Seriously..I think it needs stitches.: Swim Quilt Block Tutorial

It's almost the weekend again! I'm back to share my National Day scrap block for National Learn to Swim Day. Except when drawing this block, I drew up two and couldn't decide so I'm sharing them both. A double whammy! Originally I thought I'd save one for National Water Safety Day. I was sure that it must be a day. Then I looked it up, and INTERnational Water Safety Day is on the same day as National Learn to Swim Day. So I'm sharing them both together. These important days are both on May 15th.

I say important day, because according to the CDC, 10 people die every day from unintentional drowning, two of the ten being children age 14 yrs. or younger. You can find more stats and info *here*. We've known two families that have lost children to accidental drowning. It's so devastating.

Also, you can find home safety tips if you have young children, esp. toddlers, *here*. Did you know that they can drown in as little as a couple of inches of water? I remember learning that in nursing school and being shocked. Because of the proportional weight of their heads at that age, they're top heavy, so if they lean into a 5-gallon bucket that has some water in the bottom of it, to grab something out, they could fall in head first and drown. Talk about something that had never even crossed my mind!

These are the two blocks I did..

<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>

Swimmer Block-Learn to Swim

Fabric A (background-gray):

(6) 1" sq. (~)

(1) 1 x 2"

(2) 1 1/4" sq. (+)

(1) 1 1/4 x 1 3/4"

(1) 2 x 2 1/4"

(1) 2 x 3 1/4"

(1) 3 x 4 3/4"

(1) 3 1/2 x 4 1/2"

Fabric B (person-black):

(1) 1 x 1 1/2" (>)

(1) 1 x 2"

(1) 1 1/4 x 1 3/4"

(1) 1 1/2" sq. (*)

(1) 2" sq.

Fabric C (water-darker aqua):

(1) 1 x 2 3/4"

(1) 1 1/2 x 6"

(1) 2 x 3"

Fabric D (water-lighter water):

(1) 2 1/4 x 2 3/4"

(1) 2 1/2 x 2 3/4"

(1) 2 3/4 x 4 1/4"

Right Upper Clip & Flip

1. Place square at upper end or right upper corner of rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
2. Stitch from left upper to right lower corner.
3. Clip, flip & press.

*Using above method, 1" sq. of Fabric A and 1 x 1 1/2" rect. of Fabric B-short edge at the top, make one unit.

---------------------

Left Upper Clip & Flip

1. Place square at upper end or left upper corner of rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
2. Stitch from right upper to left lower corner.
3. Clip, flip & press.

*Using above method, 1 1/4" sq. of Fabric A and 1 1/4 x 1 3/4" rect. of Fabric B-short edge at the top, make one unit.

*Repeat these steps using 1" sq. of Fabric A and 2" sq. of Fabric B. Rotate and using 1" sq. of Fabric A, repeat. Rotate and using 1" sq. of Fabric A, repeat. Three corners of your square will have a clip & flip corner.

---------------------

Left Upper/Right Lower Double

1. Place a square at the left end or upper left corner of a rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
2. Stitch from right upper corner to left lower corner.
3. Clip, flip & press.
4. Place a square at the right end or lower right corner of a rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
5. Stitch from right upper corner to left lower corner.
6. Clip, flip & press.

*Using above method, 1 1/4" sq. of Fabric A-left upper corner, 1" sq. of Fabric A-right lower corner, and 1 1/2" sq. of Fabric B, make one unit.

---------------------

Assemble swimmer block as shown below, using scant quarter inch seams. It will be 8 1/2" at this point, 8" when finished in quilt.

<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>

Life Preserver Block-Water Safety

Fabric A (background):

(4) 1" sq. (~)

(2) 1 x 3 1/2"

(2) 1 x 4"

(1) 1 x 4 1/2"

(1) 1 x 5 1/2"

(4) 1 1/4" sq. (+)

(1) 1 1/2 x 2" (#)

(1) 2" sq.

(1) 3 1/2 x 4 1/2"

(1) 4 1/2 x 5"

Fabric B (orange life vest):

(2) 1" sq. (~)

(1) 1 1/4 x 2"

(2) 1 1/2 x 2 1/4"
(2) 2 x 3 1/2"

Fabric C (red ring buoy):

(4) 1" sq. (~)

(2) 1 1/4 x 2"

(2) 1 1/4 x 3 1/2"

*Using above method, 1" sq. of Fabric A and 1 1/2 x 2 1/4" rect. of Fabric B-short edge at the top, make one unit.

*Repeat these steps using 1" sq. of Fabric A and 2 x 3 1/2" rect. of Fabric B-short edge at the top.

---------------------

*Using above method, 1" sq. of Fabric A and 1 1/2 x 2 1/4" rect. of Fabric B-short edge at the top, make one unit.

*Repeat these steps using 1" sq. of Fabric A and 2 x 3 1/2" rect. of Fabric B-short edge at the top.

---------------------

Double Upper Corners

1. Place a square at the left end or left upper corner of a rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
2. Stitch from right upper to left lower corner.
3. Clip, flip & press.
4. Place a square at the right end or right upper corner of a rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
5. Stitch from left upper corner to right lower corner.
6. Clip, flip & press.

*Using the above method, (2) 1" sq. of Fabric B and 1 1/2 x 2" rect. of Fabric A-long edge at the top, make one unit.

*Repeat these steps using (2) 1 1/4" sq. of Fabric A and 1 1/4 x 3 1/2" rect. of Fabric C-long edge at the top. REPEAT FOR TOTAL OF TWO of these units.

*Repeat these steps using (2) 1" sq. of Fabric C and 2" sq. of Fabric A. Flip unit around and repeat so that all four corners have clip & flip corners. (I forgot to label the 2" sq. in the assembly diagram below, but you'll see it. It's the square with the 4 red corners.)

---------------------

Assemble as shown below using scant quarter inch seams. Your block will be 8 1/2" at this point, 8" when finished in quilt.

---------------------

And that's a wrap for not one, but TWO water blocks! Stay tuned next time for the BBQ Day block. It's one of my favorites and so fun! I think someone might need an apron with it.. or a BBQ hotpad.. hmm...

That's it for today!

If you make an of these National Day blocks, Minecraft, Pokemon or Harry Potter blocks or any of my patterns come find me and show me! :) I love to see! You can find me here:

@kellifanninquilts on IG

FB page

sew along group on my FB page

Happy Weekend! And happy stitching!

xoxo