Hello and welcome to the first free pattern in the Quilting Wemple Pattern Vault!
I was recently looking for a good quilt pattern to practice quilting basics and I wasn’t finding anything that was quite what I was looking for.
I wanted something that had a variety of things to practice but still looked pretty 🙂
Since I wasn’t immediately finding what I was looking for I decided to design a quilt myself!
Just something I could pick up and put down, by no means a marathon quilt, and figured I’d post it here in case anyone else was looking for a little practice too!
It started with some really basic concepts, and slowly evolves to some more applications of that concept.
And eventually combining techniques to make some seriously fun blocks and a super cute finished quilt.
Why Bother?
I’ve never intentionally slowed down my quilting with the intention of practice basic skills, even when I was at the beginning of the beginning of my quilting career.
So picking a quilt where I decided “This is it, this is where I make a quilt like how I picture the award winning quilters would quilt”
Whether it is actually how they quilt or not, I’ll probably never know.
But channeling what I imagined to be my inner “pro quilter” definitely helped.
And by actually slowing down to learn some of the tips and tricks of the basics, the quilt actually went together like a dream!
Seriously.
I couldn’t believe it either.
And now it gives me some tips and tricks to bring back to my next quilt project to help make my life easier, and the quilt that much prettier.
So I hope you enjoy! This is a long pattern so I tried to break it up to be as manageable as possible.
Let me know how it goes in the comments below and be sure to post your finished quilts to instagram and tag me @QuiltingWemple so I can cheer you on!
Techniques to Practice
Here’s a quick list of what to expect in this quilt pattern, pretty much everything here has an associated tutorial on the blog.
So if you get stuck, don’t hesitate to jump over to the tutorial to brush up!
- Nesting Seams
- Half Square Triangle Quick Piece
- Hourglass Quick Piece
- Flying Geese Quick Piece
- Working on Point
And above all, keeping a 1/4” seam allowance!
Fabric Requirements
- 2.5 yards White
- 1/4 yard Light Pink
- 1/2 yard Dark Pink
- 1/2 yard Gold
Cutting Instructions
This quilt is a sampler quilt! It has many different types of blocks in it and no two have the same cutting requirements.
Since trying to piece all 12 blocks at the same time would likely drive you insane, I’ve decided the easiest way to go about this is treat all 12 blocks as mini patterns.
Each with their own cutting and piecing instructions, however each block should be unfinished at 9.5” square.
Once all of the blocks are pieced, the end will include how to assemble them all into a single quilt top!
Ready? Off we go!
Block #1: The Basic 9 Patch
You’ll quickly find that a lot of quilt blocks are designed around a 9 patch assembly. Whether its simple color blocks like this one, or replacing blocks here or there with more complicated blocks.
For this 9 patch we have two goals, nail down the 1/4” seam allowance, and figure out how to nest the seams between rows to get perfect intersections of the colors.
If you aren’t sure where to start or what either of those two things means, be sure to check out these tutorials before you get started!
Related:
How to Nest Seams
How to Square Fabric for Quilting
How to Keep a 1/4” Seam Allowance
Cutting:
4 – 3.5” squares dark pink
4 – 3.5” squares white
1 – 3.5” square gold
Piecing:
Line the 9 squares up according to the picture above, sew the blocks in rows together first, press the seams to the side, and then sew the rows to each other.
ProTip: If you press your seams in alternating directions for each row, nesting your seams for perfectly lined up seams will be a cinch!
Block #2: Log Cabin
The log cabin is a long standing traditional quilt block that can be altered in fun ways for more modern twists. The trick to this one is that 1/4” seam allowance.
There are many seams in this block and if you aren’t keeping a consistent seam allowance, will make this block a bit harder to accomplish.
Don’t be afraid to check back on ways to get that consistent seam allowance here!
