Free Quilt Block Pattern Instructions

We quilt for many different reasons—to escape the stress of life, to create something beautiful to cherish, or to make a gift for future generations. Yet for me the greatest joy comes from those quiet moments every quilter knows. The time that is my own, when I can relax, reflect, and gently sew my memories into cloth. This bed quilt was made for my daughter on her first wedding anniversary. She carefully picked out each color of fabric, which I then patched. As I did so, I thought of how happy she is in her life, and the generations of her family that will snuggle under this quilt.

This bed quilt will transport you to simpler days past, when quilt making was woven into the fabric of daily life. A well-made beautiful quilt brings enjoyment to both the quilt maker and the recipient. It’s my pleasure to provide you with what I hope are simple to follow, and free quilt block pattern directions that will give you satisfying results.

Before you Begin:

• Approximate Finished Size 103” x 103”
• Intermediate Skill Level
• Wash, dry and iron all fabrics (tip – cut small snip from each corner to prevent raveling).
• All seams are sewn with 1/4” seam.

Materials:Fabrics:

• (A) Center Squares = 1/3 yard each of 8 different browns
• (H) Corner Squares = 18” brown floral
• (B & C) Frame One = 2-1/2 yards dark brown
• (D, I, G, & K) Accent Corners & Strips = 2-1/3 yard dark green
• (E ,F and Border 1) Background = 2-1/2 yards cream
• (J) Divider Strip One = 20” cream
• (L) Divider Strip Two = 20” small-print maroon
• Border 2 = 1-5/8 yard maroon floral
• Binding = 1 yard maroon and gold
• Backing = 9 yards cream or tan floral

Other Materials:

• Batting 108” x 108” (King Size)
• Safety pins for basting
• Cotton thread
• Sewing machine
• Scissors
• Cutting mat & rotary cutter
• Walking foot
• Measuring tape
• Iron & ironing board

Cutting:

1. Center Squares – 8 different browns
   A – Two 4” x WOF (width of fabric) of each
2. Corner Squares – brown floral
   H – Three 4” x WOF. Cut into thirty-six 4” squares
3. Frame One – dark brown
   B – Fifty 1-1/2” x 7-1/2”
   C – Two 7-1/2” x WOF
4. Accent Corners & Strips – dark green
   D – Four 1-1/2” x WOF
   I – Seventy-two 3-3/8” squares, cut once diagonally
   G – Eight 2” x 27”
   K – Twenty 1-1/2” WOF
5. Background Frame – cream
   E – Fifty 2”x 9-1/2”
   F – Four 9-1/2” x 27
   Border 1 (inner) Ten 2” x WOF (each side approx. 96”)
6. Divider Strip One – tan
   J Twenty 2-1/2” x WOF
7. Divider Strip Two – small-print maroon
   L Twenty 2-1/2” x WOF
8. Border 2 – Maroon floral
   Eleven 4-3/4” x WOF
9. Binding – Maroon and gold
   Eleven 2-1/2” x WOF
10. Backing – Cream or tan floral
    Three 109” x WOF

Quilt Block Pattern Directions:

1. To make Unit A, sew two different WOF lengths together. Repeat until you have 8 set strips. Cut thirteen 4” wide pieces from two identical strips. Repeat this with two more identical strip sets. Cut twelve 4” wide pieces from two of the remaining identical strip sets. Press. Sew two different 4” wide pieces together to form a 7-1/2”square. Repeat making a pattern so you end up with twenty-five 4-patch squares = 13 of four different browns and 12 of four additional browns. Press.

2. Sew the D strips to the C strips. Press seam allowances in the direction indicated by the arrows. Cut into fifty 1-1/2” wide units.

3. Sew the B strips to the top and bottom of the A 4-patch squares. Be sure the top left-hand corner square of all 4-patch squares are the same fabric to insure all squares will look same. Press.

4. Sew D/C/D strips to the side of the B/A/B units. Press.

5. Sew the G strips to F. Press. Cut into 50 2” side units.

6. Sew an E to the top and bottom of each block. Press.

7. Sew a G/F/G unit to each side of the blocks. Press. Make 25 blocks.

8. Sew the J, K, and L strips together (twenty sets of J/K/L). Press. Cut into sixty 12-1/2” bar sets.

9. Sew the I triangles to the H squares. Press. Make 72 square-in-a-square blocks.

10. Alternately, turn bar sets, so that every other one is same. Sew the block and bar sets into eleven rows. Press.

11. Sew row to row. Press seam allowances to one side.

12. Sew the long Border 1 strips together to make two long 88-1/2” strip. Sew one to each side of quilt. Press.

13. Sew the remaining long Border 1 strips together to make two long 91-1/2” strips. Sew these to the top and bottom of quilt top. Press.

14. Measure sides of quilt. Sew the Border 2 strips together to make two long strips to fit. Sew these to sides of quilt top. Press.

15. Measure top edge of quilt. Sew Border 2 strips together to make two long strips to fit. Sew these to top and bottom of quilt top. Press.

16. Using a ½” seam allowance, sew the three 109” pieces of backing together, selvedge to selvedge, making a large piece approx. 109” x 123”. Press seams open.

17. Layer the backing (wrong side up), batting and quilt top (right side up) together. Baste with safety pins.

18. Machine quilt in pattern of your choice.

19. Sew binding strips together diagonally. Trim seam allowance to ¼”. Press open. Fold binding in half (right sides together) and press.

20. Trim the layers of quilt even with the pieced top. Bind the edges using a 3/8” seam allowance. Fold to back side and hand stitch binding down.