The age of the internet has created so many incredible learning and sharing opportunities.
And in this post I have for you 5 free quilt patterns for beginners with instructions which I’ve discovered, and love, from online research.
But remember, practice is super helpful for most new art forms, and quilting is no different. So, before getting stuck into your project with your beautiful fabrics, I suggest that you practice your quilting techniques using fabrics like old t-shirts and muslin.
The right tools definitely make life easier, so choose the best sewing machine for the project you have in mind. And it may also be helpful to practice hand quilting for certain projects.
One thing to consider at the outset when you’re choosing your design/pattern: if you’re making a bed quilt, a baby quilt, or anything designed to be comfy… remember that the denser the quilting design, the stiffer the quilt will be. So you may prefer to save that level of density for decorative quilts, as opposed to snuggly ones.
There are several types of quilting designs:
- Overall: can be perfect for beginners, and for utility, bed, and comfort quilts. While some overall designs can be quite complicated, in this post we’ll focus on designs for beginner levels.
- Piecing patterns: are created by piecing together patchwork pieces into blocks.
- Fills: are smaller designs that can be used to fill in the spaces between other parts of the design. They can be used to add texture.
- Motif: include patterns like scrolls, the classic feather wreath and its variations, feathered swags, borders, and more.
- We can also specify quilting by techniques: patchwork, rag quilt, appliqué, trapunto, foundation paper-pieced, pictorial, and landscape.
Basics for Quilting
Here are some basic quilting terms you will need when using the patterns.
- Quilt top: the top layer of a quilt
- Batting: also known as wadding, batting is the insulating layer that goes in the middle
- Backing: the bottom layer of the quilt
- Quilting: the stitches that hold the layers together, made by hand or sewing machine
- Binding: the fabric strip that surrounds and seals the raw edges of a quilt
Other considerations:
- Selecting the fabric for your creation is definitely part of the fun. You get to combine all kinds of colors, textures, and prints in a unique patchwork design.
- Take some time to read about the theories of color for some great ideas. And here’s an excellent tool to help you with combining colors: Color Wheel Selector.
Image from amazon.com
- Don’t be afraid to experiment!
- And if the quilt you’re making is for children or teenagers, you may find that a slightly more dense quilt is preferable for its increased durability.
And one last quick tip before we start: the Hex N More Ruler Jaybird Quilts #JBQ-201 is a great tool to help you mark the fabric. The ruler cuts four shapes in four sizes: hexagons, 60 degree triangles, half hexagons, and jewels.
Image from fatquartershop.com
Having spent some time checking out the best patterns for beginners, I think you’ll love these.
1. Prism Quilt by Marinda Stewart
Basic straight lines and shapes always come more easily. You can download the PDF file with all the instructions you’ll need. The pattern comes with a color scheme, and you can even buy the fabrics from their online store if you want to.
2. Roman Stripes Quilt Blocks by Janet Wickell
This beautiful quilt is created from columns of strippy-set blocks. You can find the list of materials and instructions here.
3. Sweet Divinity Diamond Baby Quilt by Johanna
I love this project featured by Amanda Herring on her website The Quilted Fish. It’s another gorgeous free quilt pattern for beginners, and if you’re looking for a baby quilt pattern, it’s perfect.
If you enjoy making baby items like crocheted baby blankets and crib quilts you’ll love the Quilted Fish website.
For this particular project you’ll need:
- Some large scraps of your choice: Johanna used 12” squares from all 21 prints of Sweet Divinity
- White fabric for the sashing: ¾ yard
- Fabric of your choice for the backing: 1 yard (or 1¼ yard if you plan on using a directional print) and binding: ½ yard
- Template for the diamonds (you can use the ruler that I recommend above)
- Pins
- Rotary cutter, cutting mat, and ruler
- Iron
- Sewing machine
4. Confetti Quilt Tutorial by Holly DeGroot
I love this pretty pattern! And you’ll find the instructions laid out clearly for you here.
5. Big Beach Blanket Tutorial by Maiden Jane
This is a super fun tutorial, with some great pictures.
You’ll find everything you need to know about creating this blanket here on her site, plus other free quilt patterns that are perfect for beginners.
I hope this post and the stunning free quilt patterns for beginners, has helped to inspire you, and get you off to a flying start.
And if you’ve found any other free quilting patterns for beginners, just drop them in the comments below… we’d all love to see them x