Cutting:
Cut ONE of each of the following dimensions:
White:
- 1 5/8” x 9 1/2”
- 1 5/8” x 7 1/4”
- 1 5/8” x 8 3/8”
- 1 5/8” x 6 1/8”
- 1 5/8” x 5”
- 1 5/8” x 3 7/8”
Dark Pink:
- 1 5/8” x 7 1/4”
- 1 5/8” x 5”
- 1 5/8” x 2 3/4”
Light Pink:
- 1 5/8” x 8 3/8”
- 1 5/8” x 6 1/8”
- 1 5/8” x 3 7/8”
Gold:
- 2 3/4” square
Piecing:
Starting with the gold square in the center, add strips to the edges working your way around the square starting with the smallest lengths and working towards the longest lengths.
Add according to the diagrams below:
Block #3: Granny Square
For this block we will be using the 1/4” seam allowance skills and seam nesting to do more than just three rows.
And this time we’ll throw in some triangles too to make it a little trickier.
Cutting:
- 2 – 2 3/8” squares white
- 2 – 4 3/16” squares white
- 1 – 2 5/8” square gold
- 4 – 2 5/8” square dark pink
- 8 – 2 5/8” square light pink
Cut both 2 3/8” white squares on the diagonal according to the picture below to end up with 4 right triangles.
Cut both 4 3/16” white squares on both diagonals according to the picture below to end up with 8 right triangles
Arrange pieces and make first sets of seams according to the picture below to make rows. Press seams to alternating sides.
Sew rows together, nesting seams as you go. Press seams in your preferred direction to complete the block.
Block #4: Friendship Star
The friendship block is going to use a nine patch layout like the first block we practiced, but will replace 4 of the 9 blocks with half square triangles (HSTs) to make the star!
If you need a refresher on a quick way to make HST’s, or want an in-depth tutorial, check out how to make them 2-at-a-time here!
Cutting:
- 4 – 3 1/2” squares white
- 1 – 3 1/2” squares gold
- 2 – 4” squares white
- 1 – 4” square light pink
- 1 – 4” square dark pink
Take the 2-4” white blocks and using a ruler, draw a guideline diagonally from corner to corner.
Pair the 2-4” white blocks with the two 4” pink blocks.
Using a quick piece HST technique, sew 1/4” away from either side of the guideline.
Using a ruler and rotary cutter, cut directly on the guideline to separate HST units. Press open being careful not to warp.
Trim all four HST’s down to a 3.5” square.
Arrange HST’s with remaining 3.5” white and gold squares according to the design in a 9 patch layout.
Sew into rows pressing seams to alternating sides.
Combine rows to finish the block.
Block #5: Chain Block
This one we are going to try something new called strip piecing. This is a great quick way to avoid making lots of little seams by making one big seam and cutting it down to size.
This block is assembled in a 4 patch layout. Instead of 9 segments, there will only be four.
Cutting:
- 1 – 2 3/4” x 12” White
- 1 – 2 3/4” x 12” Gold
- 1 – 6” square White
- 1 – 6” square Dark Pink
Sew the 12” long strips together along on of the long sides. Press the seam towards the gold fabric.
Using a rotary cutter, cut the strip unit into four segments, each at 2 3/4”.
Pair the segments together and sew, nesting the seam, to make 2 – four patch blocks that measure 5” square. Set aside.
Draw a guideline diagonally on the back of the white 6” square. Pair it up with the dark pink 6” square and using a quick piece HST technique, sew 1/4” on either side of the guideline.
Use a rotary cutter to separate and press the unit open to the darker fabric to get 2 half square triangles.
Trim down to a 5” square unit.
Assemble according to the design. Sew blocks in rows together and press in alternating directions.
Nest seams and combine rows together. Press the seam open to finish the block.
Block #6: Churndash
This block is all about combining some of the techniques we’ve already been practicing. This one looks at the HSTs, and strip piecing in a 9 patch layout.
Cutting:
- 2 – 4” squares gold
- 2 – 4” squares white
- 1 – 3.5” square light pink
- 1 – 2”x15” strip white
- 1 – 2”x15” strip dark pink
Sew the two 15” strips together along a long side to make a single unit.
Subcut the unit into 4 – 3.5” lengths. The finished units should measure 3.5” square. Set aside.
Using a quick piece HST technique, pair the 2 white and 2 gold 4” squares together and make 4 half square triangles.
