An art quilt pattern for a sea turtle built entirely from fused fabric collage, finished at 45 x 60 inches. On the cover sample, Seawell glides upward through water layered from dozens of purple, blue, and teal prints scattered with seahorses, roses, and drifting text, while the shell is pieced like a mosaic, jewel tone sections of red, pink, gold, purple, and blue outlined in narrow strips of script print grout, and the flippers and head carry florals of their own. Those fabrics were one set of choices. The pattern provides the turtle's shape and the process; every fabric decision belongs to the maker, so each finished Seawell is distinctive and one of a kind.

What the Pattern Includes

This listing is for the instructions and printed paper pattern. Fabric, fusible web, and notions are not included.

The package contains the full sized pattern, so there is no enlarging at the copy shop, plus complete step by step instructions in color.

Here's How it Works

Trace the design from the full sized pattern onto a sheer foundation, then build the turtle right on top of your tracing. Back your fabrics with Steam a Seam 2, which stays repositionable until it is pressed, so you can place each piece, step back, and move it until it sits right. Fill each shape first with low contrast underlay pieces so no gaps show through, then layer your cut motifs over them until the surface reads as one continuous design. The shell builds section by section, each mosaic piece ringed with narrow strips of black and white script print for the grout lines, with a grey print doing the same work on the head. A pressing sheet keeps the sticky web off your iron. When you're happy with the whole design, one final press fuses everything permanently. Attach the finished collage to your background, layer it with batting and backing, and quilt closely to secure all the raw edges for good.

New to collage? Laura's Little Book of Collage covers the technique in more depth, from fabric selection through quilting, and makes a good companion to any of her patterns.

What You'll Need

The back cover calls for about 2 1/2 to 3 yards total of 27 to 30 purple to blue to teal fabrics in dark to light values for the water (batiks and slight prints both work, and water look fabrics help but are not required), 1/2 yard total of 3 to 4 green fabrics for the turtle's underlays, and 1 1/2 yards total of about 15 to 17 solid reading reds, pinks, blues, yellows, and purples for the shell, in cuts from 6 inch squares to about 6 x 11 inches. A 6 inch square of dark black for the eye, a 6 x 11 inch black and white script print for the shell grout, one grey print for the head grout, and cuttable sea creature motifs, seahorses, mermaids, snails, bubbles, and flowers, finish the scene. The list also calls for 60 inches of Pattern Ease foundation, 10 or more yards of 24 inch wide Steam a Seam 2, a number 2 pencil and black Sharpie, Karen K Buckley medium blue handled scissors, an applique pressing sheet, a rotary cutter, mat, and ruler, 1/4 yard for binding, and 3 yards of nondirectional backing fabric.

Seven packages of Steam a Seam 2 Double Stick Fusible Web 12in x 3yds cover the call-out of 10 or more yards of 24 inch wide fusible; the narrower width simply butts edge to edge on the back of larger pieces. The Laura Heine Collage Mat set and Sew Tites Magnetic Flowers are optional and make the process easier: the mat gives the layering a portable, iron safe surface, the magnets hold the pattern and mat in place, and the mat set includes both the silicone mat and a teflon pressing sheet, which covers the applique pressing sheet on the supply list. Without the mat set, a separate applique pressing sheet is needed.

Perfect For

• A beach house, bathroom, or ocean themed room
• Blues, teals, and batiks waiting in the stash
• Sea turtle lovers, at a size that reads across a room
• A larger collage project that finishes as a usable lap quilt

Why You'll Love This Pattern

Collage is forgiving in ways patchwork cannot be. Nothing has to line up, no points need to match, and small imperfections disappear into the density of the design. There is no needle turn and no blanket stitch. The work is closer to arranging a bouquet than to sewing a seam.

Narrow strips of script print outline each mosaic section as the shell fills in, keeping the build organized, and in the water, values shift gradually and placement can wander without harm. At 45 x 60 inches, Seawell finishes as a true lap quilt as well as a wall piece.

Product Details

• Brand: Fiberworks
• Item #: LHFWSEA
• Designer: Laura Heine
• Category: Quilting Pattern
• Skill Level: All levels (no collage experience assumed)
• Technique: Fused Fabric Collage (raw edge fusible applique)
• Finished Size: 45" x 60" lap quilt or wall piece
• Format: Printed Paper Pattern
• Made in the United States