This week we will start our Sea of Squares quilt by cutting all the pieces from charm packs: 2 light and 2 dark. I used 2 packs of Seascapes and 2 packs of White Bella Solids. As long as you have great contrast between your light and dark charms, this quilt will turn out great!
It took me just under an hour to complete this week’s homework.
Step 1 – Sorting the Squares (10 Minutes)
This seems like a very basic step, but it is important to sort all of the squares so that you cut them correctly. Of course you can make your quilt as scrappy as you like, and then you don’t need to worry as much about fabric placement.
Each block is made from 4 charm squares – 2 of the same dark plus 2 of the same light.
Let’s call them X blocks and O blocks.
The X blocks have a dark charm in the middle with matching smaller squares in the corners. The O blocks have a light charm in the middle with matching light squares in the corners. You will be sewing a total of 21 X blocks and 21 O blocks.
Sort your 84 dark charms into 2 piles – 42 charms for the X blocks (2 identical charms per X), and 42 charms for the for the O blocks (2 identical charms per O).
Moda charm packs are wonderful because each comes with exactly 42 squares with the same number of duplicates per pack. (Print placement may vary depending on how it’s cut).
Sort your 84 light charm packs into 3 piles:
- Pile 1 = 21 white charms (whole) for the block centers.
- Pile 2 = 21 white charms (to cut) for the little squares.
- Pile 3 = 42 white charms (to cut) for the rectangles.
Step 2 – Cutting the Dark (Print) Charms (25 minutes)
From your “X” pile, pull out 1 of each charm for a total of 21 intact squares.
From the remaining 21 squares, cut them into 4 – 2.5 x 2.5 inch squares each. You should then have a total of 84 smaller squares that match the prints of the larger squares.
From your “O” pile, cut all of the squares in half yielding 2 rectangles each. You should have a total of 84 dark rectangles measuring 2.5 x 5 inches each.
Step 3 – Cutting the Light (White) Charms (15 minutes)
Set aside pile 1 which is composed of 21 light squares (5 inches square).
From pile 2, cut the 21 light squares into 4 equal smaller squares each. You should have a total of 84 small light squares, measuring 2.5 x 2.5 inches each.
From pile 3, cut all 42 light squares in half yielding 2 rectangles each. You should have a total of 84 half square rectangles, measuring 2.5 x 5 inches each.
Light Charms: Cut Piles 1, 2 and 3
Now that your pieces are all cut out, you are ready to begin sewing the top together next week. Wasn’t that fun?
Quilt-Along Schedule – Links are Active at the Completion of Each Step:
- Week 1 – Supply List
- Week 2 – Sorting and Cutting the Charms (today’s post above)
- Week 3 – Sewing the Blocks
- Week 4 – Completing the Quilt Top
- Week 5 – Piecing the Backing
- Week 6 – Basting
- Week 7 – Machine Quilting
- Week 8 – Optional Extra Quilting
- Week 9 – Machine Binding to Finish
You can email me pictures of your progress at christa@christaquilts.com. I can’t wait to see all the variety and possibilities with this quilt!
Christa Quilts 
Christa, I intend making this my next project. As I’m new to patchwork/quilting and lack
a bit of colour confidence do you think collection for a cause charm packs and using
cheddar as the solid would be a good combination?
Finally plan to start this, this weekend! I’ve been sticking with my 2013 plan of “complete one project at a time” or else I would have done this with you. 🙂
I’m excited. I was given several Tula Pink Saltwater charm packs and I have never used pre-cuts so we will see how the 3 colorpaths turn out in this quilt!
I love this quilt. I’m afraid I never use precuts… always prewash my fabric when I get it home from the store, in part due to allergies/ chemical sensitivity. I may try to figure out how to create this using yardage and incorporating some strip piecing…. Thank you for the inspiration!
I think this will be a great quilt. Can’t wait to start my charm stash and finally use them. Cheers.
Love your colors. I had bought charm squares and mini charm squares to make a single irish chain with middle square being big like yours. May be I will tag along to make this one.
Malini – I’d love to have you! The mini charms would totally work for the smaller squares and you can make it as scrappy as you like!
Wow, I love this! I’m going to have to scramble to find the lights, but I have some Christmas charms that will work for darks, I think.
If I hadn’t just started a scrappy trip quilt, I would be very, very tempted by this!
That looks like it will be a beautiful quilt!
Wow that is beautiful. Love the pattern and the colors.
This is looking gorgeous!
Can’t wait for my kit to arrive! I’m excited!
Thanks Linda – it’s going to be fun. Everyone’s kits should ship tomorrow (let’s keep our fingers crossed!) Darn holidays getting in the way of my shipping schedule, LOL!!
Beautiful colors!