Assemble the unit according to the design above and sew the row together, nesting seams and pinning well as you go.
Block #7: Whirlpool
Here’s where we nail down this half square triangle thing. That’s all that this block consists of so have fun and be careful with those points!
Related:
How to get Perfect Points in your Quilts
Cutting:
All 3 1/8” squares, cut the following quantities:
- 6 – white
- 4 – gold
- 4 – dark pink
- 2 – light pink
Piecing:
Make half square triangles of all 3 1/8” squares cut. Using the following pairings for each:
- 4 – white & gold
- 2 – white & dark pink
- 2 – dark pink & light pink
Assemble the half square triangles according to the layout in the picture above.
Sew blocks into rows and then sew rows together to finish block.
Block #8: Pinwheel
This one is a little different, although it looks like you should be able to use a HST triangle for this block, the pinwheel needs each block identical, not mirror images, so it must be entirely hand pieced.
Focus on that 1/4” seam allowance and it should be just fine!
Cutting:
- 1 – 5 3/8” square light pink sub-cut into halves diagonally
- 1 – 5 3/8” square dark pink sub-cut into halves diagonally
- 1 – 5 11/16” square white sub-cut into quarters diagonally both directions
- 1 – 5 11/16” square gold sub-cut into quarters diagonally both directions
Piecing:
Arrange the pieces to have 4 identical blocks according to the picture above.
Piece the smallest pieces first to make a larger right triangle, and then combining with the larger right triangles of solid color to make a HST.
Arrange the finished units so each gold piece touches the center to form the pinwheel.
Sew blocks in rows together first, press in alternating directions, and then combine rows to finish the block.
Block #9: Hourglass
Getting a little fancier still, now that we’ve mastered the half square triangle, let’s try an hourglass!
The hourglass quick piece is a four at a time trick, and if you’ve got the half square down, it should be pretty simple.
Check out the post here for an in-depth tutorial on the process!
Cutting:
- 2 – 6” squares white
- 1 – 6” square dark pink
- 1 – 6” square gold
Piecing:
Start off by making HST’s by pairing the two white blocks, one with the gold, the other with the dark pink.
When you have your 4 HST’s made, be sure to press them all toward the colored fabric.
Take one HST of each color and draw a guideline from corner to corner running opposite the first diagonal seam, crossing it in the center.
Take your two HST’s of the same color combinations and nest them together.
The two gold/white ones should be matched up and the two white/dark pink ones should be matched up. Do not mix the two colors.
Nest the diagonal seams of the half square triangles and pin in place.
Be sure to gently pull back one of the corners to double check that you will actually end up with an hourglass pattern.
Just like with the first HST trick, sew 1/4” on either side of the guideline you just drew.
When both sides are sewn, separate the units with a rotary cutter and quilting ruler.
Press open to see the hourglass unit!
Trim down to a 5” square if necessary.
Arrange your 4 half square triangles so each white edge meets a color edge according to the picture below.
Sew your units together to finish up the block!
Block #10: Ohio Star
Combining some previously practiced techniques, this one will include the quick piece hourglass technique as part of a 9 patch layout.
Cutting:
- 4 – 3 1/2” squares white
- 1 – 3 1/2” squares gold
- 2 – 4 3/16” squares light pink
- 1 – 4 3/16” square dark pink
- 1 – 4 3/16” square white
Piecing:
Begin by pairing the 2 light pink 4 3/16” squares with the white and dark pink 4 3/16” squares.
Use the hourglass quick piece technique to makes hourglasses with two quadrants being the light pink fabric.
Start by making two HST triangles of the paired fabrics, and then nesting the seams of the HSTs and repeating the process to get your hourglasses.
Arrange the blocks according to the block above, with the dark pink quadrant of the hourglasses touching the gold block in the center.
Sew the blocks into rows and then combine rows to finish the block.
Block #11: Flying Geese
Flying geese are super versatile units that can be used on their own or as components to make more complicated blocks. There is a great quick piece technique for flying geese that will have you making them faster than you can actually use them so if you’ve never tried it out before be sure to check out my in-depth tutorial here for help!
