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Three Little Fishes Block of the Month #10 Quilt-Along (2024)

Quick Links: What you'll need Project steps

Learn foundation paper piecing in Debbie Shore's nautical quilt-along project.

These three little fishes add a lively dynamic to the quilt and enhance the sense of movement added by the seaweed block. Each little fish in this foundation paper pieced (FPP) block is made from the same pattern, two in the smaller size and one larger one. Although the templates are small, with the body and tail sections made separately with foundation paper piecing and then stitched together, this technique will enable your block to be really accurate. I suggest you start with the larger fish and by the time you’ve completed this, the smaller fish won’t seem quite so fiddly!

There are four templates for this block, two for the large fish and two for each of the smaller ones. Block A is the body and block B is the tail. You’ll need one template for the larger fish body and one for its tail plus a body and tail template for each of the smaller fish. I like to remove all the papers before joining FPP sections but if you prefer to remove them after joining, that’s fine. Now is the time to see if you can use up any scraps and some of the smaller pieces of your leftover fabric.

If you need further help with foundation paper piecing, take a look at the video for the Pointed Star Cushion Cover to see how it’s done.

Note: stitch along the FPP lines; when joining other pieces of the block, stitch with an accurate ¼in (5mm) seam allowance.

Unfinished block size: 12½ x 14in (31.75 x 35.5cm)

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You will need:

Equipment

• Sewing machine
• Rotary cutter
• Quilting ruler
• Quilting mat
• Fabric glue pen or pins
• Templates 
• Small piece of card to use for creasing the templates

Materials

Fabrics (see my Introduction to the 2024 Block of the Month). From these, you will need to cut: 

• One 4¾ x 2¼in (12 x 5.75cm) strip in FAB5 for the large fish (body)
• One 2¾ x 2¼in (7 x 5.75cm) strip in FAB5 for the large fish (tail)
• Three 3½ x 1¾in (9 x 4.5cm) strips in FAB1 – cut diagonally into 6 triangles for the large fish
• One 2¾ x 2in (7 x 5cm) strip in FAB6 for the first small fish (body)
• One 1¾ x 2in (4.5 x 5cm) strip in FAB6 for the first small fish (tail)
• One 2¾ x 2in (7 x 5cm) strip in FAB7 for the second small fish (body)
• One 1¾ x 2in strip (4.5 x 5cm) in FAB7 for the second small fish (tail)
• Six 2½ x 1½in (6.5 x 3.75cm) strips in FAB1 – cut diagonally into 12 pieces for the two small fish
• One 5 x 2in (12.75 x 5cm) strip in FAB1 for the sea (left of the large fish)
• One 2 x 2in (5 x 5cm) square in FAB1 for the sea (right of the large fish)
• One 6½ x 1¾in (16.5 x 4.5cm) strip in FAB1 for the sea (left of the first small fish)
• One 3½ x 1¾in (9 x 4.5cm) strip in FAB1 for the sea (right of the first small fish)
• One 7 x 1¾in (17.75 x 4.5cm) strip in FAB1 for the sea (right of the second small fish)
• One 3 x 1¾in (7.5 x 4.5cm) strip in FAB1 for the sea (left of the second small fish)
• Two 12½ x 1½in (31.75 x 3.75cm) strips in FAB1 for the sea (above and below the large fish)
• One 12½ x 2in (31.75 x 5cm) strip in FAB1 for the sea (above the second small fish)
• One 12½ x 6½in (31.75 x 16.5cm) strip in FAB1 for the sea (top of the block)

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