 or #5 squares. (If you are making a sailboat at night, it's possible that your sky fabric will be darker than your boat fabric.)

With right sides together (RST) layer a #4 and #5 together. Stitch a quarter inch away from it on both sides.

Stitch a quarter inch away from the line on both sides

The arrow points to the drawn diagonal. I like a mechanical pencil for this because the line is always the same width.

Cut the two pairs apart on the drawn line. Press with the SA toward the darker fabric.

Cut the sewn #4/#5 pairs in two on the drawn line

If you cut your patches the exact size, confirm they measure the correct size from the chart below. Then trim away the dog ears—those little points sticking out at the corners.

If you cut oversized patches like I do, trim the HST down as indicated.

For our 6" sample, the HSTs are trimmed to 2" x 2".

Finished Block Size	Trim HST to...
4”	1-1/2” x 1-1/2”
6”	2” x 2”
8”	2-1/2” x 2-1/2”
12”	3-1/2” x 3-1/2”

After trimming, you have four perfect patches.

Sew these into two pairs of HSTs with the diagonal seam moving from upper right to lower left.

Press the SA in the direction of the arrows

Stitch the pairs together, nesting the SA. This seam can be pressed to one side, open, or as I chose, twirled.

With RST, add a #6 to the left and right sides of this unit.

Connector or Folded Corners

Make 1

Draw a diagonal line on the back of both #3 patches.

With RST, line up the edges of one #3 with the right side of #2. The line should bisect the corner of #2.

This time, stitch ON the line.

That little messy thing behind my needle is a 'spider'. I start my stitching on one. There's less change my machine will 'eat' the corner!

Position the second #3 on the left side of #2. Make sure the drawn lines both bisect the upper corners of #2 as you look at them. (see arrows)

Doublecheck the position of the second #3

The drawn line is the stitching line

Trim away the excess fabric between the stitching and the lower corner, leaving behind a quarter inch SA. Press to the dark.

Step 3: Assemble the Sailboat block

Arrange the units into rows.

Press the SA in the direction of the arrows

Stitch the rows together.

Ahoy 'me-maties! Your Sailboat quilt block pattern is finished and ready to set sail!

Our finished Sailboat quilt block

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