This block will use both methods, the 4 at a time method and the 1 at a time method for making flying geese.
Cutting:
- 4 – 3 1/8” squares white
- 1 – 5 11/16” square gold
- 2 – 2 3/4” x 5” dark pink
- 2 – 2 3/4” x 5” light pink
- 8 – 2 3/4” squares white
Piecing:
Using the four at a time method, use the 5 11/16” gold square and the 4 white 3 1/8” squares to create four gold and white flying geese.
Lay the gold square right side up and align two white squares in opposite corners right side down. Draw a guideline on the white squares from corner to corner.
Sew 1/4” away from the guideline on both sides.
Separate the units with a rotary cutter and press the white fabric open.
Draw guidelines on the remaining two white squares from corner to corner and align with the remaining corners of the gold block.
Sew 1/4” away from the guideline on both sides.
Separate the units with a rotary cutter and press the white fabric open to reveal 4 identical flying geese units. Set aside.
Lay a pink 2.75” x 5” block right side up on the table, and line up a short edge of the block with the edge of a white 2.5” square block, right sides together.
Draw a guideline on the white block from corner to corner.
Sew directly on the guideline and trim away excess fabric in the corner with a rotary cutter.
Press the white fabric open.
Repeat the process with the second corner, ensure that the guideline for the second corner overlaps with the first white block already sewn on.
Sew on the guideline and trim away excess fabric in corner.
Press to reveal a finished flying geese block.
Repeat with remaining 2.5” x 5” dark and light pink blocks and 2.75” square white blocks.
Pair each gold flying geese with a pink flying geese and sew units together to make square units according to the picture above.
Arrange in a four patch, and sew blocks into rows.
Press in alternating directions and combine rows to finish the block.
Block #12: Pinwheel Star
Last one you’re almost there! Every piece of this nine patch is pieced so take your time to get it just right!
Cutting:
- 4 – 3 1/8” squares dark pink
- 2 – 3 1/8” squares white
- 2 – 3 1/8” squares gold
- 2 – 3 1/8” squares light pink sub cut into halves on the diagonal
- 1 – 5 11/16” square white
- 1 – 3 7/16” square light pink sub cut into quarters on the diagonals
- 1 – 3 7/16” square dark pink sub cut into quarters on the diagonals
Piecing:
Pair each light and dark pink quarter sub cut together so the right angles are together. Ensure all sub cuts are paired the same way with the light and dark pinks on the same sides for each pair.
Sew together and press open to make a larger right triangle.
Join the pieced right triangles with a halved sub cut of the 3 1/8” light pink squares to make a half square triangle. Repeat for all four pieces.
Arrange and combine all four quadrants together according to the picture above combining blocks into rows and then combining rows together. Set aside.
Using the 4 – 3 1/8” dark pink squares and the 5 11/16” white square use the quick piece flying geese method to create 4 identical flying geese.
If you need a reminder on the method, don’t hesitate to check out this in depth tutorial.
When completed, set aside.
Take the 2 – 3 1/8” gold and white blocks and pair them up.
Draw a guideline on the back of the gold blocks and use a quick piece HST technique to make 4 identical HSTs.
If you need a brush up on the method check out the in-depth tutorial here!
Arrange all pieces according to the picture above, ensuring that the points of the flying geese point out.
Combine units into rows and the combine the rows to finish the block
Finishing The Quilt Top
Since we have so many different blocks we are using let’s put some sashing between the blocks to give it some separation and organization.
Cutting:
- 20 – 4 1/2” squares white
- 31 – 9 1/2” x 4 1/2” rectangles white
Arrange the sashing so the 9 1/2” rectangles are between each block and the 4 1/2” squares are at the corners between blocks.
Sew the sashing and blocks together to make rows.
When applying sashing to the quilt blocks, find the middle of the sashing piece, and the middle of the block and pin there first.
Pin the sashing to the edges of the block next to keep the block squared in case the block is not exactly 9 1/2” square.
This will distribute any bulk throughout the block instead of having a tail of excess sashing at the end of the block.
Sew the finished rows together to (finally) finish the quilt top!
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