Keeping cool this summer – making the Coral and Blue quilted wallhanging

Welcome to a super fun week of quilt project using Coats & Clark Dual Duty XP® All-purpose Thread. Are you ready?

Coats Dual Duty XP All Purpose Thread is 100% polyester thread useful for hand sewing and machine sewing. Use hand needles 7, 8 and machine needles 11, 14 for best results.

Today’s project uses piecing, quilting and fusible applique and was designed by Linda Turner Griepentrog. You can accomplish this in a weekend.

Linda says, “Take a peek under the beautiful blue sea and note the awesome bright coral residing there. Look carefully and you’ll spy some shells, starfish and sea horses hanging out on the coral branches.”

skill level Intermediate

finished measurements 24” x 30” [60.96 x 76.20cm]

materials

• Coats & Clark Dual Duty XP® All-purpose Thread
• enough assorted light, medium and dark blue fabrics to cut a total of (60) 2½” x 6½” strips: 24 light, 20 medium and 16 dark
• 1⁄2 yd  for coral
• 1 yd backing fabric
• 1⁄4 yd binding fabric
• 32” x 38” batting
• paper-back fusible web

Cutting
From the blue fabrics:
Cut the requisite number of 2½” x 6½” strips and separate
into light, medium and dark piles.

From the binding fabric, cut:
3 strips, 2½” x WOF

Seam allowances are 1⁄4”.

assemble the quilt background

1. Lay out the light strips into four columns of six strips each, varying the location of similar colors for a pleasing effect.
2. Label the columns with a number, then sew the long strip edges together within each column. Press seams up for columns 1 and 3, and press seams down for columns 2 and 4.
3. Lay out the medium strips in four columns of five strips each. Repeat step 2, then join the columns to the lower edge of the light groupings.
4. Lay out the dark strips in four columns of four strips each. Repeat step 2, then join the columns to the lower edge of the medium groups.
5. Matching and nesting adjacent seams, pin the columns together in order. Sew the long seams and press seams in one direction.
6. Layer the batting, backing, and top, and quilt as desired.
7. Trim the batting and backing to match the quilt top.

applique the coral

1. Print the coral pattern on page 3 at 200%. Trace the coral pattern onto the fusible web paper backing, piecing the fusible as needed. Rough-cut the shape.
2. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, fuse the web to the wrong side of the coral fabric. Cut out the shape on the drawn lines.
3. Peel off the backing paper and position the coral as desired on the quilt top. Fuse securely in place.